Symi and St George's Bay High-Speed Boat Trip from Faliraki Rhodes

Faliraki Beach and the direct departure

Faliraki is the liveliest resort on the east coast of Rhodes, about fifteen kilometres south of Rhodes Town, with a long sandy beach and calm water. Most Symi day trips leave from Rhodes Port, which means an early coach transfer for anyone staying here. This boat is different: it picks up from stops along Faliraki Beach itself, with check-in at Faliraki Harbour from 09:50 and beach boarding between 10:00 and 10:15.

If you are staying in Faliraki, you simply walk to your stop; if you drive, there is free all-day parking by the beach at the southern boarding station. The boat calls for about ten minutes at Mandraki Harbour in Rhodes Town to take on more passengers, giving you a view of the harbour entrance and its medieval fortifications from the water.

The crossing from Rhodes to Symi

The high-speed crossing to Symi takes about 80 minutes. The boat heads north-west along the coast of Rhodes and across the open Aegean, with the mountains of the Turkish coast visible on the horizon on clear days. You can sit on the open deck to enjoy the sea breeze or stay inside in the shade.

Symi lies close to the Turkish coast, and the approach to the island is spectacular: barren grey hills drop into deep blue water, and suddenly the harbour opens up with its amphitheatre of colourful houses. Keep your camera ready for the arrival, one of the most photographed moments of any Symi day trip from Rhodes.

Symi Town: Gialos harbour and the upper town

Symi Town is built around a deep natural harbour called Gialos. In the nineteenth century the island grew rich from sponge diving and shipbuilding, and its captains and merchants built the elegant neoclassical mansions in ochre, pink, cream and blue that climb the hillsides today. A stone clock tower stands on the waterfront, and the quays are lined with tavernas, bakeries and small shops selling natural sponges and spices.

With about three hours of free time, you can stroll the harbour, swim at a small nearby beach, or climb the Kali Strata, a wide stone staircase of around five hundred steps leading to Chorio, the upper town, for a stunning view over the harbour. For lunch, try the local speciality: tiny fried Symi shrimp, eaten whole. Is Symi worth visiting? For colour, calm and photography, it is one of the highlights of a holiday on Rhodes.

St George's Bay on Symi

St George's Bay, known locally as Agios Georgios Disalonas, lies on the east coast of Symi and can only be reached by sea. A sheer limestone cliff rises around three hundred metres above a small pebble beach with a tiny chapel, and the water below shifts from emerald to bright turquoise. It is one of the most dramatic swimming spots in the Dodecanese.

The boat anchors here for a 30-minute swim stop; you can jump into the clear water or relax on deck in the sun. From late September through October the boat visits St George's Bay first, before Symi, because the cliff casts the bay into shade in the afternoon and the colours are best in the morning light. Bring swimwear and a towel.