Greece - Korina Miller [444]
Nos is the closest beach to Gialos. It’s a 500m walk north of the clock tower at Panormitis Bay. There you’ll find a taverna, bar and sun beds. Nimborios is a long, pebbled beach 3km west of Gialos. It has some natural shade, as well as sun beds and umbrellas. You can walk there from Gialos along a scenic path – take the road by the east side of the central square and continue straight ahead; the way is fairly obvious, just bear left after the church and follow the stone trail. Over this way you can stay at Niriides Apartments ( 22460 71784; www.niriideshotel.com; apt €70-80). The rooms are fairly standard but the views are excellent and you’re just steps from the beach.
Moni Taxiarhou Mihail Panormiti Μο Ταξιρχου Μιχαλ Παορμτη
A winding sealed road leads south across the island, through scented pine forests, before dipping in spectacular zigzag fashion to the large, protected Panormitis Bay. This is the site of Symi’s biggest attraction – the large Moni Taxiarhou Mihail Panormiti (Monastery of Archangel Michael of Panormitis; admission free; dawn-sunset). The large monastery complex occupies most of the foreshore of the bay.
A monastery was first built here in the 5th or 6th century, however the present building dates from the 18th century. The principal church contains an intricately carved wooden iconostasis, frescoes, and an icon of St Michael that supposedly appeared miraculously where the monastery now stands. St Michael is the patron saint of Symi, and protector of sailors. When pilgrims and worshippers ask the saint for a favour, it’s tradition to leave an offering; you’ll see piles of these, plus prayers in bottles that have been dropped off boats and found their own way into the harbour.
The large monastery complex comprises a Byzantine museum and folkloric museum, a bakery with excellent bread and apple pies and a basic restaurant-cafe to the north side. Accommodation is available at the fairly basic guest house ( 22460 72414; s/d €20/32), where bookings in July and August are mandatory.
The monastery is a magnet for day-trippers, who commonly arrive at around 10.30am on excursion boats; it’s a good idea to visit early or after they have left. Some ferries call in to the monastery and there is a minibus from Gialos. A taxi from Gialos costs €45. Dress modestly to enter the monastery.
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TILOS ΤΗΛΟΣ
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Basking in relative obscurity, tiny Tilos (tee-loss) sees more migratory birds arriving on its shores than tourists. In fact, with rare species like the Eleonora’s falcon, the Mediterranean shag and the Bonelli’s eagle nesting here, many tourists who do arrive are avid birdwatchers. Others are drawn by the many walking trails that take you across serene mountains, valleys and meadows to small, isolated beaches surrounded by majestic limestone cliffs. Recognised as a Special Protected Area by the EU, and home to countless rare orchids and mammals such as sea turtles and the Mediterranean monk seal, Tilos is beginning to embrace a greener way of life and open its doors to ecotourism.
Often quietly ignored by the major transport companies, Tilos tends to be overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbours. Known in earlier years for its agricultural prowess rather than for its maritime eminence, it sometimes feels as if it has fallen off the map. If you’re looking for a green adventure on a lost island, this is the place for you.
History
Mastodon bones – midget elephants that became extinct around 4600 BC – were found in a cave on the island in 1974. The Harkadio Cave (closed indefinitely) is signposted from the Livadia–Megalo Horio road and is brilliantly illuminated at night. Erinna, one of the least known of ancient Greece’s female poets, lived on Tilos in the 4th century BC. Elephants and poetry aside, Tilos’ history shares the same catalogue of invasions and occupations as the rest of the archipelago.
In more recent times, locals have fought for