Travel Guide Gialos And Horio

The port of Gialos and the hilltop old town of Horio are linked by the 500-odd steps of the Kali Strata, a middle-class street that winds its way up the hill. From the imposing two- and three-storey neoclassical villas of Gialos, with their warm, cheerful colors, to the whitewashed, cubic dwellings of Horio, many of them in ruins and abandoned. The alleys become narrower, the courtyards smaller and overflowing with vines and flowers. Visit the houses in these two villages to admire the interior woodwork that decorates them: since 1971, they have been listed as historic monuments. Looking towards Horio from the port, numerous churches seem to be embedded in the hillside. At the top of the town stands the Fort des Chevaliers, built on the ruins of the ancient acropolis. Although it was destroyed during the 1944 bombing raids, you can still see the coat of arms of Philibert de Naillac, Grand Master of the Order of Knights from 1396 to 1421. The Second World War left its mark elsewhere in the port of Gialos: not far from the ferry landing, on the quayside, you'll find a monument to peace, surmounted by a dove. It was here, in fact, that the German command of the Dodecanese islands signed their surrender on the last day of the Second World War, May 8, 1945. In the same spot, you'll see a bas-relief of a ship, inlaid into the cliff: a replica of an ancient ship found on the acropolis of Lindos (Rhodes). Discover Symi's glorious history at Horio's small archaeological and folklore museum. In particular, you'll see the maritime history that has enabled traders, sailors and sponge fishermen to prosper over the centuries. In the port, visitors will find many pretty, rather chic boutiques and all the island's good restaurants. In the summer evenings, don't miss a stroll along the harbour to admire the millionaires' yachts and sailing boats, competing in prestige and elegance.