Symi is the eighth largest Greek island of the Dodecanese complex . It is about 12 miles NW. of Rhodes , in front of the homonymous Asia Minor gulf of Symi, or Sympeki gulf according to the Turks, with a total area of ​​57,865 sq.km. . It is 255 miles from Piraeus, about 27 miles east of Nisyros and 3.7 miles from the nearest coast of Turkey.
Its natural port is Gialos , (from Aegialos), whose city is built amphitheatrically. At the 2021 census it had 2,603 ​​inhabitants, according to the 2021 census. There are also the resorts of Nibor(e)ios (from Emporio), further north, and Pedi, east. About 5% of permanent residents are foreign European citizens, mainly English. Gialos is connected by road to Chorio, Pedi, Nibor(e)io, Marathousta and the Holy Monastery of Archangel Michael of Panormitis which is located at the southernmost western end of the island. Symi is a world-class tourist destination due to its architecture. A desalination plant has been operating on the island since 2009 .
The entire island of Symi was declared an archaeological site. The whole of Symi as well as the islets that are around it were declared archaeological sites by the Central Archaeological Council, since they include 159 sites - places and monuments - that record the history of the region from prehistoric times to modern times.