Greek Islands Maintain Charm Despite Decline

Symi, Greece, is known for its shipbuilding and sponge-diving history, as well as its amphitheatrical town of Gialos. Visitors can take the Kali Strata staircase to Chorio to explore its 19th-century mansion and pharmacy. Gialos features several churches and colourful houses with wooden carvings, as well as an 1890 clock tower. The Venetian castle of Agios Ioannis, built in 1407, is now home to the Archaeological Museum of Symi, displaying artefacts from the Byzantine and Medieval periods, including frescoes. Folegandros, an hour by ferry from Santorini, is getting its first luxury hotel this summer, featuring a restaurant from Michelin-star chef Lefteris Lazarou and private infinity pools.