Your ferry slips past the old lighthouse and rounds a rocky headland.
At first, there’s little to see but sea and stone. Then the island begins to reveal itself.
Hundreds of pastel-colored houses cascade down steep hillsides toward a picturesque harbor. Church domes rise above terracotta rooftops. Fishing boats bob gently beside elegant sailing yachts. Waterfront cafés line the quayside.
This is the Greek island of Symi.
And tucked away in its historic upper town is a traditional house dating from around 1890.
Its price is modest when you see consider the views you’re getting…
We recently shared this charming Greek house with spectacular views on our Your Overseas Dream Home Instagram. Check out the post here.
To step back for a moment…
Like so many Irish students, I spent a summer backpacking around the Greeks islands, working in various bars, pulling pints and stacking glasses.
Greece offers the promise of long, sun-soaked days filled with history, myth, and that easy rhythm of life that only the Mediterranean delivers. Decades later, my memories of that time spent in Greece (Santorini in particular) are among my fondest—the whitewashed villages, golden beaches, and the scent of olive groves drifting on the breeze.
Symi occupies a special place among the Greek islands.
Part of Greece’s Dodecanese archipelago, it lies in the southeastern Aegean, about 15 miles northwest of Rhodes and only a few miles from the Turkish coast.
Regular boat excursions make it possible to visit from Rhodes, though Symi—with its permanent population of just 2,603 people—rewards a longer stay…
A base in Symi lets you spend your days wandering pastel-colored streets, enjoying fresh seafood by the harbor, and watching the sunset over one of Greece’s most picturesque islands.
This island has all the ingredients people dream about when they imagine the Aegean—crystal-clear water, hidden swimming coves, waterfront tavernas and whitewashed churches—but without the large-scale resort development found elsewhere.
The island became wealthy during the 18th and 19th centuries through shipbuilding and sponge diving. Merchants and sea captains built elegant neoclassical homes that still define the harbor today, painted in warm ochres, terracottas, blues and soft pinks.
Strict preservation rules have helped ensure that distinctive character survives.
But you can still find value here…
This property we recently posted on our Your Overseas Dream Home Instagram account is a case in point…
This historic house is on the market for €250,000…that’s about $286,000—far less than the median home price in the U.S. (which is $436,523, according to Forbes).
Here’s what $286,000 buys on a stunning Greek island…
This property dating from 1890 has spectacular views from its patio and also from the interior of the house.
This detached three-bed house sits in Ano Symi, the historic upper settlement overlooking the harbor.
Spread across three levels, it offers approximately 1,240 square feet of living space.
What immediately stands out is its authenticity.
Stone walls. Timber floors. Wooden shutters painted in the island’s characteristic colors. A picturesque entrance that feels completely at home among the surrounding historic homes.
Houses like this are part of what makes Symi feel so distinctive. Rather than grand villas hidden behind gates, the island’s historic homes sit shoulder to shoulder along narrow stone lanes, their colorful facades forming the extraordinary townscape that has captivated visitors for generations.
Perched on the hillside above Symi’s colorful harbor, this traditional stone house captures everything people love about the Greek islands—historic architecture, winding lanes, sea views, and a slower pace of life.
Despite its peaceful atmosphere, Symi has long been connected to the wider world.
Regular ferries link the island with Rhodes and its international airport, as well as other islands throughout the Dodecanese, while pilgrims have been traveling here for centuries to visit the celebrated Monastery of the Archangel Michael at Panormitis in the south of the island.
Throughout the summer, concerts, theater performances and exhibitions form part of the annual Symi Festival, adding another layer to island life.
That sense of history and continuity is part of what gives Symi its appeal. And this house reflects it beautifully.
A traditional island home built more than 130 years ago in one of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful historic settlements. All for $286,000.
This property is an example of the stunning value you can still find in parts of Greece, and that’s why I keep this country firmly on my radar.
You can read the full listing here.
This property offers the Greece that many people dream about at an affordable price point.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. If you’re interested in this listing you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence. We haven’t done any due diligence on it.
P.P.S. For more listings of affordable overseas dream homes, click here to follow our Your Overseas Dream Home Instagram account.
