Symi - Panormitis
The longest route of the island is 22 km and ends up in Panormitis. It is uphill in its beginning and it offers a great view of Gialos and Horio. Further away the rocky landscape gives way to an unusual large forest of pine and cypress trees which grow alongside on the rocks. You will count churches and monasteries all the way up: Agia Marina, Agia Triada, Profitis Ilias, Agia Aikaterini, Agios Efraim, Agios Prokopios (besides, there are 135 in total on the island, most of which were votive offerings of sponge divers and sailors).
The fort-monastery of Michaeles (Michael Roukouniotis) is important with its old wall paintings in both of its churches. Outside the monastery there is a cypress-phenomenon: It is over 850 years old, according to the locals, and it has grown in the shape of a big hug resembling that of a plane.
Just before Panormitis you will see the road that leads to the quiet beach of Marathounta on your left and afterwards you will go downhill towards the bay and the monastery of Taxiarchis Michael.