Tour of Rhodes
Rhodes is one of the most beautiful and popular islands in Greece with many natural beauties, historical monuments, traditional villages, sandy and fully organized beaches.
It is a beautiful and cosmopolitan island of international repute offering high quality services and many facilities for accommodation, entertainment and sports: luxurious hotels, bungalows, apartments and rooms to let of all categories, restaurants of Greek and international cuisine and taverns.
The island is famous for its exciting night life where casino has the leading role.
There are numerous night clubs and bars all around the island.
RHODES TOWN
The Old Town of Rhodes is encircled by the stout medieval fortifications built to defend it by the Knights of St. John, in which there are seven imposing gates.
Entering the city by the Liberty Gate (or Gate of Eleftheria), we encounter the remains of the temple of Aphrodite, followed by the Inn of the Tongue of Auvergne.
Other important buildings in this area are the old hospital –now the home of the Archaeological service – the church of the Panagia Kastrou (11th c.), the inn of the Tongue of England, and the hospital of the Knights – now the Archaeological Museum.
The finest section of the Knight’s city is the cobbled street of the Knights with the imposing buildings to right and left, which leads to the Place of the Grand Master, a huge, well-fortified building with many impressive rooms.
In another section of the city are the Kastellania, the Admiralty Palace, the Hospital of St. Catherine, the ruins of various Catholic and Orthodox churches and also a number of Turkish mosques.
The commercial streets in the old city have many shops selling folk art, leather goods and jewelry and also taverns, bars, etc.
The small squares here are adorned with tasteful stone fountains.
The major museums and collections are also in the old city of Rhodes:
The Archaeological Museum (in the Knights Hospital)
The Municipal Art Gallery (in a building in Symis Square)
The Folklore Collection (in a building in Argyrokastrou square and
The Early Christian & Byzantine Collection (in the church of Panagia Kastrou.
RHODES TOWN
The Modern Town of Rhodes, spreading outside the medieval fortifications, is full of contradictions.
It has many Venetian, Gothic and Arabic elements and, alongside them, solid structures in the neoclassical and Italian styles, most of them near the old harbor of Mandraki.
The most important of these are the new market, the National Bank, the prefecture offices, the law-courts, the town-hall and the theater.
In this same section of town are the church of the Evangelismos, the fort of Agios Nikolaos with the church of the same name and the light-house, and the two bronze deer – the island’s trade mark – dominating the entrance to the harbor from their tall columns, on the site where, according to tradition, once stood the famous Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
There are three Byzantine stone wind-mills near the fort of Agios Nikolaos.
At the north end of the modern town is the aquarium, and to the west, on the hill of Agios Stefanos (or Mount Smith), is the Acropolis of Ancient Rhodes, with the ruins of the temples of Athena, Apollo and Zeus, the restored theater and the stadium, dating from the 3rd c. BC.
The city has an excellent tourist infrastructure: luxurious hotel units, bungalows, apartments to let providing all comforts. It also offers a wide variety of entertainment (night life, cultural events, sports, etc.)
The capital is the financial and cultural center of the southeast Aegean.
Tour of Rhodes
Some of the most popular resorts are the east end of the island. We may note:
KALLITHEA with its Thermes health spa facilities, built in a colonial style during the Italian occupation – which no longer function.
Further to the south are:
FALIRAKI
FALIRAKI is considered as one of the most cosmopolitan summer resorts in Rhodes island.
It has many tourist facilities: luxurious hotels, water and extreme sports, water park, famous clubs, restaurants and bars and one of the biggest and best-organized beaches.
AFANTOU – KOLYMBIA
AFANTOU where there is a golf course. Afantou beach with small pebbles and crystal clear waters is highly organized and has the appropriate infrastructures for all kind of sports.
KOLYMBIA is a seaside village situated 6 kilometers south of Afantou with a fine beach with clear waters.
TSAMBIKA disposes a fine beach, one of the most beautiful of the island. It is sandy with warm, clear waters and big tourist development.
ARCHANGELOS
ARCHANGELOS is one of the finest traditional villages on the island with pottery workshops, various shops and traditional architecture.
Today the village is one of the most important tourist resorts of the island but the residents keep their traditions alive. In the taverns of Archangelos you will taste dishes from the local cuisine.
MASSARI, HARAKI with the medieval castle of Feraklos and the beautiful beach of Agia Agapi.
Tour of Rhodes
LINDOS
Lindos is situated 46 kilometers from Rhodes town.
The medieval village of Lindos, with its interesting mansions, steep, stone-paved alleys, arches, stairways, white-washed walls and dark-painted terraces, clusters around the foothills of a sheer rock, the summit of which is dominated by the ancient acropolis.
Passing through its imposing entrance, we pass the administrative building and the ruins of the Byzantine church of Agios Ioannis (13th c.), before coming to the large arcade, built about 200 BC, twenty of the original 42 columns of which still survive. Remains are also preserved of the grand staircase, the “propylaeum” and the temple of Athena Lindia (second half of the 4th c. BC).
The temple is built at the highest point of the rock and there is a magnificent view from here of the other monuments on the acropolis and the little bays and inlets around it.
A short distance away from the acropolis are the tomb of Kleovoulos, a number of other tombs, the remains of an ancient theater and a small sanctuary, and also the Harbor of St. Paul where, according to tradition, the apostle disembarked when he came to Rhodes to teach the Christian religion.
KALATHOS is located 5 kilometers north west of Lindos. It distinguishes for its fine sandy beach and the cove of Vliches.
LARDOS – GENNADI
Beyond Lindos is the sea-side village of LARDOS which has a big and fine beach with clear blue waters, GENNADI with an endless beach with crystal waters, ISTROS, and finally the promontory of PRASONISI, the southernmost point of the island, the paradise of windsurfers. In the region you will find rooms to let, taverns and cafes.
Tour of Rhodes
IALYSOS
The west coast of the island is equally interesting, with many tourist facilities and much archaeological interest.
Some 5,5 kilometers from the sea-side village of IALYSOS (or Trianta), are the ruins of the acropolis of the ancient Ialysos, the temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus, a Greek cross baptistery that belonged to an Early Christian basilica of the 5th c. AD, the restored Gothic church of the Panagia Filerimou built by the Knights of St. John, the small subterranean church of Agios Georgios Chostou and the remains of a Byzantine defense-work.
A short distance away is a Doric fountain and opposite the entrance to the archaeological site is the beginning of the “Golgotha”, a paved pathway with fourteen engravings of the Passion of Christ along one side of it.
The beach of Ialysos is famous for her natural beauty, her clarity, and the cosmopolitan life.
Tour of Rhodes
IXIA
IXIA is one of the most famous and cosmopolitan tourist resorts in Rhodes with luxurious hotels and bungalows.
In the endless and fully organized beach with the crystal clear waters and the golden beach you can enjoy your swim and water sports.
KREMASTI
Further along the coast are the villages of KREMASTI and PARADISSI, which have ample tourist accommodation, shops, nightlife, etc. Rhodes has international airport in this area.
Just beyond these villages a side road leads east to Petaloudes (Butterflies) (26 kilometers from Rhodes town), a wonderful natural park where, from June to September every year, thousand of butterflies gather and cling to the trunks of the trees.
KAMEIROS
The coast continues to SORONI and KALAVARDA, before coming to the archaeological site of KAMEIROS.
The ancient city extended around an unfortified hill. Here, ruins are preserved of houses and an aqueduct, the “agora” (market) with a Doric arcade, a Hellenistic precinct, the main street of the city and some traces of the temple of Athena.
Ancient cemeteries have been discovered on the surrounding hills, and in one of the tombs was found the famous grave stele of Krito and Timarista, one of the most famous exhibits in the Rhodes Archaeological Museum.
The road south passes through Skala Kameirou a picturesque little harbor, KRITINIA and MONOLITHOS, with their Venetian castles.
The closest beach is Fourni, 4km from Monolithos village.
APOLAKIA a beautiful verdant village with many taverns, and KATTAVIA is the southest village in Rhodes.
It was built during medieval times.
Tour of Rhodes
The interior of the island with its beautiful natural environment and authentic traditional villages, has much of interest to offer:
Fountoukli with its characteristic church of Agios Nikolaos, Profitis Elias with the monastery of the same name built in an enchanting setting with a superb view, Salakos a beautiful mountain village, Apollonas, Eleousa, Agios Isidoros, Embonas, Laerma, Asklipio, Mesanagros, Istrios, Psinthos, Maritsa and other villages.
In Asklipio there is an ecclesiastical & folkloric museum.
Very close to Asklipio village you can find the fine beach Kiotari with its endless beach.
Psinthos village is famous for its running waters. In the square of the village there is a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The village produces honey of high quality.
Embonas is a fertile village famous for its high quality of wine.
Tour of Rhodes
TRADITION – EVENTS
Many cultural events are held in Rhodes town.
There is a Sound and Light spectacle at the palace of the Knights, performances of plays and dances of the Dodecanese in the theater at the medieval moat, concerts, recitals etc.
In many of the villages there are traditional festivals with local music and dancing.
Some of the hotels on Rhodes also have facilities and equipment for holding conferences.
LOCAL PRODUCTS
Rhodes produces wine of high quality.
Embonas village is famous for the vineyards and Sianna village for the “souma” drink. Cordiadolino is the famous traditional liqueur of the island.
Before leaving the island don’t miss to buy handmade pottery and needle work.
Lindos pottery is the most famous.
