 This island emerged once from the beautiful blue waters, says an ancient fable, and the god of Sun asked Zeus to give it to him as a share in dividing of the world. And so the Sun god became the protector of the island and gave it the name of his beloved: Rhodes.
The local people worshiped the sun God with festivals and competitions, and he, all the year, gave them his shine. When you are in Rhodes you believe that this is not just a myth. Like a leave thrown to the sea, Rhodes seems to travel to the warm seas of the south, bathed in a revealing white light. A place blessed by nature with a unique variety of landscapes and colors, the gold of beaches, the blue sea and sky, the green to its quiet hills and valleys.
As charming is the nature of the island, as is its chequered history. The beauty, the wealth and the location of Rhodes, between East and West, made all the great enemies to try to conquer it. The Romans took it from the Greeks and the Ioanites from Byzantines, and then they lose it from the Ottomans Turks. Last conquerors were the Mussolini's Italians and the Germans, which ruled the island until its unification with the motherland Greece afterwards the Second World War.
All conquerors have left very strong traces of their sovereignty: castles and palaces, temples and public buildings that compose today a unique architectural landscape, which allows the visitor to experience the long history of the place with his senses and his mind.
The people of the island make even stronger the magic of the nature and the history. The Rhodian people are simple and hospitable with a warm heart, faithful to their traditions but also open-minded, they love their island and make others to love it also.
  City Center of Rhodes
Going to the center you will inevitably pass the Mantraki with the busy marine.
You will walk in the shades of the imposing Italian buildings and of the Modern mansions. You will feel the history of the city from the architectural variety of its buildings. You will walk to the northern end of the town and of the island, to Aquarium, and perhaps your walk will end with a rejuvenating dip at the beach that is stretching from "Elli" to Psaropoula or with purchases from the city market.
When the night with its own magical colors comes and the mood is changed, no one will be disappointed: the numerous entertainment clubs, each with its own style, are promising to you unique nights.
 Medieval City of Rhodes
In the medieval city of Rhodes, the city of the Knights of St. John's Battalion, you feel that the time stopped in other era.
Going up the road of Knights, you arrive at Grand Master's Palace, which overlook is majestic. You follow the paved streets, under gates and galleries, through hidden squares and courtyards, next to impregnable walls and Byzantines churches. You have the sense that you live in the troubled past of the place, but at the same time you discover that this city, still inhabited, with its lively commercial traffic, the Archaeological Museum, the Art Gallery, the Museum of Folk Art and the night life, lives intensely also in the present.
This fascinating combination of past and present will enchant you and make you feel the uniqueness of the biggest alive Medieval city of Europe.
Monte Smith, Rodini, Karakonero
From the top of Monte Smith - the hill with the ruins of the ancient citadel, of the temple of Apollo and of the ancient stage - the town, stretched all around, among the seas and the winds, sparkles in the sun. The visitor's eye will hug the whole place up to the magnificent natural park of Rodini, an ideal place for entertainment and up to the modern sports center at Karakonero in the opposite coast.
From the other side, the panoramic view of the gulf of Ixia, will fill him peacefulness.
 Ialyssos, Ixia
The open embrace of the gulf of Ialissos is an ideal holiday resort. The hospitality is pleasant as the breeze reaches from the sea to the balconies of modern hotels that promise you high value vacations.
The sea is a challenge for the sports fans, and for those who simply wish to relax while enjoying its dew. In a short distance from the sea, lies the town of Ialissos, where you can stay in hotels with all amenities. The Filerimos Hill, with the ruins of the ancient citadel of Ialissos and the monastery of Virgin Mary, full of green, dominates the area and is a unique place for pleasant walks.
From there, you can admire the panoramic view and you will get charmed by the colors of the sunset. And when the sun is no longer share its warmth, the options for amusement along the coastal main avenue are unlimited.
 North-western Rhodes
There are many surprises for visitors at this place of Rhodes.
Going down to the south, in Kalamonas, you can visit the Valley with the Butterflies, a unique habitat of the butterfly Panaxia Quantripunctaria. In the ruins of ancient Kamiros you will listen to the sounds of the stormy and glorious past of the island.
Changing mood, you can enjoy fresh seafood at one of the seaside taverns in Skala in Kamiros or taste traditional dishes in Embona, a village famous for its fine wine, in the shade of Attaviros, the highest mountain of Rhodes. From there, following a beautiful path through the dense pine wood, you reach the place Profitis Ilias, from where you can enjoy the panoramic view to the sea.
It is worth visiting the folklore museum in the villages Apollona and Kritinia and passing by Agios Isidoros and Sianna, villages known for their traditional Souma and their herbs.
 Faliraki, Reni
Following the national road from the city of Rhodes to Faliraki, you meet Koskinou, a village which attracts you with the colorful graphic of its popular architecture. Going down to the beach you arrive at the thermal baths of Kallithea, which exist from the time of the Italian possession. The buildings, the sea and the palm trees compose a cinematographic setting.
A visit to this unique worth seeing place can be combined with a relaxing swim or even with some diving lessons.
Walking to the south you will arrive to Faliraki, one of the most popular holiday destinations on the island, literally next to the sea and under the sun. In its immense golden beach you surrender yourself to the light blue charm of the sea and to the warm caress of the sun.
The morning enjoyments however do not remain without continuity: the night life at Faliraki offers a variety of alternative choices: the pleasure of a good meal in one of the many taverns along the coast, the hectic paces of bars and discos, the peace of a night promenade, next to waveless sea.
Afandou, Kolymbia, Archangelos
The ascent to the monastery of Virgin Mary Tsampikas Psili is tedious, but from up there, you can gaze up with a bated breath the many beauties of this side of the island: in the north is barely seen the endless beach of Afandou and beside is the premises of the golf center.
The Municipality of Afandou, with the low white houses, maintains its special character and the inhabitants their spontaneity.
More southerly is the village Kolymbia with its own beautiful beach. At your feet, below the imposing rock, the beach of Tsampika lies endless with the golden sand and the turquoise waters.
The neighboring small town, that shines beneath the sun, is the Archangelos. To the hinterland, the Epta Piges raised by lush hills, a place of peacefulness and dew, where someone can discover, under the shade of the giant plane trees, next to gurgle water, another aspect of the pure Rhodian nature.
Lindos
Lindos, a powerful naval city in antiquity, it is considered today, with the around regions - Kalathos and Vliha, Pefkos, the Pilona and Lardos - to be one of the most enchanting resorts of the island, which combines the beauty of nature with the cultural heritage.
The houses, perched on the sides of the hills, come up white at the background of the blue sky and the sea. Walking through the narrow paved streets, you enjoy the frugal beauty of the traditional island's architecture and along the maze routes, unconsciously lead your steps to the ancient Citadel, a witness of the turbulent history of the place.
From up there, the open sea is in front of your astonished eyes as far away as the glaucescence skyline. The beaches around seem golden under the sun light, and complete the magic of the landscape. And when the sun dives into the waters of Aegean Sea, magical and dreamy nights are waiting for you.
 Southern Rhodes
Beneath the same blue of the Rhodian sky, but different and more pure, with its own air, southern Rhodes waits the visitors in order to enthralled them with its own attractions.
In the hospitable villages you will find people who know how to enjoy life with simplicity and mirth and keep alive their ancient deliveries. Their place keeps intact its beauty: low green mountains, cool valleys and shady forests, compose images that smooth the senses.
Deserted chapels, monasteries and medieval castles, as those of Asclepius and Monolithou, perched on the imposing rock, give another tone in the landscape. And at the end is always the sea: hidden solitary seashores alternate with endless contiguous golden beaches, from Kiotari to Gennadi and from Lahania to the southern end of the island, Prasonisi, a paradise for windsurfing. |
Exploration
