 Greek Island-Rhodes
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There is so much to see in Rhodes and you will have more time to enjoy it if you go by hydrofoil. |
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The walled Old City is a labyrinth of narrow streets and cobbled alleys with attractions on every corner, from intriguing shops to the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knight of St.John. Rhodes was once the bastion of this powerful religious brotherhood which adorned the city with the spoils of war and profits of trade and the monuments of that age are grand indeed.
Outside the walls is a bustling modern city with gardens, beaches and extensive shopping opportunities and a bit further afield is delightful Lindos, a sparkling white village set below an imposing acropolis.
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Places Which You Must See
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 Eastern side
Kallithea (10 km):
A fine beach, a natural environment all of its own, medicinal springs. The spa facilities are interesting, but no longer operate.
Faliraki (15 km):
A cosmopolitan centre, with large hotels, rooms to let, supermarkets, shops, restaurants, etc. Approximately 5 km of sandy beach, with shallow water.
Afantou (20,50 km):
A town with a tradition of carpet-weaving. Beach with fine pebbles. Golf course.
Epta Pighes (26 km):
A spot with plane trees, springs, little waterfalls and lake.
Tsambikas Monastery (28,50 km):
A branch off to the left after Kolymbia leads to this Byzantine monastery, which is at the top of a mountain of the same name (320 m). A certain amount of the way can be covered by car; after that, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach the summit.
The next branch off the main road leads to its sandy beach.
Archangelos (33 km):
A large pictureque town with a tradition in ceramics, carpet-weaving and the making of the traditional goat's leather boots of the region.
Haraki (40 km):
The port of the villages of Malona and Massari. On top of a rock to the left, the medieval fortress of Feraklos looks out to sea.
Lindos (50 km):
Immediately after the branch off the main road which leads to Lindos, there is a breath-taking view of the beautiful natural bay of Palaistra with its sandy beach. Higher up, above the white houses of the village, the acropolis seems fused to the rock, while all round the sea is blue and boundless.
Lindos stands exactly on the site of the ancient town, on the Krana headland. Many of the houses are of the 17th century and are built with hewn stone with doors and windows of the medieval type. Their architecture is of great interest. In the village is the 15th century church of Our Lady with notable wall-paintings.
On the hill above the village is the acropolis. The walls which encircle it today are those of the Knights. The most imposing of the ruins of the acropolis are thos of the Temple of Lindian Athena and its propylaea (gateway), and a colonnade of a length of 88 metres in which 20 of the 42 columns which it had in antiquity have been re-erected.
At the entrance to the acropolis is a stern of a ship in relief, the work of the Lindos sculptor Pythocritus.
On the western side of the hill there are the remains of an ancient theatre.
The building on the top of the little promontory which encloses the harbour, is the church of St Aimilianos.
Lindos reached its high point of prosperity under the tyrant Cleobulus, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, who ruled his native land for 40 years.
Below the south-western part of the acropolis is the picturesque little harbour of Apostolos Pavlos. According to tradition, St Paul landed here to teach Christianity in Rhodes, hence the name. The chapel dedicated to him has its feast day on 28 June.
Kattavia (107 km):
This is the point at which the western and eastern roads meet, at the islands' southernmost village. From here an earth road sets out to the southernmost extremity of the island, Prasonisi.
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Western side
Ialisos (8 km):
This was one of the three cities of Rhodes in ancient times. The site has not yet been uncovered, but it is assumed that it is on the side of the Philerimos hill. In the course of archaeological digs - 1stperiod: 1859-1871 & 2ndperiod: 1914-1929 - tombs and other rich finds from the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods came to light. In the modern town is the Church of the Dormition of the Vergin, whose sanctuary screen is a fine piece of wood-carving of the 18thcentury. The road leading to the Philerimos hil passes through the village. Asmaller road to the left leads to the small Monastery of the Archangels (Taxiarches).
Philerimos (15,2 km):
On this wooded hill, of a height of 265 metres, there are the remains of an ancient Doric fountain of the 4thcentury BC, a restored 15th century monastery of Our Lady and an underground Byzantine church with wallpaintings of the 14thcentury.
Kremasti (11 km):
There are major celebrations here on the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin on 15 August.
Airport (15 km):
To the right of the main road
Petaloudes (26 km):
2,5 km after the village of Paradeidi, a brach road off to the left leads to this long, narrow valley with dense greenery on its rising ground. This is full of butterflies between June and September. A little uphill road from here leads to the Monastery of Our Lady of Kalopetra (1782).
Agios Soulas (28 km):
Approximately 4 km after the village of Soroni, a road branching off to the left leads to this small monastery, ringed with cypress trees. It has its feast day on 30 July, when there are major celebrations.
Prophitis Illias:
At a height of 700 metres and near the Monastery of the Prophet Elias are the Elaphos and Elaphina hotels. The mountain is very verdant and the road leading to it is surfaced.
Kamiros (36,2 km):
This ancient city of Rhodes was discovered in 1860. It stands like an amphitheatre on an attractive and fertile hill. Its prosperity in ancient times is indicated by the important remains which have been discovered: a marketplace, houses, hot baths, a water-supply and drainage system, a cistern of a capacity of 600 m³ (6th - 5th century BC), a temple of Athena Kamarias (6th century BC), the foundations of a colonnade of the Doric order of a length of 200 metres (3th century BC), etc.
Kamiros Skala (52 km):
A little fishing port with attractive tavernas serving fish, and a sandy beach. Caïques depart from here for the small island of Alimia and for Chalki.
Agios Isidoros (66 km):
Approximately 5 km from the village of Kritinia, a road off to the left leads to the village of Embonas, where there is a wine festival. It then climbs the side of Mt Attavyros, tracing out a semi-circle until it comes to the village of Agios Isidoros. In the middle of this semi-circle is the old Artamitis Monastery (13th century).
Monolithos (80 km):
2 km of earth road, south-west of the village, leads to the medieval castle of Monolithos (15th century), imposing because of its position on top of a huge rock (Monolithos = single rock).
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Resort Pictures |
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Rhodes harbour
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