Activities |
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Rhodes |
Rhodes © GNTO
The town of Rhodes, on the northern point of the island, has preserved its picturesque walled old city as a playground for visitors. In ancient times the harbour here was guarded by the legendary Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but now some statues of deer have taken its place. Nevertheless the old part of the city has plenty of wonders still to offer and the modern part of the town is just as vibrant.
The rest of the relatively large island offers miles of beaches, interesting archaeological sites and natural beauty spots. The best beaches are on the east coast, between Faliraki and Lindos. Lindos is renowned as a particularly picturesque town that has been designated a protected historic settlement.
Resorts
See our separate guides to the following Rhodes holiday resorts: Lindos, Rhodes Town, Faliraki and Ixia
Attractions
Rhodes Acropolis © shadowgate
Acropolis of Rhodes
The ancient Hellenic acropolis of Rhodes sits on a hill in the western part of the city, and once consisted of a monumental zone full of sanctuaries, large temples, public buildings and underground vaults. The buildings were set on stepped terraces interspersed with gardens. The remains of the buildings on the Acropolis date back to the 2nd century BC, but all has not yet been excavated at the site. The Stadium, however, has been fully excavated and restored. Also still to be seen are the ruins of the Temple of Athena Polias on the northern edge of the site, the Nymphaia, which is made up of four cave-like constructions cut into the rock, used for recreation and worship, a small restored marble Odeon thought to have been used for musical events or lectures, the Temple of Pythian Apollo and the remains of the Gymnasium.Telephone: 224 102 5500; Opening time: The open-air site is permanently open.; Admission: Free
Faliraki Beach © bazylek100
Faliraki Beach
The shallow waters of Faliraki Beach make it a popular holiday spot for families with children, as do the great facilities such as food stalls, umbrellas and sunbeds. The Faliraki Water Park and Luna Park distinguish this beach from others on the island as they feature water slides, kamikaze slides and a gigantic wave pool, as well as fully trained and certified lifeguards for safety.Address: On the north-east of the island, about 7.5 miles (12km) from Rhodes town.
Filerimos Hill © bazylek100
Filerimos Hill
Filerimos Hill used to be the citadel of the ancient town of Ialysos, and its large plateau is home to some intriguing historical attractions. On the eastern side of the hill, see the foundations of the Athena Polias temple and an early Christian basilica, dedicated to Virgin Mary, as well as a Byzantine church. The Monastery of Filerimos is an important archaeological site where Mycenaean pottery and a Doric foundation have been unearthed. A path to the west, lined with cypress and pine trees, leads to an impressive crucifix at the centre of a small square.Address: 9 miles (15km) from Rhodes town
Turtles © Mai Le
Marine Aquarium
Children love the Marine Aquarium on Rhodes Island, enamoured by its diverse range of live Eastern Mediterranean specimens including sea flowers, turtles, octopuses and strange-looking decapods (crustaceans with 10 limbs). This venue has been used as an aquarium-museum and research station since 1963 and as such, it displays an interesting collection of preserved and mounted marine specimens, as well as numerous scientific instruments.Address: Cos Street, Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes; Telephone: +30 22410 27308; Opening time: Open daily except 1 January, 25 December and Greek Easter Sunday.
Petaloudes © maarten sepp
Petaloudes - Valley of the Butterflies
A wonderful place to take the kids while on Rhodes Island is Petaloudes, the valley of the butterflies. This attraction sees a myriad of beautiful moths colouring its skies and kids can follow them along the narrow streams, and over the rustic little bridges. The shaded walkways lead to rock pools and waterfalls, and carry a vanilla scent from the local storax trees. There are cafés and gift shops to enjoy, and don't miss the old Italian windmill near the entrance.Address: 20 minutes from Rhodes airport, near Kalamonas village.
Elli Beach © linmtheu
Rhodes Beaches
The beaches on Rhodes Island are a great attraction for visitors. Afandou beach is quite undeveloped, good for those who don't like a crowd, while Faliraki beach has sunbeds, umbrellas, water sport facilities, restaurants and beach bars to enjoy. Kalathos beach has crystal-clear waters, wooden sunbeds and bamboo umbrellas (very eco-friendly!) and Kallithea beach is renowned for its hot medicinal springs and beautiful palm trees.
Old Town © jacobms
Rhodes Old Town
With buildings and monuments dating back hundreds of years, Old Town offers a wealth of historic attractions. The medieval streets feature Gothic windows and paved courtyards lit by traditional street lamps. The most famous of these is the Street of Knights (or Knights Avenue) which leads to the Palace of the Prince Grand Master. This palace displays several artefacts from as far back as the 13th century, when the crusades first came to Rhodes. The shops and stalls of Socrates Street are worth browsing for local jewellery, pottery and clothes.Excursions
Karpathos
From Rhodes it about a three hour ferry crossing to the hospitable island of Karpathos where the clock has stood still in the delightful village of Olymbos in the south. Here the locals go about their business much as they did in Homer's time, wearing their traditional costumes and preserving their language and culture with the aim of attracting tourists. They are particularly proud of the unique houses, built of carved stone and decorated inside with gorgeous embroidery and other colourful folk art décor. The island has great beaches and unspoilt villages and is a pleasure to explore, with a picturesque bay and a monastery at Kyra Panagia, Diafani village on a promontory to the north and the forested mountains. Karpathos is also renowned for its feast days and weddings. Visitors who happen to catch one in progress will usually receive a warm invitation to join the festivities. Just four nautical miles from Karpathos is the smaller island of Kassos, linked by ferry, which has a small community of fishermen living the way they have for centuries.Transport: A car ferry takes about three hours from Rhodes Island, or it is a short flight