Rhodes

Rhodes - Dodecanese (Greece)

Rodos or Rhodos island, is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece. It is the largest island of the Dodecanese and the fourth largest in Greece. Rhodes is located in the southeastern Aegean Sea and covers approximately 1400 km² (540 sq miles). It is a gorgeous island with a beautiful, varied natural landscape of mountains and plains where the surface is covered with vineyards, olive groves and pine forests. On Rhodes there are dozens of splendid beaches, and hotels and apartments in all price ranges and tastes are available for your accommodations.

Rhodes is also very popular for its rich culture and history. It has rich mythical tradition. Rhodes has been inhabited since the Prehistoric period. Since ancient times, the island played an important role in the Mediterranean Sea area’s history. It was part of the Roman and Byzantine empires and from 1306 to 1522 was occupied by the Knights of St. John, a Catholic Order which left it’s mark throughout Rhodes during its 200+ year occupation of the island. After the Knights of St. John left, the island was occupied by Ottoman and Italian rulers.

The climate of Rhodes is ideal. The winters are mild and the summers are not too hot, because of the presence of a cool breeze. The capital of the island is Rhodes town. This town is located in the far north, on the top of the island. It is a beautiful town with an impressive fortress, three great ports and excellent, sandy beaches. This town is exceptional because of the knights who came in the Middle Ages. You can still feel their presence because of the walls, towers and castles. These days, the city consists of the old port district inside the walls, where you will see cozy cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and cobbled streets, and the new town, where you’ll find modern shops and many beautiful parks and historical buildings.

How to discover Rhodes

Rhodes is an island that you can discover very easily by car, via the good provincial road. The total distance of the entire route around the island is about 185 kilometers (115 mi). If you were to do it all at once, you'll need at least three and a half hours of travel time. The distance from Rhodes town to the southernmost point of the island, Prasonisi, through the west coast is a 107 kilometers (66 mi) trip, or from the east coast, a 91 kilometers (57 mi) excursion. When you take either of these routes, you'll pass through spectacular areas. If you choose to travel through the central part of Rhodes you will encounter curvier, but well-paved roads. Through the central part you will see forested land with lovely trails. Another way to discover Rhodes is by boat from the harbor of Mandraki on the west coast. A boat trip to various beaches, especially on the east coast is a must. Most boats sail to Lindos (a town on the opposite side of the island from Mandraki) and stop at several beautiful beaches.

The west coast of Rhodes

There is a big difference between the northern half of the west coast and southern half of the west coast. The northern half is touristy, while the southern half is quieter. The popular resorts of Ixia, Ialyssos and Trianda are located in the northern part. Filerimos is located in the northern half. Here in a marvelous wooded area are a number of extremely interesting sites from antiquity and the Middle Ages. The airport of Rhodes is located nearby between the villages of Kremasti and Paradisi.

The southern part of the west coast is less touristy but gorgeous. The further south you go, the quieter it gets. You’ll notice that even on the road. After Theologos, about ¼ of the way down the west coast of the island, where several large hotels and surfing is popular, you approach the ancient Kamiros. In ancient times, Kamiros, along with Ialyssos and Lindos, were the three major cities on Rhodes. Fifteen kilometers (9 mi) south along the west coast lies Skala Kamiros. Likely, in ancient times it was the port of Kamiros. Skala Kamiros is a small port from where daily boats sail to the island of Halki. When you drive further south, you go into a mountainous region. Here, the pine forests are stunning. The next village you pass is Kritinia, idyllically situated on the slopes of a mountain. A little further, at the T-junction, turn left to Embonas, a traditional village located at the foot of Attaviros, the highest mountain on Rhodes. South of Embonas is the village of Siana, where honey is produced, and a little bit further the village of Monolithos. In Monolithos you see traditional shops, which mainly sell honey. Two kilometers further, however, is the major attraction of the village, the castle of Monolithos, standing on a high rock. The area south of Monolithos is less woody. This is where you find the villages Apolakkia and Kattavia. Here, you’ll find long dunes next to the sea. Cedar trees dot the area. The southernmost point of Rhodes is the peninsula of Prasonisi, one of the absolute highlights of Rhodes. Wide, long beaches border either side of the narrow strip that connects the mainland with the peninsula.

The east coast of Rhodes

When you drive from Rhodes town to the south along the east coast, first you'll pass the major port and the new marina of Rhodes town, followed by dozens of stunning beach resorts, each one more beautiful than the other. Kalithea is the first resort that you come across, followed by touristy destinations such as Faliraki, Anthony Quinn beach, Ladiko, Traourou, Afandou and Kolymbia. After Kolymbia you come to a road where the exit to the monastery Tsambika is indicated. This ancient monastery is perched on top of a mountain. It is more than worth the effort to walk to the monastery and from there another 300 steps to the peak. The setting is splendid and the views of a large portion of the island are incredibly picturesque! Visible from the monastery, toward the south, is Tsambika beach, which is considered by many to be the most beautiful beach on Rhodes.

South of Tsambika is the traditional village of Archangelos and the beaches of Charaki and Agia Agathi which are located close to each other. These two beaches attract thousands of tourists in the summer months. Agia Agathi, also known as Golden Beach, is one of the most popular beaches on the island. Two kilometers (just over 1 mi) from Agia Agathi lies the Feraklos castle and a little bit further the small resort of Charaki. Charaki is a nice seaside resort in a small bay where hotels, apartments, many restaurants and cafes are situated near the beach.

Beyond Charaki is Kalathos, where all kinds of large and small hotels are located. After that you arrive at Lindos. Lindos is a picturesque village with whitewashed houses built against the slopes of a hill. There are several beautiful sandy beaches here. In ancient times, Lindos was well-known for its Acropolis. The beach of Aghios Pavlos, which lies on the other side of the rock and in ancient times was the second harbor of Lindos, is magnificent. Very nice beach resort locations lie to the south west of Lindos: Pefkos (5 km or 3 mi), Lardos (11 km or 7 mi) and Kiotari (19 km or 12mi). Continuing south, as you near the southern tip of Rhodes, near the village of Kiotari, you‘ll find Gennadi and its beach. During the summer, big beach parties are organized here. Glystra, a very nice beach near Kiotari, is surrounded by sand dunes, cedar trees and fir trees.

Διοικητική διαίρεση Περιφερειακής Ενότητας Ρόδου

• Δήμος Μεγίστης
• Δήμος Ρόδου
• Δήμος Σύμης
• Δήμος Τήλου
• Δήμος Χάλκης