By on 12-05-2014
Located on the south eastern side of the Aegean Sea, Rhodes is among the largest and most popular islands of Greece. Due to the fabulous beaches, the beautiful nature and the rich culture, Rhodes island attracts millions of tourists every summer. The island is accessible by ferry or plane. The ferry to Rhodes from Athens is long and also stops in many other islands.
Medieval character
The most vivid characteristic of Rhodes island is the special Medieval style of main towns, like the Old Town of Rhodes and Lindos town. This Medieval style survives since the Middle Ages, when the Knights of Saint John conquered Rhodes and the other islands of the Dodecanese group. A walk around the Old Town will bring visitors to elegant stone mansions, old hospitals that have been turned to museums, an impressive Palace of Grand Master, Catholic churches, an old port, picturesque squares and romantic paved paths, like the Street of the Knights.
Other towns and villages around Rhodes island also have Medieval characteristics, such as Lindos town with the impressive acropolis on top, Kritinia village with the old castle and Ialyssos village with the Medieval Monastery of Filerimos.
Beaches
Rhodes island is famous for the fantastic beaches, perfect for all preferences: sandy or pebbled, organized or secluded, crowded or private. Many beaches in Rhodes island are lined up with hotels and restaurants, providing nice places to stay during your holidays. Such beaches are Kallithea, Faliraki, Ixia, Ialyssos, Theologos and more. Other beaches are less popular and give nice settings for total privacy.
Sightseeing
Due to the natural beauty and rich history of Rhodes island, visitors will find many interesting sightseeing to visit. Apart from the Old Town with its many museums and churches, a fantastic place to visit in Rhodes island is the Acropolis of Lindos, located on top of a rocky hill.
The Ancient Town of Rhodes on Monte Smith hill, above the main town, offers breathtaking view to the sea, and so are the many Medieval castles around Rhodes island, such as Monolithos Castle and Kritinia Castle. Very nice places to visit are also the Springs of Kallithea and the Valley of Butterflies.
Ferry to Rhodes island
Rhodes island is easily accessible by plane from Athens and Thessaloniki, while there are also charter flights from foreign countries. A ferry to Rhodes also departs from Piraeus port in Athens about 5-6 times per week, while itineraries are more frequent in summer.
As the ferry trip to Rhodes is long (about 16 hours) and trips are usually overnight, passengers are advised to book a cabin. There is daily ferry connection between Rhodes and other islands of Dodecanese. More sparse itineraries connect Rhodes island with other popular Greek islands, like Crete, Santorini and Mykonos.
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