What to see in Rhodes

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

The Greek island of Rhodes is considered the pearl of the Mediterranean. And not without reason - many monuments of ancient and Gothic architecture have been preserved on it. Moreover, the island of Rhodes is rich in natural beauty - amazing thyme, cyclamen and cypress trees grow here, and in the northern part of the island is the famous Valley of the Butterflies, which attracts thousands of tourists. So what to see in Rhodes?

Rhodes has long been under the rule of the Knights Hospitaller. From that period, there are several medieval fortresses, as well as the magnificent palace of the Grand Master of the Order, located in the city of Rhodes. Another large city deserves attention - Lindos, famous for its huge acropolis, the second largest in all of Greece. Many archaeological sites have survived in the small town of Kamira, located on the coast and surrounded by an olive grove.

One of the most important resorts on the island is Kolimbia with luxurious five-star hotels and sandy and pebble beaches. Here you can rent a motor boat or jet skis. In the vicinity of Kolimbia there is a natural park called Seven Springs. The tiny hilly village of Kritinia is also worth visiting, from the port of which there is a ferry to another interesting Greek island - Halki.

TOP 15 attractions of Rhodes

Rhodes fortress

A powerful fortress now rises over the entire city of Rhodes. It is one of the few surviving Gothic buildings in Greece. This place used to be a Byzantine fort of the 7th century, which in the 14th century was transformed into a luxurious citadel with the palace of the Grand Master of the Knightly Order of the Hospitallers. The fortress withstood the siege of 1480, but surrendered in 1522 under the onslaught of the troops of Suleiman the Magnificent.

The Ottoman Turks used the fortress as their headquarters in Rhodes. At the beginning of the 20th century, Rhodes passed to the Italians, and King Victor Emmanuel III and even the fascist leader Benito Mussolini lived in this palace for some time. After World War II, Rhodes returned to Greece, and a history museum was opened in the ancient Rhodes fortress.

The appearance of the citadel is interesting - the entrance is through a gate with two thick crenellated towers, and tiny windows are made in the recognizable Gothic style. The Grand Master's Palace has a small courtyard decorated with graceful arcade galleries. The interior layout is also made according to the Gothic canons.

The collection of the Museum of the Rhodes Fortress is amazing - all historical eras, starting with antiquity, are presented here. A copy of the famous sculptural group Laocoon and Sons, made by local craftsmen, is kept here. The museum also contains ancient mosaic floors brought from the neighboring island of Kos. A separate exhibition is dedicated to Byzantine and Gothic sacred art. Also in the museum you can see the ancient ammunition and ceremonial uniforms of the Knights of the Order of Malta.

Rhodes Acropolis

The Acropolis of Rhodes rises on a hill three kilometers from the city center. It is surrounded by a park and surrounded by greenery. Now the best preserved are the temple of Athena and Zeus and the temple of the Pythian Apollo. In their appearance, a powerful portico stands out, supported by three columns of the Dorian order. Also preserved is a small theater - the odeon, which could accommodate about 800 spectators and a huge stadium where you can see ancient places for spectators and even a kind of "lodge" - places for guests of honor. The stadium is famous for being the only original Olympic stadium in the world that has survived.

On the territory of the acropolis, amazing underground structures have also been preserved, connected with the city aqueduct - an ancient aqueduct. It is believed that these are nymphs - a special type of religious buildings dedicated to nymphs. And not far from the stadium, one of the city's necropolises was discovered.

Mandraki Harbor

Mandraki Harbor has been the main port of Rhodes for nearly three thousand years. Now it is a cozy promenade overlooking the sea with many souvenir shops and cafes. The main modern attraction of the harbor is the New Market, built in the neo-Byzantine style at the beginning of the 20th century. It is home to trendy shops and luxurious restaurants and is always bustling with life.

At the entrance to the port there are two graceful bronze statues of deer - the symbol of the city of Rhodes. Earlier on this very place towered the huge Colossus of Rhodes - one of the seven wonders of the world, sadly destroyed during an earthquake.

In the harbor there is the pier of St. Nicholas, where three medieval windmills and a small fort built by the Knights Hospitallers have survived. And on the embankment rises the Cathedral of the city of Rhodes - the Church of the Annunciation, built in 1925 in the neo-Gothic style.

Rhodes old town

Street of the Knights

The old town of Rhodes is one of the largest European medieval urban areas where people still live. Built by the Knights Hospitallers in the XIV-XVI centuries, it was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1522, which could not but affect its appearance. In the city, the styles of Gothic architecture are surprisingly intertwined with the oriental style, and not far from Christian churches, Arab minarets of mosques rise.

The Old Town is home to the main attractions of Rhodes, including its gated walls, the Jewish Quarter and the famous Palace of the Grand Master of the Hospitaller Order, which now houses the History Museum.

Street of the Knights runs through the Old Town from the Grand Master's Palace. This is a narrow medieval street, where the Knights of the Order of the Hospitallers used to live, divided by geography. Thus, French knights lived in the luxuriously decorated House of France. The structure features powerful battlements and amazing crocodile-shaped fountains. Also on this street is the building of the former hospital of the 15th century in the style of the Renaissance, which now houses the Archaeological Museum.
The Rhodes Archaeological Museum has a rich collection of antiquities unearthed during excavations throughout the island. For example, there are ceramic vases and amphorae found in Kamir and huge marble statues made in the 6th century BC and depicting the patron saint of the island - Helios and other ancient Greek gods. Also in the museum you can see old tombstones, mosaic floors of rich villas and monuments of late Hellenism. (Address: Akti Sachtouri 8, Rodos).
The Muslim quarter does not stand out as such, since many Christian buildings were converted into mosques after the capture of Rhodes by Suleiman the Magnificent. However, some new buildings were nevertheless completed, including a luxurious mosque named after the great Turkish conqueror. This building is made of unusual pink stone and stands out for its tall minaret. A new type of residential buildings also appeared - sakhnisi, a typical feature of which is a covered wooden veranda. (Address: Apolloniou 11, Rodos).

Fortress wall

The old town of Rhodes is surrounded by a powerful fortress wall, built during the Middle Ages by the Knights Hospitallers on the site of more ancient Byzantine fortifications. The fortress wall is a powerful stone building with crenellated bastions. It connects several gates, additionally fortified with towers.

The names of these walls and gates are curious - they belonged to a certain courtyard, where the Knights Hospitallers settled according to the geographical principle. For example, the famous entrance gate with two thick semicircular towers of 1512 is called the Gate of Amboise, since the French knights settled in this area.

In some of the bastions, ancient artillery and cannons are still preserved. Now, from the top of the fortress wall, a stunning view of the city of Rhodes and the Mediterranean Sea opens up.

Jewish quarter

Synagogue Kahal Shalom

Jews took refuge on the island of Rhodes in the 16th century - then they were persecuted in Spain, while Rhodes was captured by the Ottoman Turks, who were friendly towards Jews. The Jewish Quarter is located in the eastern part of the Old City. The main attraction in this area is the Kahal Shalom synagogue. This is the oldest synagogue in all of Greece - it was built in 1577 and is still used for its intended purpose. The interior of the synagogue is interesting - it is a light structure with a fountain and black and white mosaics on the floor.

The women's upper galleries of the synagogue were converted in 1997 into the Jewish Museum of Rhodes. Memorial plaques in Hebrew, French and Ladino, the local Hebrew dialect, have been preserved here. The names of Jews who died in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust are engraved on separate plates.

In addition to the synagogue, a huge cemetery has survived in the Jewish quarter, the first burials on which also date back to the 16th century.

Rhodes aquarium

The Rhodes Aquarium is housed in a luxurious, colorful Art Deco building, which now houses a research center. The aquarium is located in the underground floor of the institute, while it is so amazingly equipped that visitors have the feeling that they are walking along an underwater corridor.

The aquarium features a variety of Mediterranean inhabitants: octopuses, funny cuttlefish, scary stingrays, snails, turtles and friendly dolphins. There is also a museum at the aquarium, where you can get acquainted with the evolution of the underwater world and study embalmed dolphins, turtles and sharks.

Valley of the Butterflies

The Valley of the Butterflies is also known as the Valley of Petaloudes. At the end of May each year, more than a thousand butterflies of the four-point bear species flock here, fleeing the heat. These black and yellow striped butterflies cover the ground, trees, fragrant snow-white styrax flowers.

Unfortunately, the influx of tourists negatively affects the population of these fragile animals, but this valley is still worth a visit. It has an amazing slightly humid climate, the styrax exudes a vanilla aroma, and everything around is covered with fluttering butterflies. If you walk along the bamboo bridges, you can reach a picturesque mill, and on the rise up the hill there is a monastery of the 18th century.

Kremasti

The town of Kremasti is located near the famous Valley of the Butterflies and just 10 kilometers from the city of Rhodes itself. Kremasti is famous for its Orthodox Church of the Virgin, the interior of which is luxuriously decorated with frescoes and wood carvings. And at the top of the hill, a powerful medieval citadel previously stood, now lying in romantic ruins. There are many cozy shops and restaurants in Kremasti, as well as exquisite buildings made according to the canons of ancient Greek architecture. Of course, the city has a huge sandy and pebble beach.

Kamir

Ancient city of Kamir

The ancient city of Kamir is located 29 kilometers southwest of the capital of the island - Rhodes. It is famous mainly for its archaeological excavations, during which the structure of a typical ancient Greek city looms perfectly.

At the top of the hill was the huge Acropolis, from which only the foundation and part of the portico with Dorian columns were preserved. It is believed that this place was a temple dedicated to Athena.
On the upper level, parts of a stand - a covered colonnade - have also been preserved. But the main attraction of this urban level is the water cistern and the first aqueducts of the 6th century BC. It could fit 600 cubic meters of water.
The lower town is represented by parallel streets with low buildings. The foundations of the ancient temple of Apollo and the agora, the market square, were also discovered there.

During excavations in the 19th-20th centuries, ceramic vases, amphorae and huge marble statues related to both early and late antiquity were discovered. Now all these unique artifacts are kept in the archaeological museum of the city of Rhodes, and especially valuable specimens are in the British Museum in London.

Triand

Monastery in Trianda

The settlement of Trianda (modern name: Ialysos) is located in the suburbs of Rhodes, the capital of the island. There is a huge beach here, blown by the winds and creating amazing conditions for windsurfing. Filerimos Hill rises above the city, where several monuments from different historical eras have survived.

In the III-II centuries BC, the ancient Greek acropolis with the main temple dedicated to Athena stood on the hill. In the 10th century, a Byzantine monastery appeared on the site of the acropolis, and in the 14th-15th centuries, the churches of the Knights Hospitallers were added. At the moment, the foundation of the ancient Greek temple of Athena, an underground church with an interesting painting, and an amazing fountain of the 4th century BC with lion heads and columns have been preserved. The medieval monastery of the 15th century was carefully restored at the beginning of the 20th century.

Kolymbia

The village of Kolimbia was founded already in the 20th century, which distinguishes it from the ancient settlements still inhabited by Greeks or Byzantines. Since the 1980s, it has been positioned as one of the best beach resorts on the entire island. There are about 30 hotels, many restaurants, cafes and three sandy and pebble beaches at once. The main attraction of the town is its three-kilometer eucalyptus alley, which goes straight to the sea. On the beaches of Kolimbia, you can rent water skis or a motor boat. Curiously, all the streets of Kolimbia are named after European capitals; there is a street in Athens, Berlin, Paris and even Moscow.

Three kilometers from Kolimbia, there is an amazing natural park called Seven Springs. Interesting hydraulic structures of the early XX century have been preserved here. In this place there is a spring of fresh water, enclosed in a narrow unlit tunnel, the length of which does not exceed 150 meters. Tourists are encouraged to walk through this tunnel ankle-deep in water - claustrophobic sufferers should refrain from this. Only one person at a time is allowed - the tunnel is too small to support more people.

Lindos

The ancient city of Lindos - it was founded before Rhodes! - located on the southern tip of the island. Curiously, this is the hottest place in all of Greece - the average temperature here is 21.5 degrees Celsius. Lindos is famous for its narrow streets with white low houses, an old Orthodox church with a high bell tower and, of course, its huge acropolis.

The Acropolis of Lindos is the second largest in all of Greece. The best preserved temple is in honor of Athena Lindia, the patroness of the city. Its facade is presented in the form of a portico with thin Doric columns. The temple was built in the 4th century BC. The old staircase leading to the ancient stand - the covered colonnade dates back to the same historical period. A second gallery of the same with columns, created in the II century, has also survived.

The Acropolis is famous for its petroglyph - a huge bas-relief depicting an ancient Greek warship. It is located at the very entrance to the acropolis and dates back to 180 BC. Soon Lindos was captured by the Romans, but from this historical period only the foundations of an undefined temple, possibly dedicated to the emperor Diocletian (300 AD), have survived.

In the Middle Ages, the Knights Hospitallers settled in Lindos, who built their residence on the site of the acropolis. This fortress of the XIII-XIV centuries has partially survived to our days. Now you can see a powerful battlement walls and several round towers. The Church of St. John has survived from the same era.

Haraki

13 kilometers north of Lindos lies the tiny village of Haraki. This is a stunning resort with comfortable restaurants, taverns, hotels and sandy beaches that are considered the cleanest in all of Greece.

The town of Haraki is also famous for its medieval fortress Feraclos, which rises on a hill 85 meters above sea level. This powerful medieval building was erected by the Knights Hospitallers in the 15th century, while some of the towers have survived from the time of Byzantine rule. Feraclos Castle was the last outpost of Rhodes to be captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1523 after a long siege.

Feraclos Castle is now in ruins. At the moment, several towers, a southern wall, a water cistern and the remains of some interior rooms have survived. According to local legends, the fortress is riddled with underground passages that reach the very shore. From the walls of the Feraclos fortress, in clear weather, you can see the acropolis of the neighboring town of Lindos.

Kritinia

"New Crete" - this is the name of this tiny town in the western part of Rhodes by immigrants from Crete who fled from the Ottoman yoke. This settlement is hidden in the hills for protection from pirates and Turks. At the top of the highest hill rises the powerful castle of Kastellos, from which only the ruins of its thick walls remain.

Five kilometers from Kritinia is the small beach of Kameiros Skala - it was here that the ancient city was founded, but it was unsafe to live on the very coast, and therefore the locals settled in the mountains. Now there is a ferry service with the tiny island of Halki - the smallest in this part of the Aegean Sea.

Halki Island is located six kilometers from the island of Rhodes. In this small fishing village, a fortified medieval fort was also erected, built by the Knights Hospitallers. Now only ruins remain of it, but a small chapel has survived, inside which you can admire the original medieval frescoes.