Rhodes - the Emerald island

Upon arriving in Rhodes the first thing you will see is the island's emerald color coastline. It is the biggest island in the Dodecanese with a population of about 160,000. Rhodes has choices for every type of traveler and it's suitable for a long vacation. I don't think I can even count how many times I've visited this island for vacation!

Rhodes' history is very rich with many different cultures having passed from the island and evidently influencing the island. We could go on forever but instead I will give you the very brief "one paragraph" version so you can get the basic idea. 

The city of Rhodes was formed in 408 BC and designed under the Hippodamian grid system. It has always been a very important economic and cultural center with many civilizations crossing through. In 1309 Rhodes was occupied by the Knights of the Order of St. John and the transformation into a medieval city was apparent. A prime example of this is the Palace of the Grand Master (which I will tell you about shortly). In 1523 the city is occupied by the Turks, forcing the Greeks to move outside the city walls, whilst in 1912 the city was seized from the Turks by the Italians. They too have left an obvious "mark" on the island visible even today in the buildings, the large streets and plazas. Finally, in 1948 Rhodes and the Dodecanese islands were formally united with Greece. Enough with history though - let's take a walk around the Old Town!

The Old Town is built within the city walls and has eight gates from which you can enter. In the west end you will see the Palace of the Grand Master - an excellent example of medieval architecture. In 1865 the Palace was destroyed from an explosion but the Italians later rebuilt it. Continuing on "Ippoton" Street (the street of the knights) you will stumble upon the archaeological museum which is housed in the old Knights' Hospital - worth a visit. Further down is Sokratous - a street filled with souvenir stores between the many cafes. You should take the time to stroll around the smaller side streets and explore the area. When you've finally worked up an appetite you should go have some fresh fish at "Alexi's" or at "Dinori's" - two of the most popular fish taverns in the Old Town. 

No trip to Rhodes would be complete without a visit to the town of Lindos (about 55 km away from the town of Rhodes) and a donkey ride to the Ancient Acropolis! The Acropolis stands emblematic above all the traditional whitewashed houses in the modern town. The best way to appreciate Lindos is to walk around the village. Admire the old Captains' houses and try knocking on one of the doors -  if you're lucky enough somebody might just open their door and give you a tour! If you want to take a small break for a coffee I highly recommend going to Gelo Blu for homemade gelato and other desserts. If you decide to stay for dinner in Lindos (although it is also open for lunch) I recommend heading to Mavriko's award-winning restaurant located in the central square and then for a drink to Yiannis Bar where all the locals hang out.

Other places you should visit while in Rhodes include: 

The Valley of Butterflies - a unique biotope of home to the Panaxia quadripunctaria butterfly 

The Kalithea Baths - an old spa built by the Italians boasting healing waters from the springs found there

The Village of Embonas - a traditional village found at the foothills of Attaviros (the highest mountain in Rhodes). If you are a meat lover then you should definitely visit this village and eat at one of the local tavernas.

Panagia Tsambika Monastery - legend has it that the icon was found by an infertile couple who later conceived a child. Since then the monastery has become a place of pilgrimage for women who can't get pregnant and come to pray to the icon of the Virgin.  

Prasonisi - located at the southernmost tip of the island this stretch of beach is ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing when the winds are strong.

The list could keep going but I will leave the rest for you to discover!!