 Rhodes © GNTO In days of old when knights were bold they found the island of
Rhodes, close to the Turkish shore at the merging of the
Mediterranean and Aegean seas, and set it up as a fortress to
protect the Christian west from the invasion of the 'heathens' from
the east. Today the island, the main one of the 12 making up the
Dodecanese group, is still subject to invasion, but now the
intruders are tourists, who come to revel in what is reputedly the
sunniest Greek island, and to have fun in the medieval city the
knights left behind. 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 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: (22410) 75674;
Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 8.30am to 3pm (15 June to 31 October); hours are reduced in winter;
Admission: Free
Excursions |