Holidays in Rhodes GREECE
With the best sunshine record of all the Med islands, summer holidays to Rhodes are hot, hot, hot. And if you'd rather travel in the balmy days of spring or for an early autumn break, you've got the best chance of glorious weather for bargain holidays to Rhodes in the quieter months. But Rhodes is renowned for far more than its cloudless skies … There are clear blue seas, soft sand bays and olive grove hillsides … excellent shopping, romantic temple ruins and a fabulous Old Town – quaint, quirky and bursting with atmosphere. There's a feast of bars, restaurants and tavernas for everything from your favourite fast food to true Greek tradition and fine speciality cuisines. And there are clubs, disco's and a casino for those who come alive at night … and golf, walks and watersports for dawn to dusk activity.
With all this going for it, it's no surprise that holidays in Rhodes are such popular perennials. And yet, there's even more to recommend this scenic isle – the huge choice of places and prices. From Faliraki's night scene to peaceful little Pefkos and lively, lovely Lindos – you'll find a favourite among the range of resorts. And from the no-hassle budgeting of all-inclusive hotels, to family-friendly complexes and the easy freedom of self-catering holidays, in Rhodes there's sure to be something that suits your style … whether you're booking well ahead or looking for last minute holidays. So don't just sit there …start planning!
Information about Rhodes beaches
The variety and extent of Rhodes coastline make it possible for bathers to enjoy an infinite number of different places to swim, all of them lapped by warm, crystal clear water and equipped with all modern facilities.
An around-the-island tour provides a chance to view some of the wonderful variations of Rhodes's scenery. The sights described below, with the exception of Ialisos and Kamiros, are not of significant historical or cultural importance, but if you get bored with relaxing, these places provide a pleasant diversion. The route traces the island counterclockwise from Rhodes city, with a number of suggested sorties into the interior. Even a cursory glance at a map of Rhodes will explain the many zigs and zags in this itinerary. Keep in mind that not all roads are equal and that all-terrain vehicles are required for some of the detours suggested below. Rhodian rental-car companies usually stipulate that their standard vehicles be driven only on fully paved roads.
Rhodes sites and attractions - Rhodes Highlights
Rhodes i s the biggest and
busiest island in the archipelago and its notorious holiday resort Faliraki
has been the focus of much media attention due to the drunken excesses of
young visitors (mostly the British variety). But there's so much more to
Rhodes than the wild beach parties and Eurovision "Thong Contests" so highly
publicised in the British press. This is an island steeped in history with some fascinating ancient sites
and a stunningly beautiful capital, Rhodes Town, which is the oldest inhabited
medieval town in Europe. Hire a car to explore the hinterland behind infamous
Faliraki and you'll find unspoilt mountain villages, isolated hill top
monasteries and rich fertile plains.
Rhodes island is actually much closer to Asia Minor than mainland
Greece -
it's just south of the Turkish port of Marmaris which is an easy day trip by
excursion boat. Its location at the crossroads between east and west has made
the island a prime target for various invaders over the centuries. Rhodes
bears many legacies and battle scars left by those who have sought to control
it since the first settlers arrived here more than 3,000 years ago. The
Romans, Turks and Italians have all made their mark here but it was the Order
of the Knights of St John which had the greatest impact on the capital, Rhodes
Town. Visit the old town today to marvel at its remarkably well preserved
medieval citadel dominated by the magnificent Palace of the Grand Masters.
The Knights of St John were originally a holy order whose mission was to
tend Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem. They later became a military order and
established a base on Rhodes after "buying" the island from the Genoese pirate
Admiral Vignoli in 1306. They ruled here for more than 200 years before being
ousted by the Turks. A visit to the impressive fortress, which was the seat of 19 Grand Masters,
has got to be on the top of your "must see" list. But beyond its walls you'll
find a bustling modern town with one of the liveliest night scenes in Greece
and a major sea port serving not only
Athens,
Crete and the
Aegean islands but
also Turkey, Cyprus and Israel.
One of the island's greatest claims to fame has tragically disappeared (and
in fact may not ever have existed!). The Colossus of Rhodes was reputedly
built astride the harbour of Mandraki in 305 BC. The bronze statue of the
island's sun god Helios stood 32 metres high and took 12 years to build. It
was toppled by an earthquake in 225 AD and lay undisturbed for more than 800
years in accordance with a pronouncement from the Oracle at Delphi (where the
high priestess issued various utterances on behalf of the god Apollo). In 654
AD it was apparently carted off to Syria by more than 900 camels to be sold as
scrap metal. The east coast of the island is peppered with lovely beaches many of which
remain uncrowded and relatively unspoilt compared with frantic Faliraki.
The Rhodes Acropolis dominated the western and highest part of the city. It was not fortified like most ancient acropoleis. It consisted of a monumental zone with Sanctuaries, large temples, public buildings and underground cult places. The buildings were built on stepped terraces supported by strong retaining walls. It was "full of fields and groves", in the words of the 2nd c. AD orator Ailios Aristides. The style of the Hellenistic architecture on the Acropolis of Rhodes was perfectly conveyed by the combination of natural beauty and artificial transformations. The buildings on the Acropolis date to the Hellenistic and Late Hellenistic periods (3rd-2nd c. BC).
During July and August tourists outnumber the insects in Butterfly Valley near
Petaloudes. The butterflies are actually Jersey tiger moths, but who would want to visit Moth Valley? The moths are a well camouflaged and difficult to see except in flight when they show deep red overwings. The result has been thousand of tourists clapping their hands and even blowing whistles to drive the sleepy insects into the air. Unfortunately, the moths have come here to rest before mating and the consequence of all this disturbance has been a worrying decline in the numbers returning each year. Not before time, tourists are being asked to keep the noise down. The walk through the valley is pleasant enough with small pools and wooden bridges but visitors should wear decent walking shoes.
Rhodes Nightlife - Clubs, Cafes & Restaurants
Rhodes Greece is famous for its cosmopolitan lifestyle and thus provides an abundance of entertainment venues. Along the coastline of the island, visitors can find quaint Rhodes restaurants, tavernas, cafes and ouzeries. Locals prepare their tasty delicacies such as "giachnisto" (meat, potatoes and onions in a crock-pot), pitaroudia (chick pea balls), squash-cheese balls, stuffed grape vine leaves, and fresh seafood, accompanied by refreshing beverages like wine and ouzo. For more intense Rhodes nightlife, the most popular areas are Faliraki, Ialyssos and Rhodes Town that are packed with clubs and bars open till daybreak.
Rhodes Island also hosts a variety of traditional festivals and fairs, as well as cultural events. From April to October, the "Sound and Light" Show is held in the courtyard of the Knight's Palace, while a plethora of cultural events take place at various other locations in the Medieval City. Rhodes town also hosts the International Film festival "Ecocinema" in the summer. The Carnival Celebrations and the Festival of the Virgin Mary on August 15 are the major happenings in Afandou. You may like to attend the "Ialysia" Cultural Events during the first 15 days of August in Ialyssos, or the 3-day festival of Stavros on September in Kalythies. The summer dance and song festival in Lindos are also wonderful.
Climate and weather in Rhodes GREECE
A succession of cloudless days are virtually guaranteed from mid-June to September. Days become monotonous with the sun painted onto an ever-blue sky. Temperatures soar regularly to 30°C/80°F especially in the east and much higher in sheltered spots. The west and north coasts are tempered by the meltemi wind. It starts as a fair weather wind in the north Aegean gathering strength as it moves south to become a howling nuisance by the time it reaches Rhodes. Late September and early October can be troubled by fierce storms which often evaporate as soon as they arrive. October can be pleasantly warm with the sea at its best for swimming although vegetation has been reduced to cry tinder by now and dust lies everywhere. December to March bring cold and rain with the odd warm interlude. December and January are wettest as depressions move in but frost and snow are rare this far south. Spring arrives early, though March can still be wet and April is notoriously unpredictable. But the island is awash with spring flowers and if early May can be cool and sometimes cloudy, when summer does arrive you can be sure it is here to stay
Getting to Rhodes island - Flights & Ferries
Diagoras International Airport is 16km south west of Rhodes City not far from Kremasti on the island's north coast. The airport has expanded in recent years and now handles about 3.2m passengers annually. In addition to regular domestic and international flights there are charters to many countries in Europe and the Middle East. Rhodes Airport has a single terminal with 13 check-in desks and eight gates, and opens 24 hours a day. The airport has ATMs and a currency exchange bureau. A VIP lounge offers limited business facilities. There are various shops and a café, restaurant and bar. Travel agencies and tour operators have desks at the airport.
Regular ferries and hydrofoils cross to
Piraeus and
Crete and many other of the Dodecanese group and there are any number of daily trips to coastal resorts, notably Lindos which seems to be included on every boat trip from Mandraki harbour. Hydrofoils are more expensive but more reliable than ferries that can somehow contrive to arrive hours late and leave minutes early. There are regular bus connections between Rhodes town and most villages, resorts and other places of interest (KTEL), as well as in-town bus transportation (RODA). The terminal for KTEL busses in Rhodes town is at Mandraki.
Quick facts - Rhodes overview
Rhodes or Rodos
, Greece is the Crusader Isle, steeped in ancient history and boasting 300 days of blue skies each year. It lies at the southern end of the
Dodecanese chain of islands that follows the line of the Turkish coast. It is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean and has been for many years, attracting relentless and overwhelming waves of visitors from March to November. Its most popular resorts, such as
Faliraki, are now totally devoted to package tourism and nurture an insatiable avarice in the islanders that only an unending supply of cash-spending gullible foreigners can sustain. Anyone is search of goatherds and fishing villages has come to the wrong place. The most popular beaches on Rhodes lie along the north and east coastlines. To the north are high-rise conference complexes of glass and steel towering over narrow strips of shingle and buffeted by the northern winds. Down the east coast, from Rhodes to
Lindos, are grim and replicated rows of cement fun palaces. Only south of Lindos do the crowds thin out, though hotel complexes and modern apartments are still much in evidence. The hilly interior and the wild west coast offer the visitor find a more authentic glimpse of a Greek island.
Rhodes takes in more annual holiday visitors than virtually any other Greek island. The attraction is not just the long summer season and the sandy beaches but also the remarkably well preserved medieval city of Rhodes itself, castles galore courtesy of the Crusader Knights of St John and a hilly, forested interior with some lovely landscapes.
The island's classical past can be explored at the ancient sites of Kamiros, Ialyssos and Lindos and medieval fortresses to rival any in the world can be found at Rhodes, Lindos and Monolithos. Rhodes island also suffers tourism of almost frenzied proportions laced with rampant commercialism, tons of litter and dirt and dust. Most of the north east coast is has sacrificed itself to commercial interests. Further south the island is a backwater of dirt roads and ancient villages though isolated hotels are now cropping up all along the coast.
