Travel Rhodes Guide

The southernmost Greek island, Rhodes is known for its great weather year-round. A large and popular island, Rhodes is highly accessible, either by plane or by ferry from Athens, Santorini, Turkey and Italy. Hills, low mountains and forests make up the landscape of this large and beautiful island, which covers nearly 1,000 square miles and is home to a population of 110,000 people.

Steadily inhabited since the stone age, Rhodes is home to three ancient cities, Lindos, Ialyssos and Kamiros. Always a center of economic and navel power, Rhodes has been home to many artists and entrepreneurs throughout history; making it home seemingly endless culture and wealth.

Rhodes was once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the enormous statue of Helios. This statue once stood at the mouth of the harbor in Rhodes. Constructed over 12 years, from from 304 to 292 BC, the bronze "Colossus" stood an incredible 110 feet high and was balanced on marble blocks. 56 years after its construction, an earthquake hit the island and the statue tumbled to the ground, breaking at the knee. On the ground it lay for years until it was disassembled and sold by the Arabs. Though no longer in existence, the mere possibility of this wonder makes it former site worth seeing.

The city of Rhodes consists, in fact, of two cities: the old and the new. The modern city of Rhodes sits on the Mandraki harbor, which is flanked by the city's symbol; the two bronze deer. It is home to the lighthouse tower of St. Nicholas, three windmills and remnants of the medieval city wall. The New Market, the Archbiships Palace, the Annunciation Church, majestic town theater and the Government House can all be found at the Northern end of the new town, and its skyline is dotted with the minarets of Turkish Mosques.

The old town of Rhodes was built mainly during the Medieval period, and the same buildings are used and inhabited by modern Greeks as were used during the times of the Knights of St. John. A museum in itself, the Old Town has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a walk through the winding streets will bring visitors upon numerous mosques, medieval buildings, Gothic churches, ancient fountains and oriental mosaics. Many of the tiny, winding streets are un-named, and getting lost here can be a great pleasure. The Palace of the Grand Masters sits imposingly in the center of Old Town and its museum is not to be missed.

In addition to its incredible history, wealth of culture and fascinating city, Rhodes has beautiful beaches, protected natural parks and too many archaeological sites to count. The towns and cities are filled with fabulous Greek restaurants, museums and night clubs and the beaches offer swimming and water sports for most of the year. Rhodes has everything one could wish for from a Greek vacation and more.