Only 30 km from the Turkish coast, Rhodes is a very popular Greek island with holidaymakers for its lively nightlife, excellent beaches, flowers, hills and historical sites.

Much of Rhodes’ flavour and architecture stems from the arrival of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who occupied it 1310-1522. In the capital, Rodos, is the walled, medieval quarter of Old Town and the Agios Nikolas Tower, at the harbour entrance, which may stand where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood.

Other sights include the archaeological museum in the 15th-century Hospital of the Knights and the 14th-century Crusader’s Fortress with its beautiful furniture, marble and fifth-century mosaics from the island of Kos. If you’re there April-October, attend the sound-and-light show, concerts and folkloric performances. If time permits, visit the Acropolis of Rhodes to see a theatre, stadium and two temples.

About 50 km south of Rodos, near the town of Lindos, are the well-preserved, fifth-century-BC ruins of the Temple of Athena and remains of even older temples on top of the Lindos Acropolis. You can get a wonderful view of the village and the Mediterranean from this point. What makes Lindos pleasant is that cars are banned from the streets and a stop in Lindos, a national historic Greek landmark, is highly recommended.

When to travel to Rhodes

With an average of over three hundred days of sunshine a year, it has a long season lasting from March to November. Rhodes offers guaranteed sunshine, beautiful beaches, clear water, quaint old towns and ancient monuments.