Plunge into the world of antiquity, the Middle Ages, passing by the asleep ruins of the temples of Aphrodite, Pallas Athena. Measure your strength, endurance with the wind born at the meeting point of two seas: the Aegean and the Mediterranean. You can see the seaport, where in ancient times the Colossus of Rhodes towered, only here - on the island of Rhodes. And many more interesting sights are offered to be seen in one trip, having read the information on what to see in Rhodes by car.
The advantages of car rental
You can see interesting places of the island during excursions. But this is not a cheap pleasure and the traveler is always connected in time with the planned events. Traveling by shuttle buses will help you to travel along the coasts. In the mountains, in the depths of the island (where there are many mysterious places), buses run in small numbers, rarely.
You can book a specific car brand in advance. It should be remembered that you can rent a vehicle from the age of 21 (an SUV from the age of 23). The rental is provided with a new national driver's license. Well-known international car rental companies operate in the country. It is difficult to adapt to difficult mountain serpentines and unfamiliar terrain. Need caution, driving experience.
But the big reward will be the opportunity to go around the entire island. At the same time, you can see the life of the unusual villages of Rhodes (there are about 42 of them). Some are on the coast, while others "hide" among the mountains, far from the famous tourist routes. Near many sights (the guides tell about them) there are parking lots, gas stations, cafes. Even using sightseeing routes, it is easier to get to the departure points by car.
Baths of Kallithea
Their history is long, with tragic moments of destruction and stoppages. From the architectural point of view, the modern hydropathic facility resembles the ancient baths. The complex includes a large and a small rotunda. They drink water, walk, relax, get acquainted with the ancient and real history of the revived thermal baths.
The Baths of Kallithea Museum also includes a snow-white art gallery. Art exhibitions are often held here. The treatment center procedures help people with stomach and intestinal diseases. The resort has excellent conditions for a beach holiday, diving. The beach (sand and pebble) is available with an entrance ticket of 3 € (during the opening hours of the term). It is located in the nearest bay with surprisingly warm water. Baths are located in the central area of the city of Kallithea.
It is located at a distance of 8 km from the capital of the island and next to Faliraki, filled with fun in nightclubs, restaurants, discos. With a rented car during the trip, it is easy to see the church with ancient wall paintings, the Tragana embankment with the famous caves, the Ladiko bay, the Erimokastro fortress.
Anthony Quinn Bay
Closed by high cliffs, washed by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea, the bay has become one of the most beautiful beach spots on the island. There are no fast currents in it, winds do not visit it and the turquoise water in the bay is always warm. There are no big waves here, which provides a comfortable swimming environment. It is necessary to enter the water carefully: there are many slippery stones at the bottom of the bay. For lovers of depth, there is a pontoon built over the stones. The coastline of the bay is covered with small pebbles and large boulders. The name of the bay is associated with the name of the famous actor Anthony Quinn.
According to local legend, the birth of the dance "Sirtaki", which has become a symbol of Greece, is associated with the actor's activities. The bay located in the northeastern part of the island is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. It is equipped with everything you need and has free admission. A set of equipment (sunbed, umbrella) requires a fee of about 10 €. There is a car park nearby. It is located near the cafe at the top of the bay. It offers a beautiful view of the surroundings.
Ladiko beach
Not far from Anthony Quinn Bay, there is a small cove bordered by picturesque cliffs decorated with local climate plants. The two famous beaches of the island are separated by one rock. Through the clear water, you can clearly see the sandy bottom with separate stones, where fish and other marine life are hiding. Acquaintance with them attracts fans of scuba diving and snorkeling. There is a ladder for easy entry into the water.
In the beach area, two parts are used: one with sand, the other with small pebbles. In both places there are sun loungers, umbrellas, toilets, showers, changing cabins, and a cafe. For two sun loungers and an umbrella, it is proposed to pay 8 €. There is a parking lot nearby. While relaxing on the beach, it is recommended to go to the neighboring Tragano beach and see the natural caves where the underground spring beats. This can be done by swimming through a tunnel with cold water.
Seven sources
At a distance of about 30 km from the capital of the island and 3 km from the city of Kolimbia, there is an attraction that almost all guests of the island tend to visit. Seven springs gush from the ancient mountain with clean, cool water amidst beautiful nature. The streams of water enter an artificial tunnel created by the Italians in 1930 and enter a special lake. It is the only artificial freshwater reservoir on the island.
Tourists are invited to walk through a dark, narrow tunnel (its length is 150 m with a water depth of about 15 cm). A ventilation shaft is installed in the middle of the tunnel. Faint daylight penetrates through it. To attract tourists, a legend is told that after washing the feet in cold springs, all sins are forgiven, and women become younger. The way to the springs is along the road with the sign "Epta Piges". Nearby there is a restaurant, gift shop, parking.
Tsambika monastery
The erection of the monastery on the top of the mountain is associated with the three-time appearance of the icon of the Mother of God, which disappeared from the island of Cyprus. There are two buildings: an upper and a lower monastery. The distance between them along the highway is about 2 km. A steep mountain road and stairs with 300 steps lead to the upper building. Every fifth step is marked with a serial number: this makes it easier to distribute the forces required when lifting. At the beginning of the mountain there is a cafe, a souvenir shop.
It offers special sets of consecrated belts, candles in the shape of a baby, oil. According to an ancient legend, they are used by women who have problems with pregnancy. During the ascent, childless couples recite a prayer. Every year on September 8, the icon of St. Tsambika is raised here from the lower monastery and solemn services are held (in the building of the 17th century church) in her honor. The original of the miraculous icon is kept in a small white-stone church of the lower monastery (a copy of the icon is kept at the top). Learn the history of the appearance of the icon is offered in the Orthodox Museum, working on the territory of the monastery.
Haraki
A small fishing village on the east coast of the island is located 38 km from the capital, and 13 km from the city of Lindos. Now there is a resort with hotels owned by the local population. Lovers of a relaxing holiday come to the beach area in the small harbor. The beach has a crescent shape and is covered with fine pebbles with soft golden sand. There are pebble areas along the edges of the beach. Smooth descent into the water, but the appearance of great depth near the shore allows you to spend a fascinating journey into the underwater kingdom.
Relaxing on sun loungers under cozy umbrellas, you can admire the ruins of a medieval castle surrounded by the fortress wall of Feraclos. On these slopes were found the millstones of an ancient sugar factory that existed before the era of the Knights Hospitaller in Rhodes. Climbing to the top of their ancient citadel, one can see the beautiful city of Lindos. Several expensive, modern hotels, restaurants and cafes have been built in the village of Haraki. There are numerous types of entertainment, including water activities for lovers of active recreation.
Agia Agati beach
The natural continuation of Haraki Beach is the Agia Agati Recreation Area. It is named after a small chapel that has grown imperceptibly on the rocky shore. A very beautiful bay, guarded by a pine grove and mysterious rocks, has a sandy (sometimes with small pebbles) shore, calm clear water with a comfortable descent suitable for small children. She is often chosen not only by vacationers, but also by beautiful ducks and turtles.
The modern infrastructure of the beach allows you to spend a wonderful vacation here. Playgrounds are equipped on the beach, there is a rental service for sports equipment for surfing, diving, water skiing, water scooters, and exciting boat trips are offered. Taverns have been built on the shore, offering original national dishes. Resting with the whole family on the beach of Agii Agati (translated as "Holy Purity"), you can feel an extraordinary calmness and comfort. The silence is complemented by a visit to a unique church carved into the rock.
Lindos
One of the most popular recreation areas on the island is the resort town of Lindos. It is located at a distance of 56 km from the city of Rhodes. The perfectly clean beach (it has been awarded the Blue Flag for several years in a row) on the Mediterranean coast is covered with silky sand, has a smooth entrance to the sea and safe conditions for families with children. A large number of colorful fish swim in the sea, swimming up to people and feeding on crumbs of bread.
It always makes young children happy. Taking with you fins, a mask, an underwater camera, you can make an exciting underwater photography. The shallow depth of the coastal part of the sea always warms up well. The recreation area is equipped with changing cabins, toilets, showers. Those who love active forms of recreation are offered sports equipment for sea trips and entertainment.
Unpleasant strong winds, no dangerous currents in the bay. In this town, with the arrival of the Apostle Paul, the new religion of Greece was born for the first time. Near the beach there is a mountain with the ruins of an ancient acropolis. You can inspect them by defeating the height of 116 m (it is proposed to rent a donkey from the local population). Archaeological excavations are underway at the site of the ruins of the temple of Athena Lindia. At night, the remaining building is illuminated with special lights, creating fantastic pictures.
Monastery of Saint Panteleimon
The 2400-year history of Rhodes includes the best architectural achievements of different cultures: from churches of the Hellenistic period, early Christian times, Byzantine monasteries, mosques of the Ottoman Empire to Gothic buildings. They majestically demonstrate the religious and cultural heritage of Greece.
Ancient Christian temples and monasteries rise across the island. One of the most revered is the monastery of St. Panteleimon, located in the village of Sianna. In its construction, the remains of the basilica of the early Christians were used. Until now, the monastery contains relics from the ancient temple. Saint Pantelemon was a great martyr, a healer, a doctor with miraculous powers. Now in the monastery small particles of the saint's relics are injured. The extraordinary story of the saint's life is shown in the icons.
The inside of the monastery is very beautiful. To the left of the rich iconostasis is the icon of the saint. There are two five-level bells on the territory of the monastery. Many believers come to regular services. People hungry for healing. Visitors to the island can go to the souvenir shops located on the main street of the village and buy church utensils.
Cape Prasonisi
Having a rented SUV is the best means of transportation, a temporary home to live at the amazing confluence of two seas. As a temporary place of residence, you can use the services of the only village in the vicinity - Katavia (the nearest city of Lindos). The cape is located on the southern point of the island and is connected by a sand bar (500 m long and 100 m wide) with Rhodes. This happens in summer, and in winter, in autumn, the isthmus is filled with water.
Due to the different density of water, the border of the confluence of the two seas is clearly visible in different shades of water. Due to the significant temperature difference, wind is born here, creating sea waves. They attract windsurfing enthusiasts here. You can always not only swim in two seas at the same time, but also take any equipment from the rental service and rush along scallops.
Among the man-made sights on the cape there is a lighthouse, erected in 1890. The height of the structure is 14 m. Together with the caretaker's house, it is built of stone. You can come to him by off-road vehicle and then an extraordinary view of the confluence of the two seas will open from the hill. Near the beach there is a convenient parking, a cafe.
Gennadi beach
There are many beach recreation areas on the island. The coastline is almost 220 km long. It has famous, crowded places and quiet, cozy beaches, visited by the inhabitants of the island. The main resort areas are located on the eastern coast of the calm Mediterranean Sea. Such a cozy resort town has grown on the site of the small village of Gennadi.
It is located 65 km from the capital and 18 km from Lindos. The resort was able to create a modern infrastructure of the beach kingdom, preserving the national flavor of a traditional village in Greece. Hotels, shops, currency exchange offices have sprung up here, Internet access has appeared, car and sports equipment rental has been organized.
Along with the elements of a beach holiday, it is always interesting to walk along the narrow cobbled streets of the ancient settlement, sit in small private restaurants, cafes, enjoying national cuisine. Of the sights of the town, the most interesting are the 12th century church of Anastasia Rimlyanka, the Church of St. John the Evangelist, the building of the local police station. On the beach, the main attraction of the town, there are cheerful parties, Sunday dances until the morning.
Fanes village
Each village on the island has its own personality. It is not always possible to see them, hear local legends, taste food due to visiting along with popular excursions. Only by arriving by car will you really feel the peculiarities of the unique places of the island. The village of Thales belongs to such interesting places. It became a multi-colored, fabulous holiday according to the idea of local youth: to decorate all the houses of the village before Easter. The new look was realized in 2011 under the guidance of designer Lucas Nicolitsis.
The 72 houses of the villagers sparkled with bright multi-colored drawings and attracted a huge flow of tourists. A tradition was born to hold art festivals, fairs with works of various types of crafts (including ceramics, paintings). After relaxing in a cozy cafe, visiting the local beach, trying original fish (and other) dishes, guests will definitely buy souvenirs made by the masters of the colorful village. You can get to Fanes on the main road from the airport to the sign (about 10 km).
Ostrich farm
The trip will be very interesting for children. It is proposed to order an excursion on the spot, but it is most convenient to arrive without wasting time by car. Communication with the natural world, unfamiliar animals, birds is proposed to be carried out on an ostrich farm.The enclosures, safe for kids, contain about 20 species of different animals, camels, ponies, kangaroos, monkeys. There is an opportunity to buy a package of corn and feed the animals, ride a camel.
But with ostriches it is better to handle carefully. African ostriches are strong birds with an unpredictable, surprisingly curious nature. Their strong legs make you think before you want to stroke the feathers of the regal bird. He can easily bite, break a mobile phone, a camera. The guide tells about the life of an ostrich and warns of his immediate desires. There is a tavern near the farm where you can taste ostrich egg omelet, cold cuts. In souvenir shops you can buy original souvenirs made of bird feathers, cosmetics prepared with their fat.
Valley of the Butterflies
A pristine corner of nature is located in the Petaloudes Valley in the western part of the island. The speckled harlequin butterflies have chosen this place for their permanent residence. They do not belong to the class of the famous bright butterflies, but their number is a colorful living carpet of fluttering moths. The hot island climate is diluted in this place with numerous streams, creating ideal breeding conditions for butterflies.
The valley is home to the beloved styrax trees with a fragrant, sweet resin that attracts moths. They arrive here from June to September. The speckled harlequin lays the larvae for reproduction in other places. Here they have a holiday, fun. It must be remembered, watching the dancing kingdom, that they die in an unexpected noise. The valley is arranged for quiet walks. There are many shady alleys, pavilions, clean streams, a man-made lake. There is a parking lot at the lower entrance. On the territory of the valley there is a Museum of Natural History with a small exposition of representatives of the flora and fauna of the island.
Monastery of Saint Nektarios
There are two churches on the island dedicated to Saint Nektarios. He is often compared to the Russian saint Seraphim of Sarov. One of them is located on the top of a hill (240 m), 3 km from the village of Arkhipoli. This is a 14th century monastery. It is decorated with rare ancient frescoes. A stream with healing water flows at the foot of the hill. Numerous pilgrims come here for healing from cancer. Saint Nektarios heals, helps to solve financial problems.
An oak tree with a huge hollow grows near the monastery. Its age is several centuries. It is considered the oldest tree on the island. Every traveler strives to enter the hollow. You need to go to the monastery along the eastern coast of the island to the village of Kolimpia, turn in the direction of the village of Arkhipoli. Near the building of the monastery there is a parking lot, a tavern. It offers to buy mountain honey. The beautiful area is often used for weddings, baptisms, picnics.
Mount Filerimos
The famous mountain of the island was given by the route called "The Way to Golgotha". A cypress alley leads to the top. Its length is equal to the path that Jesus made, bending under the heaviest burden. Stone steles (proskinitarians) were erected along both sides of the road, depicting scenes of the Lord's torment. Local monks erected a cross at the top of the mountain. It was originally made of wood, but later it was replaced by a structure made of stone. The height of the cross is 16 m. It is hollow inside and has a spiral staircase for climbing to the observation deck.
It is very narrow and the passage to the top is carried out taking into account the visitors: it is difficult to disperse on the stairs. The mountain is located in the reserve zone. It works daily from 8 am to 7 pm. The entrance ticket is 3 €. The height of the mountain reaches almost 280 m. A road leads to the foot of the mountain. There is parking for the car. You can climb with the excursion or on your own. A huge mysterious cross is visible long before the entrance to the hill. It arouses interest and respect.
Mandraki port
The journey around the island begins from the ancient port of Mandraki, which has a life history of over 2 millennia. The military port of ancient times was decorated with the legendary statue of the Colossus of Rhodes. Ships floated between her legs. Now statues of heraldic animals (deer and deer) meet ships at the entrance to the bay. And modern liners with tourists moor to a special pier. Numerous ships, yachts, fishing boats fill the entire area of the port.
The building of the Annunciation Church stands out among the sights of the port. It was built according to the type of the Church of St. John in the 16th century. And even earlier there was a Byzantine fortress. The medieval fountain in front of the building is still functioning. On the old breakwater, there are three windmills that grind grain brought by traders. A walk along the embankment gives rise to a desire for romantic wanderings on a beautiful brigantine with scarlet sails. Paid and free parking is available near the port. For example, in front of the market. Parking cost per hour is 2 €.
Ancient Kamiros
Until now, there is no unequivocal scientific opinion about the reasons for the departure of residents from the ancient city, which played an important role in the history of the island of Rhodes. Not a single defensive structure has been found in this amazing city. At the same time, the ruins of temples, an ancient reservoir, a central square (agora), numerous artifacts (they became the property of the collections of the Louvre, British Museums, the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes) were preserved. And now in the museum you can see the gravestone stele of Creto and Timarista, made in the 5th century BC.
The ruins of the ancient city are the most interesting archaeological site in the country, and they are called "Greek Pompeii". The main temples of the city were built in honor of Poseidon, Artemis, Zeus and other gods. The central street of the city led to the Acropoe, not far from which the temple of Athena towered. The excavations began with the accidentally discovered graves in 1859. The archaeological wealth of Kamiros is only 30% extracted from the ground. Further excavations promise to reveal new secrets of the city's life in the Hellenistic period.
Monolithos castle
Castles of the Middle Ages have always been surrounded by powerful fortress walls. They were inaccessible to enemies and opened up an excellent view of the surroundings. One of these castles, together with a fortress built in the Byzantine style, was Monolithos. It is frozen at the top of the Akramitis cliff in the Aegean Sea on the west coast of the island.
The architectural work was built in 1476. The disappeared need to use the fortress led to desolation, the destruction of all buildings. Nowadays, only admirable stone ruins can be seen here. The building of the chapel of St. Panteleimon (it is active) and the ancient cisterns used to store drinking water have been preserved in a strange way. Climbing to the top of the cliff is suggested by a ladder carved into the rock.
From here you can see the island and the beautiful Aegean Sea. The entrance to the fortress is free. Nearby is the small settlement of Monolithos. There is a small hotel here. From the village walk about 3 km, leaving the car in the parking lot. A narrow path leads to the rock. It is impossible to drive on it. Not far from the castle there is a small beach for relaxation, swimming in the sea.
Kritinia castle
The small town of Kritinia was founded by immigrants from the island of Crete. There are many such settlements along the coast of the Aegean Sea. Knights built fortresses in them to protect them from Turkish soldiers, erected castles. The castle is located on the top of a cliff and rises above the sea at an altitude of 131 m. It is surrounded by beautiful green spaces of slender pine trees. The building is considered the architectural gem of the island. It combines elements of the Venetian and Byzantine styles.
The general view of the castle is distinguished by sophistication, luxury, created by the Knights of Malta. The original appearance of the castle has not survived.You can see the fragments of a chapel that stood inside the castle, walls, coats of arms of two knights who had the title of Great Masters. Restoration work is carried out according to a special program. The number of people wishing to see the attraction of the island is constantly growing. They climb to the top of the cliff along a narrow path. It can be traveled by private car, but not by sightseeing bus.
The amazing island of Rhodes in Greece makes it possible to spend a beach vacation, an interesting sightseeing trip. In a short period of time, it is most convenient to inspect it by car. Marvel at the beauty, feel the atmosphere of antiquity and return to the magic of the Aegean Sea once again.
