Complete your Greek Odyssey visiting Rhodes the third largest island of Greece and the most famous of the Dodecanese Islands. It is an excellent choice if you want sail, sun, sand and sea. The people are friendly and hospitable making it a pleasure to explore the islands features. Many gorgeous beaches are amongst the cleanest in Europe and it has an average of 300 days of sunshine a year.
The World Heritage-listed old town, Rhodes City with architecture influenced by Italian design is the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe. Rhodes City has an impeccable pedigree - in 408 BC it was planned by the architect Hippodamos who came to be regarded as the father of town planning. Today its heart is the old town - a mesh of Byzantine, Turkish and Latin architecture, with labyrinthine alleyways and bustling squares - enclosed within massive walls. It is a veritable living, breathing museum. It's divided into the Knights' Quarter, where the Knights of St John lived, and the Hora, where everyone else lived. You'll need to get up early to beat the crowds, but it's well worth the effort.
Outside the walls is the new town with the central market, a bustling colourful combination of shops, stalls and taverns. The market streets lead to Mandraki Harbour where it is believed that the legendary Colossus of Rhodes once stood.
In stark contrast to the arid coast, the mountainous interior is covered with lush green pine forests. Of course, there is more to these sun-drenched islands than their Sesame St synchronicity. Whitewashed walls, deep blue sky, olive groves, fig trees, azure Aegean waters...The Dodecanese Islands have all this and more. If you want to drop out for a while in pursuit of traditional island life, you can.
If bars and beaches are your thing, there are plenty of resort areas to look after your every need. Ancient history is right here for the taking, as is a positively holiday-flavoured cuisine. The islands longest pebble stretch is at Afandou. South of Monolithos is the sheltered sandy bay of Fourini and you'll find superb sandy beaches at Kolimba, Tsambika, Agia Agatha, Haraki and Plimmiri. The nightlife is superb, with literally hundreds of restaurants, bars and pubs, discos and nightclubs. Rhodes really is the holiday of a lifetime. A beautiful fascinating and friendly island with everything you could possibly wish for, from a break in the sun.
