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Rhodes at a Glance

Greece’s fourth largest island and capitol of the Dodecanese chain Rhodes has a permanent population of around 110,000 and is visited by about one million additional tourists annually.

Rhodes is known for its almost full time sunshine and salubrious climate, its beautiful sandy east coast beaches, and perhaps above all, for its magnificient World Heritage site the famed, well-preserved, still inhabited medieval city and capital Rhodes Town, population 60,000, adjacent to which is the commercial Mandraki harbor district. Rhodes town in above photo.

Another very popular attraction is the dramatic set village of Lindos on the islands east coast with its beautiful; beach, acropolis and ancient temples.

From May to December, nature lovers may travel inland to see Butterfly Valley (Petaloudhes), where moths with black and red mottled wings come to breed.

Most of the west coast (south of the big hotel complexes at Ixia and Trianda) is less developed for tourism, with forests, wine villages, castles,and the island’s highest peaks.

The East coast has daily boat service along its shores which pause, on the way to Lindos, at resorts and some of the more beautiful sandy beaches. The local bus is less expensive but does not follow the coast road and is less enjoyable than the journey by boat. Kalithea is the first stop of the itinerary and is a sleepy Italian built resort town which has seen greater glory. Nevertheless it offers an interesting mix of architectural styles and a sedate pace.

Infamous Faliraki is the next stop on the coast and is perhaps one of the worst examples of a package tourism destination in Greece. Several alcohol related deaths have taken place here in addition to ’tourist on tourist’ sexual assaults and arrests for public indecency. Come summer 30 British bobbies are imported to help control the mostly UK revelers.

Several more resorts follow but you have to get past Lindos and Pefki to find the really tranquil beaches on Rhodes East coast. That you can do easily with your own vehicle as bus service is sporadic. Prassonissi (Green island) is the ultimate in naturalist sand beaches and tranquility at the very tip of the island of Rhodes.