ABOUT RHODES

BRIEF HISTORY OF RHODES

The island of Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese, an island group in the southeastern Aegean Sea. In 408 BC, towards the end of the Peloponnesian War, three of the island's ancient cities merged to build an entirely new one – the city of Rhodes – on a site in the Ialysia region of the island. Admired for its beauty and luxury, the city flourished. After weathering a siege by Demetrios Poliorketes (the besieger) in 305–303 BC, Rhodes rallied and built the Colossus of Rhodes, a massive statue of the sun god Helios, to whom Rhodes is linked in Greek mythology. The Colossus is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Following the great earthquake in 227 BC, which toppled the enormous harbor statue and devastated the city, Rhodes was rebuilt. It was later raided by Cassius in 42 BC and never recovered. Another catastrophic earthquake in AD 515 caused Rhodes to be reduced and confined to the area of Palais Polis, the present day Old Town. Over the next centuries, it was raided by the Persians and the Arabs and after holding off the Ottoman Empire in 1480, Rhodes was conquered by the Turks in 1522. During the Italo-Turkish War the Italians occupied the Dodecanese islands in 1912, which were not liberated until 1945, at the end of World War II. At that time the British oversaw the islands until their eventual incorporation into Greece 1948. Most recently the island Rhodes has become a popular holiday destination for tourists.

Today, the city of Rhodes is an important Greek urban center and popular international tourist destination with a friendly and hospitable local population.

Source: Wikipedia

THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT

Old Town of Rhodes including the Palace of the Old Masters, Street of the Knights, Old Town walls and moat, archaeological museum, Byzantine art museum, Jewish Quarter including the Kahal Shalom Synagogue, Roloi clock tower, Suleiman mosque, and churches.

Mandraki in the New Town outside the fortified byzantine walls, including the Three Windmills, marina, New Market, Bank of Greece, the Archbishop's Palace, the City Hall, the National Theatre of Rhodes, Fort of St. Nicholas, sailing club, aquarium and others.

Acropolis of Rhodes on Monte Smith, Temple of Apollo, ancient stadium and theatre.

Monastery of Filerimos overlooking Ialyssos

Ruins of the ancient city of Kamiros

Byzantine castle of Kritinia

Acropolis of Lindos and village with its traditional whitewashed houses

Thermal spa of Kallithea

Valley of Seven Springs

Valley of Butterflies

Old monastery of St. Tsambika on the east coast

Waterpark at Faliraki

Monastery of Profitis Elias and alpine style hotels

Prassonisi at the most southern tip of the island where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean Sea

Charming villages like Koskinou, Asklipios, Fanes, Tholos, Embona, Sianna, Monolithos, Kritinia, Lachania and many others

Beautiful stunning beaches near the Casino in town, Anthony Quinn Bay, Ladiko, Faliraki, Afandou, Tsambika, Lindos, Pefki, St. Paul's Bay, Kiotari, Agathi, Glystra and many others

Many of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast are also accessible by boat

The nearby picturesque islands of Symi and Chalki by boat