|
| |
|
| |
Rhodes Town: Nothing will prepare you for the diversity that Rhodes new Town has to offer, great shopping, cafes and bars galore a pretty parkland as well as the bustling harbor of Mandraki. In complete contrast, you find impressive 15th century buildings within the majestic walls of the Old Town with narrow cobbled streets, traditional coffee shops and taverns all nestling within the shadow of the Palace of the Grand Masters once home to the Knights of St John.
The new market is well worth a visit and is easily recognized from Mandraki by the domed centre piece which houses one of the entrances where you’ll find the bustling courtyard containing stalls, shops and plenty of cafes. Up market boutiques offer a great selection of clothing, and local department stores offer plenty for browsing. When shopping gets too much, head off to visit the largest Aquarium in Greece with it’s 40 tanks of fish, enjoy the peace of the beautiful church of Evangelismos (Annunciation) or take a drive to the hill of Monty Smith to take panoramic photos over Rhodes Town. See also: THE BEST PERIOD TO VISIT RHODES IMPORTANT AND USEFUL INFO ABOUT RHODES UNDERSTAND RHODES:Rhodes, Dodecanese Islands Tourism plays a large part in the island's economy. And estimated 80% of the island's revenue results from tourism. Consequently, you will stumble into tourists and hotels and beaches full of deck chairs for rent, into shops and restaurants that cater to these tourists. It can be overwhelming at times. If this bothers you, Rhodes is probably not for you. Still, there are some areas where mass tourism has not yet penetrated too much. And there are advantages, too: Travel to and accommodation on Rhodes itself can be purchased for relatively low prices, and most of the locals speak at least English and German and often some other languages. The medieval city is a World Heritage Site. TRAVEL TO RHODES: By boat You can get to Rhodes via a ferry from any nearby island, or from Turkey. However, this is quite unlikely unless you are a local - most tourists, by far, arrive via airplane. The only exception may be cruises, in which case the arrival will have been taken care of for you by the cruise operators.
WHAT TO SEE IN RHODES: Old Town (Palia Poli). Castle with acropolis over Lindos. Tsambika Peak. The old town of Rhodes city with the Palace of the Prince Grand Master, Street of Knights and the Fortifications Epta Piges. In English that's the seven springs and that is literally all there is to see there except for a short forest walking trail. In the hot summer months, the cool shade provides a pleasant respite from the sun. Castle of Kastellos. Castle of Monolithos. Cape Prasonisi. The southern-most tip of Rhodes. There is a peninsular connected to the main island by a sand bar. Unless you have a 4x4, think twice before driving your car across the sand bar: it becomes progressively less solid and it is easy to get stuck. Valley of the Butterflies. Since the butterflies - which are actually colored moths - in this area need quietude for their procreation and since the area is visited by many tourists, the population of the Petaloudes "butterflies" is constantly on the decline; even to a degree that it does not make any sense anymore to go there, as you will hardly see any of the moths.
WHAT TO DO IN RHODES: S Surfing and Kite surfing on the west coast and especially on the south end of the island. Many hotels will offer activity programs. Most tour operators offer excursions. Climb Mt Attavyros. A challenging 2-3 hour climb to the island's highest point (1215m). On leaving Embonas on the road towards Siana, drive up one of the agricultural roads on the left and find a place to park. On foot, you continue up through the wine growing area in the obvious direction. There is no explicit marked path but red paint on rocks towards the top marks the best route. It is a steep climb with many large loose rocks. The descent can be especially tricky. It is also possible to drive up the mountain: the approach road comes from the South. BEACHES OF RHODES: There is a good variety of beaches on Rhodes. (CHECK-NUDIST BEACHES) The east side of the island has almost continuous sandy beaches with calm waters. Beaches on the west are mostly more stony. The wind mostly comes in from the west and also the sea tends to be somewhat rougher to the west so that side of the island is better suited to surfing or kite boarding. Rhodes Town Kalithea. Just north of Faliraki, this was originally an Italian built spa. It is very pleasant spot but can be crowded. Currently building work is ongoing to build what looks like it will be a modern spa adjacent to the original buildings. A number of separate beaches, each seemingly with their own tavern lie just south of the spa. Faliraki. A long sandy beach with plenty of taverns to choose from. There is also no shortage of people to rent jet skis from or to organize other activities. At the southern end, there is a quieter, more rocky beach but the sea there is inconveniently shallow for swimmers. There is also a nudist beach a little further South. Ladiko Beach (Anthony Quinn Bay). This is a very scenic spot. On one side of the bay is a relatively small beach. The other side is rocky but a man made platform provides further space for sunbathing and access to the sea. Afandou Beach - Kolymbia Beach - Tsambika Beach - Gennadi Beach | See Beaches ====>>
| |
