Rhodes Island.

The island of Rhodes is located in southeastern Greece. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands. I spend a week there several years ago.

I explored quite well the capitol of Rhodes; Rhodes Town, Lindos and some other places.

Rhodes Town has an interesting Medieval area and also a modern neighboorhood with all the amenities for tourist and locals.

The Palace of the Grandmasters is one of the highlights of Rhodes Town.

Originally this palace was built in the late 7th century as a Byzantine citadel. It was converted by the knights Hospitaller into their administrative center and the palace of their Grand Master.

During the Ottoman occupation; from 1522 to 1912 this building was used as prison. In 1865 and explosion in an arsenal almost destroyed the palace. In the early 20th century it was restored by the Italians.

On the first floor of the palace there were several official rooms, the dining room and the private quarters of the Grand Master.

The palace had 158 rooms. Today only 24 are open to visitors. Inside you can see a couple of collections of archaeological finds.

I don' t remember much about this palace but I remember there were various nice statues of angels inside.

The archaeological museum is another sight in Rhodes Town. It is housed in the main hospital of the city during the knights' era. This palace was built in 1440 and enlarged between 1481 and 1489. It was restored between 1913 and 1918.

This museum has lots of findings as vases, figurines, mosaic floors; funerary slabs of the knights. There is even a collection of Roman sculptures and two 6th century kouros. These are statues of idealized young males.

The thing I liked much of all here was the statue of the so-called Aphrodite of Rhodes. It is more than 2000 years old (see pic.).

The Byzantine tower clock (Roloj) is nice tower built on the ruins of a Byzantine tower that was connected with the Palace of the Grand Master. In 1856 it was destroyed by the explosion of the nearby church of S. John of the Knights.

For the price of some euros you can go up to the top and enjoy the landscape over the town. A complimentary drink is included in the fee.

The old core of Rhodes Town is surrounded by walls. These were probably built on Byzantine fortifications in stages; from 1330 to 1522.

The walls are around 4 km long and have an average thickness of 12 metres. They have several towers and eleven gates.

Each order of knights was responsible for the defense of a section of the walls.

Ipoton Street, or the street of the knights is about 600 meters long. Here, on both sides you can see the inns belonged to them. These were used as gathering places and temporary residences for visiting dignitaries. Today the inns are used as government offices.

Sokratus street runs downhill from Suliman pasha' s mosque to Hippokates square. It is the main street in the old town. It is packed with shops and cafes.

The mosque of Suliman pasha was originally built in 1542. Then it was rebuilt in 1808. Unfortunately when I visited Rhodes town it was closed.

At Ippokratus square you can find various shops and restaurants. The building with a staircase you see in this picture is the Kastelania. It was built in 1597 and was used as a shopping mall. Today it houses the town library.

The Mandraki harbour was the port of ancient Rhodos. Its entrance could be closed with chains. Here you see two statues of a male and a female deer on columns; three windmills not more in use and a 15th century fort.

At the harbour you can see lots of fishing boats and boats which leave for day trip cruises to Symi Island, to Marmaris; in Turkey and to other places.

If you feel like shopping or if you are looking for a restaurant you can head to the new market; or Nea Agorà . This market is situated opposite the Mandraki. There is a good choice of restaurants, cafes and shops inside.

The Kallithea spa has been popular since the ancient times for its therapeutic properties. They could treat arthritis, diabetes, malaria, allergies and other diseases. It is situated some miles from Rhodes Town.

In 1928 the first buildings were constructed above the thermal springs. At the end of the 20th century they fell in abandonment and neglect. They were restored and reopened by the Italians in 2007.

The Kalithea spa is a very nice place to spend some hours under the sun. There is a beach here.

At Kallithea spa there is a cafe where you can have some food and the toilets.

The beach at Anthony Quinn' s Bay is one of the few beaches I visited when I was in Rhodes Island. It is is a beautiful and small peeble beach. I have read it is not suitable to young children and elderly pepole, due to the presence of sharp rocks inside and out of the water.

It is situated on the east coast of Rhodes; around four km south of Faliraki and 15 kms from Rhodes Town.

After filming the Guns of Navarone; Anthony Quinn bought this bay to create an international center for artists and film makers. This purchase was later annulled by the government.

There is a restaurant nearby.

Lindos is probably one of the most popular villages on the island.

It is a car free town. Streets are too narrow for cars there. The only area where you can find cars and bikes is the town square. This is the only square in Lindos. Here you can find the tourist office, some cafes, restaurants and the taxi stop.

The only transportation option in town (except for taxis) are the donkeys. This is one of the ways to go to the Acropolis.

There are various buses going from Rhodes Town to Lindos and vice versa every day. They stop just uphil the town. I think the journey between Rhodes Town and Lindos should take around one hour

The acropolis is the main sight in Lindos.

I wasn' t impressed by this fortress. Probably because I know very little about ancient history.

The acropolis was built on a rock overlooking Lindos. It is surrounded by well preserved walls built by the knights (and later restored).

Inside the walls you can see several remains of ancient temples. They were restored by the Italians during their occupation of the island. When I visited this site it was still under construction.

There are two ways to reach the acropolis. One is by climbing lots of stairs. Another is going there by donkey.

I liked much the landscape from the acropolis. You can see most of the village from there.

Another wiev from the acropolis.

The church of Panagia is Lindos' main church. It was built in the 14th century. In 1489 it was restored. It is surrounded by a wall.

The walls inside the church are decorated with frescoes painted in the 19th century. These depict biblical scenes.

There are also frescoes on its vaulted roof. These were painted in 1779. Its floor is covered with a mosaic of small white and black peebles. This kind of decoration is called hohlaki.

Lindos has a big choice of shops and restaurants. Some of these have a roof terrace.

Lindos has two beautiful beaches linked by a path. They aren' t far from the town center but you have to climb down lots of stairs to get to them.

Lindos from afar.

The Rodini Park was probably the first landscaped park in the world.

Here you can see several peacocks walking free, turtles and some other animals. It is a good place to enjoy the nature. You can go to this park by bus from Rhodes Town.