Hi everyone!
This summer, I went to the island of Rhodes with my girlfriend.
In the following lines, I would like to present to you a few places that we visited and, in my opinion, are worth it.
Windmill in the harbour
1. The first place is the Ancient Acropolis of Lindos. This restored building from the 6th century BC is located at the top of the picturesque town of Lindos. The walk to it is not long, about 20 minutes from the car park at the bottom, but it is quite uphill and quite challenging in hot weather. (Bring plenty of water.) Below the acropolis are lots of narrow streets with local souvenir shops, as well as many restaurants and bars with terraces. When you get to the top, you can see the remains of walls, temples, and staircases. But what we liked most was the view, as the acropolis is the highest point in the wide area, you can see beautifully in all directions, the endless sea with boats and sailing ships is mesmerizing. It's worth visiting the acropolis towards the evening, it's not so hot, and there won't be so many people either. Buy tickets online in advance, they're cheaper, and you don't have to wait in line.
The acropolis above Lindos
Remains of the temple
Ancient columns
Picturesque garden
Local house
2. Next we visited the women's Holy Monastery of Panagia Ipseni. This place probably attracted us the most, it was a complete oasis of peace. The nuns here take care of their garden and produce natural products that you can buy in their shop (honey, syrups, soaps, creams). Above the monastery there is a large cross, which has quite a lot of stairs, we did not go to it because of the heat. Interestingly, last year's fires on the island avoided this monastery, the charred ground can still be seen a few meters from the premises, but the nuns dwellings were not affected by the fire at all. The locals say it was divine intervention, although I am an atheist, it also felt like a miracle to me. One final positive - there is no charge to enter.
Monastery courtyard
Church
Prayer room
Olive tree
3.The third place is the ruins of Castle of Asklipio. The castle has a nice view of the surrounding area, and it is completely quiet, because tourists don't know much about this place or are not attracted to it, because there are really only a few ruined walls left. I recommend taking some food and drink with you, have a picnic, and enjoy the panoramas. However, you can see in the surroundings how much the fires last year affected nature. My other advice is to combine this trip with a visit to the beach, if you are heading back north, make sure to visit Paralia Glistra beach.
Castle remains
Castle "window"
Valley
4.The last location is the capital town of Rhodes. More specifically, its old part, the whole walk took us about 3 hours. We started at the harbor, where the promenade is lined with windmills. There are also remnants of the walls nearby, loosely connected by a gateway to the old town. As in Lindos, there are lots of narrow streets and loads and loads of shops and restaurants. We bought local olive oil,
seasoning, and honey here, all of which are very tasty. There are also a lot of people here, however, you will find places, especially on the outskirts, where you can enjoy a quiet walk. As well as people, there are also a lot of cats, they are really everywhere. There are also various boat trips from the harbor; unfortunately, we didn't make it, but if you have the time, it's definitely worth going to Symi island.
Nooks
Picturesque alley
Little garden
Castle
Statue
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay in Rhodes, the food, culture, and people were amazing. It's definitely worth renting a car or motorcycle; the places are quite far apart, and you can get a lot more done with the option of your own transport.
Such a bonus tip is to visit the south of the island Prasonisi where the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea meet, this part of the island is known as "surfers paradise".
Have you visited any of the Greek islands?
Any experience and recommendations would be appreciated.