All Roads Lead to Rhodes

Best-of lists are a daily occurrence in the travel world. Some of them are questionable, but when they’re compiled on the basis of votes from millions of travellers worldwide, you have to believe they count for something.  So, Tripadvisor’s “Europe’s top ten destinations” proved pretty interesting. Most of what the more obvious contenders didn’t get a look in. Top spot went to the gorgeous Greek island of Rhodes, followed by Salzburg, Amalfi and Bath, in that order. After these come Siena, Dingle, Bruges, Lucerne, Vatican City and Edinburgh – also in that order.

Photo by jacobms

Anyway, back to Rhodes. If you’ve been there, you’re probably not surprised that it topped the pops. It’s a place with almost everything anyone could hope for in a holiday destination – European or otherwise – including scenery, history, sunshine, beaches, friendly people, good food, lots to do and see, great nightlife and a pleasantly relaxed lifestyle. The downside is its huge popularity, and the effects of this are open to debate. Take a look at the polarity of opinion on this UK site Greek Island Postcards.

So, some people find Rhodes’ popularity impossible to cope with. Don’t let that worry you. Wise visitors will simply accept that tourism is the island’s lifeblood and adjust their visit accordingly, finding quieter places to stay, eat and relax in. And by doing this, a few hours spent exploring crowded tourist sights will be all the more rewarding, because the sights on Rhodes really are quite something.

Photo by maciekSz

Here are a few thoughts to bear in mind:

• If you’re allergic to crowds, choose your dates with care; July and August are the worst months. Rhodes is still sunny and warm well into autumn, so you do have some leeway. In fact, it’s officially the sunniest place in Europe.
• If you’re not into night-time revels, don’t base yourself in Faliráki. The opposite applies if you’re keen to party.
• If you’re ho-hum about beaches, but keen on antiquities, why not consider a winter visit? The streets will be a lot quieter, and the weather won’t be too cold.
• The advice that applies to viewing Venice applies here too: do your sightseeing in places like the old walled city of Rhodes and other top visitor spots early in the day. The city’s ancient streets are mostly very narrow and prone to human traffic jams. There’s a huge amount to see, so why not split your sightseeing over two or even three mornings? And get a good map; it's a confusing town.
• All Rhodes’ beaches are not created equal. For sun and sand, stay in the east. Western beaches are stony and windy – great for wind-dependent water sports.

Photo by A.M. Kuchling

Crowds or no crowds, you must see at least some of the island's attractions. Here are a few outside Rhodes City - but remember, there are many more:

• Lindos – loveliest of all the island’s towns, and accordingly popular with visitors. St Paul was shipwrecked here - visit the bay named after him (pictured right). Explore the maze of medieval lanes and alleys, take a donkey-ride to the Acropolis if you can’t face the walk, visit the Byzantine church and just grin and bear the inevitable flood of tourists. Lindos is one place you must not miss. Note that the Acropolis does not open until 12.30pm on Mondays.
• Kamiros – the remains of an ancient city, sometimes called the Greek Pompeii; located inland, so not usually too busy. Great views en route.
• Filerimos – gorgeous 5th century hilltop monastery; near resort town of Ialyssos (also known as Trianta), about 10km from Rhodes City.
• Prassonissi – two sandy bays, one on the Aegean, the other on the Med; south tip of the island, 92km from Rhodes City.

And some must-sees inside the old city of Rhodes:

• The Acropolis of Rhodes (pictured right)
• The Hospital of the Knights – nowadays the Archaelogical Museum – the island’s most popular attraction, and for good reason.
• The 15th century Street of the Knights (Ippoton) and Lady of the Castle Cathedral.
• Mandraki – the ancient harbour
• Palace of Grand Master
• The Hospice of St Catherine
• The city walls

Photo by Shadowgate

Last but not least, here’s how to add a second country to your Rhodes visit: grab the opportunity to drop in on Turkey. It’s just across the water and there’s an excellent daily service (hydrofoils and ferries) to Marmaris.