Where can you get it all – the old, the new, sunshine
and roses; In Rhodes island. The third largest of all of
Greece’s islands, Rhodes Greece is the easternmost and one of
the most southern of the Aegean group. Situated 11 km
west of the Turkish coast, Rhodes lies between the
Turkish mainland and the isle of Cyprus.
The beautiful island of roses is known for offering,
enjoying, basking in the more than 300 days of
sunshine every year. Rhodes island is the sunniest place in
all of Europe. The mild climate offers the longest
tourist season of the whole region, from early April
until the end of November. And though it may be too
cold for a swim in the winter months, shops
restaurants, cafes, and hotels are open all year
round. But it’s summer, when the meltemi winds are
blowing, that Rhodes Greece gets into the traveler’s soul.
This Greek island is shaped like a spear head. It is 80 km
long, 38 km wide and has 220 km of coastline. The
shore is often rocky or gravelly, but these rough
beaches are interspersed with strips of sand. Inland,
Rhodes in Greece is mountainous and sparsely inhabited. The
flora and fauna are more closely allied to that of
Asia Minor than to the rest of Greece. There are
forests of Turkish pine and cypress, with herds of
Rhodian deer. A magical place in the interior is
Pataludes or Pataloudes Valley, the Valley of the
Butterflies. Clouds of tiger moths gather here each
summer.
Rhodes island boasts a population of 110,000. Over half of
these people live in Rhodes City in Greece. This city is the
capital of the District of Dodecanese and the Province
of Rhodes – which includes the nearby islands of Symi,
Tilos, Chalki and Katellorizo.
Rhodes island is a fascinating mix of modern
cosmopolitan and medieval. The city, on the far north
point, is ringed by the sea to both the east and west.
The old city, built by the Crusaders, is a compact,
old, walled city with crooked and cobbled streets. It
is a World Heritage site. The Knights of St. John
built here atop the ruins of an even more ancient
city. The old city, seemingly untouched by time, is
surrounded by modern Rhodes City, sprawling out from
the walls on three sides.
Rhodes island economy is geared toward tourism. Yet there
are truly native places where tourism and
commercialism have not yet touched. And in these
places agriculture flourishes, with crops of citrus,
grapes and vegetables.
Sunny Rhodes in Greece is probably best known for the Colossus
of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World. The 110 foot high statue of the god Helios
looks out over the sea. The Colossus was created from
bronze that came from melting weapons and war
machines.
Stupendous, old, modern, new, sunny Greece through Rhodes island offers it all. And even on the hottest days, one can find somewhere cool – by the sea or in a shady park – to
relax and enjoy it all.
Here are also a couple of more travel tips which can help you out while visiting Greece
