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This cluster of 12
islands lies to the southeast of the
Greek mainland. Distances between the
islands are fairly small, so visitors
can easily hop from one to another,
swapping, say, the relative
sophistication of Rhodes and Kos
for the calmer and simpler life on Tilos
or Astipalaia.
Rhodes
Rhodes
is one of the most popular and
best-developed islands in the
Mediterranean. It offers
international-class hotels, varied
nightlife, sports facilities and
duty-free shopping. It has 370km (230
miles) of coastline and a good,
well-surfaced road network. Bus
services bring most of the towns and
villages within easy reach of the
capital. Rhodes is 267 nautical miles
from Piraeus and is connected by boat
services. Rhodes airport is
international and there are daily
direct flights from Athens. The main
town, also called Rhodes, lies on the
very northern tip of the island. It is
made up of two distinct parts, the new
town and the old town which stands
within the walls of the medieval
fortress. The 15th-century Knight’s
Hospital is now an archaeological
museum which houses the celebrated Aphrodite
of Rhodes. The Palace of the
Grand Masters also has a splendid
collection. 2km (1.2 miles) to the west
of Rhodes town lies the Acropolis of
ancient Rhodes. Many impressive ruins
can still be seen, including the Temple
of Apollo and a theatre and
stadium, which date back to the 2nd
century BC.
At Filerimos,
15km (9 miles) from Rhodes, lie the
ruins of ancient Ialisos. The
view from the Acropolis is
spectacular. Ancient Kameiros,
25km (16 miles) southwest of Ialisos,
is one of the few archaeological sites
in Greece where many buildings and
monuments from the Hellenistic period
can still be seen.
56km (35 miles) to
the southeast of Rhodes is Lindos,
with its well-preserved remains
scattered on the ancient Acropolis.
Rhodes is a favorite
for sports enthusiasts: there is good
fishing at the resorts of Lindos,
Kameiros and Genadi and
there are facilities for water-skiing,
sailing, tennis, basketball and golf at
sports grounds and clubs all over the
island.
There are other
resorts at Faliraki, Ixia, Kalithea,
Kremasti, Afandou, Ialisos, Kritinia
and Profitis Elias.
Conducted tours:
By coach – half-day: daily tour of
the town, excursions to Lindos, Kamiros,
Ialisos, Butterfly Valley and
‘Rhodes By Night’ which includes an
evening meal and folk dances. There is
also a whole-day tour of Byzantine
antiquities.
Cruises: A
whole-day cruise along the east coast
of Rhodes to Simi and Panormitis
and conducted tours to Kos, Halki,
Tilos, Nissiros and Patmos.
Excursions by air:
To Athens, Nauplia, Epidaurus, Corinth
(two days), Heraklion (museum), Knossos,
Phaestos, Gortys and Agia Triada (three
days).
Inter-island
connections by air: Flights are
available between Rhodes and Kos,
Karpathos, Heraklion (Crete), Mykonos,
Thira (Santorini) and Kassos.
Patmos
Patmos
lies 140 nautical miles from Piraeus,
with which it is connected by steamship
services. It is also linked with the
Dodecanese group of islands by an
inter-island boat service. The nearby
isles of Fourni, Lipsi and Leros
are easily accessible from Patmos. The
island, a place of pilgrimage, is
dominated by the massive and formidable
Monastery of St John the Divine in Hora.
The ‘sacred grotto’, where St John
received and accounted his ‘Revelations’,
is enshrined in the Church of the
Apocalypse, just below the
Monastery. Hora, the island capital,
lies 2km (1.2 miles) away from the port
of Skala and can be reached by
bus or taxi. It is an extraordinary
sight: whitewashed houses arranged
along maze-like alleys too narrow for
cars, clustered around the base of the
monastery. Patmos has fine beaches at
Grikos, Meloi, Netia, Diakofti and
around Kambos Bay, which can be
reached by motor launch or by car from
Skala. Excursions to the monasteries of
Panagia Apollou and Panagia
Geranou are particularly pleasant.
Kalimnos
Kalimnos
lies 180 nautical miles from Piraeus,
with which it is connected by regular
steamship services. An inter-island
boat service also links Kalimnos with
other islands of the Dodecanese. Rocky
and barren on the whole, Kalymnos is
famous for its sponge fishing – a
tradition which is expressed in many
folk songs and local dances. Along the
west coast of the island there are
several resorts, including Linaria,
Mirties and Massouri.
Excursions can be made to the
stalagmite and stalactite Grotto of
Spilia Kefalas (35 minutes by motor
launch); to the health springs at Therma
(1km/0.6 miles to the south of the
Kalymnos town); and to Horio,
the old capital which stands below the
medieval castle. Near Horio are the
remains of the Franco-Byzantine
fortress, Pera-Kastro, and the
traces of the Church of Christ of
Jerusalem, built towards the end of
the 4th century AD. To the southwest
lie the monasteries of Evangelistria
and Agia Ekaterini, both of
which have guest-houses. There are boat
trips to the nearby isles of Telendos
and Pserimos, ideal for swimming
and fishing.
Simi
Simi ,
a predominantly rocky island, lies 235
nautical miles from Piraeus and 25
nautical miles from Rhodes. The
steamship line that serves the rest of
the Dodecanese calls at Simi. The beach
at Pedi is good for swimming and
the bays of Nanou, Marathoundas and
Emborio can be reached by motor
launch. Nearby are the deserted islands
of Seskli and Nemo, ideal
for fishing.
Karpathos
Karpathos
is a mountainous island with fertile
valleys and plains. Piraeus lies 227
nautical miles away while Rhodes, with
which it is connected by steamship and
summer flights, is only 89 nautical
miles away. The island capital, Pigadia,
lies in a wide, curving bay on the east
coast. Its small port of Possi
is a natural harbor and there are good
beaches nearby. Transport is provided
by buses and taxis while motor launches
serve the coastal areas. Attractive
spots are Aperi, Volada, Mirtonas,
Othos, Messohori and its
beautiful bathing beach, Agia
Marina, the fishing port Finiki,
and Arkassa. The northern
part of Karpathos is dominated by the
densely forested mountain of
Profitis Ilias (1140m/3740ft). From
the small harbour of Diafani, on
the northern coast, a road will take
you to Olimbos, a charming
village where ancient traditions and
customs are very much alive. Excursions
can be made to the northern headland of
Karpathos and the tiny isle of Saria,
where the remains of the ancient city
of Nissiros can be seen (access
is by motor launch from Diafani), and
to Kira-Panagia, a
picturesque bay with a fine beach and
monastery.
Leros
Leros ,
a mountainous but extensively
cultivated island, lies 169 nautical
miles from Piraeus. Excursions can be
made to the coastal villages of Agia
Marina, Koukouli, Kithoni, Panagies,
Plefounti, Gourna, Lepida and Temenia.
Traces of the island’s past glory
include the Franco-Byzantine fort
overlooking the capital town, Platanos,
and the ruins of the Byzantine castle
on Mount Kasteli, to the
northwest. Leros is ideal for
fishing and small craft can be hired.
Laki, one of the largest natural
harbours in the Mediterranean, lies 3km
(2 miles) from Platanos. The villages
of Leros can be reached by taxi along
well-paved roads. Old customs and
traditions also survive on Leros: the
celebrations at Carnival time are
reminiscent of the ancient Dionysian
festivities.
Tilos
Tilos ,
lying 290 nautical miles from Piraeus
and only 49 nautical miles northwest of
Rhodes, is an island neglected by
tourists. It is a hilly island with
many isolated beaches. Its few
inhabitants live at Livadia, a
natural port, and at Megalo Horio which
is crowned by a medieval castle. There
are good bathing beaches at Livadia,
Agios Antonios and Plaka. Mules
and donkeys are the major forms of
transport. Almost all coastal regions
offer splendid fishing and boats are
available for hire.
Nissiros
Nissiros
is connected with Piraeus (200 nautical
miles) and Rhodes (60 nautical miles)
by regular steamship service. Only 42
sq km (16 sq miles) in area, Nissiros
seems larger, due to the massive but
inactive volcano which towers over the
island. The capital, Mandraki,
is built below the medieval castle and Monastery
of Panagia Spiliani. 8km (5 miles)
southwest of Mandraki lie the remains
of the ancient Acropolis with its
Pelasgian walls, still well preserved
in many places. The fishing village of Pali
has a good beach where there is
excellent swimming.
Kastelorizo
Kastelorizo (Megisti) ,
the easternmost of the islands in the
Aegean Sea, is a mere 9 sq km (6 sq
miles) in area. It is connected to
nearby Rhodes by a twice-weekly boat.
Above the houses, on a high rock, rises
an old castle which the Knights of St
John reconstructed in the 14th century.
The fascinating Grotto of Parasta,
which can be reached by boat, is to the
southeast of the island. There are
beaches next to the harbor at Agios
Stefanos and on the uninhabited
isle of Agios Georgios (10
minutes by motorboat).
Climate
In the summer months
(June to September) the temperature
averages between 25°-31°C. In the
winter (October to May) the temperature
normally averages between 12°-17°C.
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