Rhodes

From the ancient city in the north to the beautiful beaches in the south, the Greek island of Rhodes has a lot to offer. Since I have driven up and down the island countless times and have been there multiple times, I know more or less everything there.

Therefore, I can say that for those who love the sun, Greek history, and warm climate, it is worth visiting Rhodes. It is also highly recommended for cat lovers. In addition to a lot of free-roaming cats that we saw there, there is also Kallithea Cats. It is located in the northeast of the island where you can take care of cats, play with them, or help. The service is also very good in Rhodes, so those who value friendliness should be satisfied here.

After a flight of about three to three and a half hours, depending on where you fly from Germany, you arrive at a small but nice airport. It seemed very clean, well-maintained, and easy to navigate to me. You land relatively close to the sea and find yourself in Paradisi, which is located in the far north of the island. We had to drive to the south to get to our apartment and followed the coast towards Lardos. I already liked the island there. The sea, rocky mountains, palm trees, and beautiful hotels.

Of course, there are also certain things on Rhodes that you have to see. My top 3 attractions that I recommend to every traveler in Rhodes are:

• Lindos Acropolis
• Rhodes Town (Old Town)
• Prasonisi Beach
  

At Prasonisi Beach, the approximately 3 km² rocky peninsula of Prasonisi is connected to Rhodes. In between, there is a sandbank that separates two seas. So if you walk across this sandbank, you can see the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Greek Aegean Sea on the other side. It seemed like a 'double beach' to me and it is truly admirable (see picture above). It's very windy there, but a day at the beach there is definitely worth it!

One of my favorites is definitely the Lindos Acropolis. To reach it, you first walk through the shops of Lindos at the bottom of the 'valley'. Then you have to climb about 300 rocky steps to reach the Acropolis. With breaks and something to drink, this is definitely doable. In some places, you should be careful not to fall somewhere as it can become very rocky and bumpy. When we arrived at the top, we immediately realized that the effort was worth it. Up there, you not only have the centuries-old Acropolis itself but also a phenomenal view of the sea, the Heart Bay, and Lindos.

If you are interested in history, like old and ancient cities, or want to shop and go to bars, Rhodes Town at the top of the island is the place to be. A day trip is advisable to see as much as possible and experience the city in the dark. Especially when it is illuminated, it really has something to offer.

It is also recommended to book a boat tour. On our last tour, we started in the morning around 9 am in Rhodes Town and sailed down the east coast to Lindos. We had about 20-minute swimming stops again and again and saw a lot of the island from the sea. Moreover, the sometimes very hot temperatures are much more pleasant there. Since you are temporarily very close to the Turkish border in the north of the island, especially during boat trips, it is advisable to temporarily disable your mobile data to avoid high costs.

If you want to see as much of the island as possible, it is recommended to rent a car. The bus journey can take several hours and the buses there are relatively unreliable. In this respect, they can be compared to the German railway system to some extent. Excursions also cost significantly more than exploring your personal destinations with a rental car. However, driving a car there is not without its challenges. You might think that traffic signs are just for decoration and the right of way belongs to whoever dares first. Apart from the speed limit, which is a maximum of 80 km/h on the island but is constantly exceeded. But since there are hardly any speed cameras, it is probably not the worst. So I recommend being cautious when driving on Rhodes and giving way to the locals.

One thing you don't necessarily have to worry about on Rhodes are earthquakes that occur from time to time. During my last stay on the island (June 2024), I consciously experienced an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 for the first time in my life and had a huge shock. Then I learned that this happens from time to time there and it is usually totally harmless. Especially in summer, the risk is more in wildfires, some of which can be seen now. The island seemed much drier and more affected to me than a year ago, which is not surprising after the major wildfires there in 2023. By the way, they occurred shortly after I was there, which gave me a good before and after picture of the island.