Only 20 mi/30 km from the Turkish coast, this island is very popular with both vacationers and cruise passengers for its lively nightlife, excellent beaches, flowers, hills and historical sites. The island has a fairly active artists' colony, and it's not uncommon to come across a painter at work.
Much of its flavor and architecture arrived with the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who occupied it 1310-1522. In the capital, Rodos, see the medieval quarter of Old Town (the wall that surrounds it is in great condition) and the Agios Nikolas Tower (at the harbor entrance), which may stand where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood.
Other sights include the archaeological museum in the 15th-century Hospital of the Knights and the 14th-century Crusader's Fortress (or Palace of the Grand Masters) with its beautiful furniture, marble and fifth-century mosaics from the island of Kos. Allow two hours for the palace, and if you're there April-October, attend the sound-and-light show, concerts and folkloric performances. If time permits, visit the Acropolis of Rhodes to see a theater, stadium and two temples.
About 20 mi/30 km southwest of Rodos is Kameiros, where you can find the remains of a Doric temple and a city begun in the third century BC. About 30 mi/50 km south of Rodos, near the town of Lindos, are the fifth-century-BC ruins of the Temple of Athena (well preserved) and some remains of even older temples on top of the Lindos Acropolis. You can get a wonderful view of the village and the Mediterranean from this point. In Lindos' harbor is the site where St. Paul is said to have shipwrecked on his way to Rome. Cars are banned from the streets of Lindos. Rooms and apartments are available in private homes, and hotels can be found just outside of town. Most of the large four- and five-star resort hotels are clustered within a 10-mi/16-km area from Rodos toward Faliraki in the southeast and Ialyssos to the southwest. A stop in Lindos, a national historic landmark, is highly recommended.
Also take half a day to see the Valley of the Butterflies (about 15 mi/25 km south of Rodos, in the area called Petaloudes), one of the most dazzling parts of the island. The narrow valley with a stream in the center is especially spectacular June-September because of the foliage and rare butterflies. There are several other towns with ruins, beautiful beaches and fortresses. We think that four or five days on the island wouldn't be too much. 260 mi/420 km southeast of Athens.
