Closer to Turkey than mainland Greece and seeped in tumultuous layers of culture and history, this is far from your typical Greek island.
Who goes there Who doesn’t? Rhodes is a staple of Greek islands and eastern Mediterranean cruises that usually start and finish in Istanbul, Athens or Venice. It’s also visited on wider Mediterranean itineraries. You can board anything from the biggest Royal Caribbean ships to the small vessels of luxury lines such as Seabourn and Silversea. Local company Celestyal Cruises is a regular visitor.
Sail on in Sailing into Rhodes won’t knock your sailor’s socks off, but is pleasant enough to warrant the effort to get out on the deck, with the starboard side offering views of the medieval harbour fortifications, yacht harbour, and walls of the old city, behind which rise a couple of minarets. A statue of a deer atop a tall pillar marks the place where world wonder the Colossus of Rhodes stood in ancient times.
Berth rites You can say one good thing about the cruise port: it’s within sight and a short walk of the medieval old town that will be the focus of your attention. There’s no proper terminal, just plain wharfs where ships and inter-island ferries tie up, and a rather chaotic entrance gate where you may or may not be asked for your ship’s pass. You’ll find plenty of money changers, tour operators and other services nearby, however.
Going ashore The UNESCO-listed old town is one of Europe’s best preserved Gothic towns whose history is connected to the Knights of St John, though it also has Byzantine, Ottoman and Italian influences. If you haven’t been before, it will occupy you all day as you inspect the Knights’ Quarter and Palace of the Grand Master, and the maze-like alleys of the Jewish Quarter and Turkish Quarter. The latter’s overlooked Muslim Library is a cultural gem containing illustrated religious and historical texts from the Ottoman era. You can walk parts of the city ramparts for attractive views over rooftops, minarets, church spires and the sea.
Don’t miss If you’ve been to Rhodes before then you ought to get beyond the old town and into the island’s splendidly scenic hilly interior, where you’ll find Italian-influenced villages, Byzantine churches and ruined castles, and the (admittedly touristy) Butterflies Valley. Wine lovers will be glad to know that vines have been grown on Rhodes for 3000 years. You can sample local grape varieties such as Athiri and Amorgiano in Triantafillou and Kounakis wineries.
Get active Rhodes is a rugged island with good hiking, mountain biking and paragliding but, given the size of the island, you’d do best to book an organised tour in advance. Rhodes is one of the Aegean’s best yachting centres, with plenty of sailboats for hire. Swimming, snorkelling, parasailing, jet skiing and kite surfing are other options.
Best bites The cuisine of Rhodes has influences from all the Mediterranean powers that meddled with it, making it more varied than regular Greek cuisine: you’ll find pasta dishes, couscous, egg noodles, various stews, and pastries flavoured with honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. Goat is the go-to meat, best enjoyed in lacana, a stew that incorporates chickpeas, tomatoes, onion and cumin.
Further afield The chief excursion is gorgeous Lindos, an hour’s drive from Rhodes town, which has an acropolis crowned with ancient Greek ruins and wonderful views over a bay of improbable aquamarine colours. Other options include a day at the beach at Faliraki, off-road driving in northern Rhodes, sea kayaking off the south-east coast, or a visit to Kallithea, which has hot springs that have been used since ancient times.
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Brian Johnston seemed destined to become a travel writer: he is an Irishman born in Nigeria and raised in Switzerland, who has lived in Britain and China and now calls Australia home.
