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 virtualrimos, 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.

Rhodes (Rodos in greek), the beautiful island of the roses, has a unique physical scenery that does not stop to impress its visitors. Also unique is its climate with more sunbathed days than any other place in Europe. With practically zero criminality and friendly and hospitale people you'll be surprised how easy life in Rhodes can be.

The Medieval City. We enter the medieval city through the Gate of Freedom, which is near the New Market. In the first square we come upon, Simis Sq., we find sparse remains of the Temple of Aphrodite. On the left is the Municipal Art Gallery, which contains works by Greek artists. Very near this is the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Inn of Auvergne, the hostel, that is, where in the time of the Knights, those who spoke one of their eight tongues, in this case that of Auvergne, were accommodated. A little further on is the beginning of the famous Street of the Knights, which, in spite of the restoration of its buildings, you feel that remained unattached by the passage of the 500 years since it was first built (14th century). The Gothic order predominates. The Inns of the various Tongues stand in a row, with impressive arched doorways, their emblems carved above these. You are now in the Collachium, the quarter of the Knights, and you climb the hill in the direction of the Palace of the Grand master, the Castello, as it is now called. On your right, first is the Inn of Italy and then the Inn of France, the largest of them all. Still on the right, the next is the Inn of Province, while on the left is the Inn of Spain. In front of the Castello is the Loggia of St. John.

The Palace of the Grand Master, the most imposing building of medieval Rhodes, is at the end of the Street of the Knights. It was built in the 14th century, but was demolished by the explosion of gunpowder which the Turks had stored in its basement in 1856. It was restored in 1939, during the Italian occupation. In this restoration, every effort was made to follow its original design faithfully. The Palace was intended as a residence for the Italian King Vittorio Emmanuele II or for Mussolini.

If you follow Orfeos St. from the Castello in southerly direction, you can visit the clock - tower and mosque of Suleyman, before coming to Socrates St., the street with the most and commercial activity. At some points this street resembles an oriental bazaar. If you go down Socrates St. to the end, you come to Ippokratous Square, one of the most attraction in Rhodes. It contains the Court of Commerce, a fine early 15th century building. From here, Aristotle's St., on one side of which is the city wall, brings you to the attractive Square of the Jewish Martyrs, which has three bronze sea-horses in its center.  If you continue to follow the walls in an easterly direction, you come to the church of Pateleimon (15th century) and the ruined church of Our Lady of Victory, which was built after the lifting of the Turkish siege in 1480. If you emerge from St. Catherine's Gate, near St. Pantaleimon, you are in front of the commercial harbor, where large vessels anchor.

You return to Ippokratous Square, still following the walls, and going along Ermou St., you come to Museum Square. This contains the Inn of England. The Archaeological Museum is housed in the restored building of the 15th century Hospital of the Knights.

>> Dodecanese Islands :  Astypalea, Halki, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kassos, Kastelorizo, Kos, Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos.