Rhodes Island Rhodos Greece Rodos Island doedecanese islands

Rhodes is situated at the bottom of the group of islands known as the Dodecanese. This means Twelve Islands although in fact there are more than twelve. This is the largest island in the group and is 100 kilometers from north to south and there are good roads down both the -east and west coasts. Both start from Rhodes Town in the north which is a must to visit and is covered in the next section. There are some things that are fun to look out for as you explore the island. The distinctive pebble floors, a specialty of the Dodecanese islands which date back to the Hellenistic period. They were also popular during the Byzantine period and used this century by the Italians. Keep an eye out also for bits and pieces of marble from ancient temples later reused in the construction of churches and castles. Pieces of terracotta pottery set in the mortar of castles and churches are the trademark of the Byzantine stonemasons and tell you that the building dates from that period.
Another interesting thing to look out for is the Maltese Cross on buildings restored by the Italians. The Knights of St John didn't adopt this symbol until after they'd left Rhodes and moved to Malta. The Italians missed this point during their rebuilding work and the cross pops up everywhere. This guide is best used in conjunction with a full size map and details of actual routes are outlined in Motoring. Obviously it's not possible to mention every site and village and you might-find places not listed here that you think worthwhile. Let me know and I'll put them in the next edition. For ease of reference I've listed in alphabetical order the various villages and places of interest you'll come across on your travels.
Rhodes Town: Wherever you're holidaying on Rhodes you'll want to spend some time exploring Rhodes Town the capital of the island. The Old Town was first built by the Knights of St John and then restored by the Italians when they were here between the wars. You're bound to get lost wandering around the little cobbled streets but don't worry you'll soon sort it out. There are also some parts of the new town worth exploring and most of the banks and administrative buildings run back from the New Market opposite Mandraki Harbor. All the places listed here are in alphabetical order for ease of reference.

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