When I think of a summer tour, almost by deformation of origin, the first thought is "sea". And by this I'm not referring to beach life (due to my complexion and my hyperactivity it doesn't really suit me, Paolino envies those who manage it!) but more to the idea of the sea air, the view of the sea, the its background noise.
The second thought is “discovery”. In our travels we like to get to know the lands we visit deeply, exploring as much as possible what a new place has to offer us, making the most of every form of discovery, be it a beach, a site, a village or a nature trail.
If there is a land that contains all this it is Greece! So map in hand we chose the combo of two Dodecanese islands, perhaps less touristy than their more famous sisters (not that much though), but full of beauty, nature and history: Rhodes and Kos.
In this first article we tell you about Rhodes, isola del Colosso – una delle sette meraviglie del mondo classico – è la più grande isola del Dodecaneso, a soli 17 km dalle coste turche. Visitare Rodi significa coniugare mare cristallino, natura selvaggia e incontaminata e storia antica e affascinante che passa attraverso la scoperta della Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene.
- Itinerary in a nutshell
- Rhodes
- Day 1: Jacob's canyon, Monolithos Castle and Prasonisi Beach
- Day 2: Kamiros Archaeological Site, Kopria Beach and Kritinia Castle
- Day 3: Cape Archangelos Beach, Red Sand Beach, Agathi Beach and Feraklos Castle
- Day 4: Lindos Acropolis, Paralia Agios Pavlos and Antony Quinn Bay
- Day 5: Epta Piges, Tsambika Beach and Church of the Virgin Mary Tsambika
- Day 6: Butterfly Valley, Kallithea Spa and Kallithea Beach
- Day 7: Rhodes (Old Town, Mandraki Port, Mount Smith and Acropolis of Rhodes)
- Day 8: Symi
Itinerary in a nutshell
Our trip lasted 15 days, not considering the day of arrival in Rhodes (late afternoon) and departure from Kos (in the morning).
We have dedicated to Rhodes 8 days, traveling 570km up and down the island based in Lindos for 4 days and Rhodes Town for the remaining 4. We were able to enjoy some of the most beautiful beaches on the island – Agios Pavlos Beach, Red Sand Beach, Kallithea Beach , Kopria Beach and Antony Quinn Bay – and splendid oases and natural sites – The Forest of Seven Springs, The Valley of Butterflies, Kallithea Thermae and Jacob's Canyon – with an eye to the archaeological beauties that inevitably surprise us in Greece – Acropolis of Lindos, Site of Kamiros, Kritinia Castle, Feraklos Castle, Rhodes Old Town and Monolithos Castle -. We visited Symi with a day trip, traveling by ship with an excursion to St George beach; we booked an organized package but we do not recommend it and we will explain why later;
TipsforTrips: To get from one island to another we used the ferry. In summer, there are up to 3 crossings per day: the first ferry leaves at 08:00 and arrives around 10:20; the last ferry is around 5pm and reaches Kos at 8.25pm. The route is operated by Blue Star Ferries and Dodekanisos Seaways companies with conventional and high-speed ferries.
It is possible to take your car on ferries but it is necessary to book a ticket due to limited places, especially in summer. However, we preferred to rent 2 separate cars so as to save the cost of the ticket and we organized the stages in order to save ourselves three days of rental.
Rhodes
Day 1: Jacob's canyon, Monolithos Castle and Prasonisi Beach
The first day starts with a visit to the spectacular Jacob's Canyon, a narrow gorge surrounded by high stratified rock walls and warm, magnetic colors. The initial part of the route is accessible to everyone, there is some climbing on the walls or rocks but it is quite simple even for the untrained. The landscape around is beautiful, it is a stop that deserves to be visited.
TipsforTrips: From here you can begin a circular trekking route almost 7 km long. The route begins by crossing the entire gorge and continues along narrow paths between lush vegetation and an enchanting forest, until it reaches the top of the mountain. from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the islands of Halki and Alimia emerging from the blue Aegean Sea. Trekking through the canyon can be challenging at times, at times you have to climb very exposed walls to proceed but it is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and characteristic routes on the island. The descent from the summit is easy and does not require particular attention, allowing you to fully enjoy the extraordinary panorama.
We move to Monolithos Castle, a historic medieval fortress built around 1480 by the Knights of St. John as an observation point of the south-western area of the island. It was for a long time an important place for sighting and defense, so much so that it always remained unconquered. Today only ruins remain of the Castle. Its peculiarity is its position, it is located on top of a rocky hill overlooking the Aegean Sea, reachable on foot thanks to a staircase cut into the rock. From the top you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the west coast of Rhodes and the surrounding islands, including Halki and Alimia. Inside the Fortress Castello there were two chapels dedicated to San Giorgio and San Pantaleo. Only the latter (Agios Panteleimon) is currently standing, visitable and equipped for worship.
Prasonisi Beach it is an extraordinary beach located at the southern end of the island. What makes it so unique is its geography. The beach is a thin sandy strip of land that extends into the Aegean Sea and divides the sea into two parts: on the one hand, the calm, shallow waters of the Adriatic, and on the other, the stronger waves of the Aegean Sea. This configuration makes Prasonisi a paradise for lovers of water sports, in particular windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Prassonissi in Greek it means Green Island because in the winter the storms, the winds and the tide completely cover the strip of beach that connects the two strips of land and causes it to transform in all respects from a peninsula to an island. We decide to take a walk on the green island and get to the Prassonissi lighthouse, erected in 1890 and fourteen meters high. Once you have crossed the sandy strip you must continue along a dirt road for about two kilometres: climbing up to the top of the promontory and descending to the outermost point where the lighthouse is located. The view is truly enchanting and surprising especially at sunset, and will repay you for the effort.
Day 2: Kamiros Archaeological Site, Kopria Beach and Kritinia Castle
Waking up early, we cross the heart of the island and move to the opposite coast until we reach the site Archaeological site of Kamiros.
Kamiros it was an ancient Doric city that flourished between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC. The ruins found on the site today include ancient streets, dwellings, a temple dedicated to Athena, an acropolis, and a well-preserved water supply system. What makes Kamiros unique is its advanced urban planning for its time, with houses arranged on terraces and sophisticated water distribution through aqueducts. The site offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of ancient Greece and understand how people lived and organized themselves during this period. You also enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the coast and the Aegean Sea.
