Rhodes is one of Greeceās most popular islands, packed with medieval buildings, wine tasting, stunning beaches, and a vibrant nightlife.
Rhodes is the largest island of the Dodecanese and lies only seven miles off the coast of Turkey. Its mountainous interior is covered with lush green pine forests and fertile valleys and provides a wonderful opportunity to explore some beautiful countryside. Of course, Rhodes is also world-renowned for its beaches; head north for a taste of the lively resorts, or south of the island for the simpler pleasures of a slower pace of life.
Inhabited since Neolithic times, Rhodes began to flourish under the Dorians in the 11th century BC, who founded the oldest towns on Rhodes; Lindos, Kamiros and Ialysos. Rhodes Town itself was founded in 418BC, though much of the city was destroyed by a series of subsequent horrendous earthquakes.
In 1309 the Knights of the Order of St John occupied the island, defending the island until the Ottoman Turks defeated them in 1523. After centuries of Turkish rule Rhodes was occupied by Italy in 1912, then Germany in 1943 and reunited at last with Greece in 1948. |