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| I thought I was getting on this plane... |
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| but it was this Dash 8 400 that the bus took me to! |
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| I'm staying at the Spot Hotel within the walls of the Old City |
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| took me ages to find this local seafood taverna "sea star" that was recommended but it was worth it |
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| This UNESCO site is full of history |
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| and colour... |
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| one of the gates leading out of the city |
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| A Knight lovers' paradise |
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| The gardens of this library were a tranquil place to stop |
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| easy to get lost, but lovely to stroll through |
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| mosques, churches, bell and clock towers at every turn |
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| Minos pension roof top cafe...a great place to watch the sunset |
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| The Spot Hotel is close to the action, but in a quiet side street |
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| the cosy courtyard a great place to sit and have a drink |
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| The old Acropolis was a long walk to get to...and frankly not very impressive after you see the one at Lindos |
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| it was worth getting up early to have the place to myself |
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| The clock proves it! |
There is a legend that when the Gods divided the world up between themselves, the Sun God Helios noticed a beautiful island emerging from the sea and was so fascinated by its beauty, that he asked Zeus if he could have it. That island was Rhodes, a place of natural beauty, and great financial and cultural significance to the ancient Greeks, where the Romans, Ottoman Turks, Knights of St John and the Italians have left their mark and where excellent tourist infrastructure welcomes visitors from all over the world.
Rhodes was founded in 408BC and in 1309 was conquered by the Knights of St John who transformed it into a fortified medieval city. It was later conquered by the Ottoman Turks, and the Italians who enhanced the architecture with magnificent buildings, wide roads and squares. It became part of Greece in 19848. The Old City is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Ok enough history.
Worth seeing in the medieval town with the Grand Master’s Palace, Roloi clock tower (good views) the famous Knights street (Ippoton) the Archaeological museum. There are lots of shops, cafes’ and bars to keep the non culturally literate amused.
Tips- bring good walking shoes as these cobblestone streets play havoc with shoes and feet (they are small and spiky and damage luggage wheels)
-the taxis may not bring you into the old city –so be aware of how far you have to bring your bags from where they drop you off
-the crowds (even in May) can be bad, as lots of cruise ships vomit hoards of passengers every day (I’ll be one in August!)
If you want to experience a different more authentic Rhodes, r anywhere else for that matter, get up early and got for a walk. Much better time for taking photos as well.
Accommodation
I can’t fault The Spot Hotel where Lee, a slightly jaded but thoroughly hospitable and professional host welcomes you into his home.
The decoration is eclectic bohemian but not cluttered. He is a musician, so if you are lucky he might play you a tune.
50 euro/night/room including breakfast.
a presto
mon x
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| this street was crowded yesterday |
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| One of the Saints' gates |
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| the moat, it's huge |
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| Some of the Perth hail stones were almost as big! |
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| early morning is when you see the locals |
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| realistic, but not real...a knight watching over the old city |
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| I didn't climb it |
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| just took a photo of the photo of the view! |
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| placards all around the old city for those of us who are historically challenged |
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| and easily lost! |
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| and some landmarks are easy to spot again! |
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