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History and Luxury on Rhodes

By: Mark Bartley

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The biggest of the primary 12 Dodecanese Islands that are joined by over a hundred smaller isles, Rhodes is the furthest East and can be seen from the Turkish mainland. In fact many holidaymakers in Turkey are tempted by day boat trips to Rhodes to explore its ancient past. In fact there are over 150 Dodecanese islands although a mere 26 are inhabited by people. In addition to Rhodes both Kos and Patmos are favoured holiday destinations and also have important historic pasts.

Rhodes is important primarily because it was the base of the Knights of St John or the Knights Hospitaliers as they were formerly known. When they were driven from Jerusalem in the thirteenth Century, after a period in Tripoli they stopped initially in Cyprus and eventually on Rhodes in 1309. Here they remained for over 200 years until they were defeated and compelled to leave before setting up another permanent base on the island of Malta, where again they left their mark.

Just like in the other countries where the Knights made their home, Rhodes has been left with some stunning architecture. The magnificent Palace of the Grand Master still stands today in Rhodes Town and there are other relics further down the eastern coast in Lindos, where the Knights built forts, castles and strongholds to defend themselves. The acropolis of Lindos can become very busy during high season as it is one of the island's main focal points outside Rhodes town itself, so unless you feel happy to go along with the crowds you should time your trip there accordingly.

As far as beaches go Rhodes has plenty to offer. Agios Pavlos is far enough away from Rhodes town to deter day trippers from the capital, so although small in size it normally handles the volume of visitors who come to enjoy its small sandy waterfront area.

The larger beach at Ladiko copes better with bigger crowds and due to its proximity to Faliraki, it is regarded as the most popular beach on Rhodes; one to give a miss perhaps if you are looking for a quiet, laid back day in the sun. For that you may be better to venture to Tsambika, a wonderful stretch of coast that sits under the famous monastery of Tsambika and offers just enough facilities to keep everyone happy. Finally many suggest Katsouni as one of the better places to get away from it all. About an hour from Rhodes town and quite difficult to get to it promises shallow and wonderful clear blue waters for idyllic few hours on the beach.

After a day on the beach those spending their holiday in Rhodes Town can then continue the enjoyment at the many facilities offered by the town. A full list of social events including concerts and theatre performances continues right through the season and of course there are countless restaurants, bars and cafes to visit.

Other suggested places to visit include the Valley of the Butterflies near the village of Tholos, around 20 kilometres from Rhodes Town and the Rodini Park in the city itself. This is claimed to be the world's first landscaped park and even enjoyed by the Romans who built an aqueduct there. There are gardens, water features and an ancient tomb.

So by providing choices above and beyond the normal beach scenes Rhodes has more than enough other attractions to satisfy the more selective holidaymaker who appreciates culture and history along with their sun and beaches.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

To enjoy all of these cultural and historical places flights to Rhodes are available throughout the summer. Mark provides useful information on European destinations for the budget traveller.

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