Rhodes Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour Bus

The trail begins at the southern end of the beach Psaropoula at the entrance to the city of Rhodes and ends at the northern end of the bay of Ialysos where the Kritika village starts. After walking in the sand 300 meters begins the path that is earthy, with a small stones in some spots. Length is approximately 1800 meters and a width of 2.5 meters. The sea lies to the west and on the east rises a steep slope. Throughout the route there are stone benches and small auditoriums where one can relax and enjoy the cool sea breeze and the sunset. Also there are steps that lead to non-organized beach though mostly rocky, ideal for swimming. Some other steps leading to the main road along the trail. ​The trail is well organized, with elegant stone walls and wooden railings that protect the stroller from any danger. It offers a view of the blue sea and sky that calms and smoothes. It is of slight difficulty one returns the same route also from the main road.

Diagoras of Rhodes was an ancient Greek boxer from the 5th century BC, who was celebrated for his own victories, as well as the victories of his sons and grandsons. He was a member of the Eratidea family at Lalysus in Rhodes. He descended from Damagetus, king of Ialysus, and, on the mother’s side, from the Messenian hero, Aristomenes. Diagoras was victor in boxing twice in the Olympic games, four times in the Isthmian, twice in the Nemean, and once at least in the Pythian Games. The fame of Diagoras and his descendants was celebrated by Pindar (Olympian Odes VII). A local soccer club, Diagoras F.C., and the Rhodes International Airport, “Diagoras” are named after him.

The long sandy beach of the western coast of the island starts just after the Aquarium, within the town of Rhodes and is extended along the Leros Coast, Kalymnos Coast, Miaoulis Coast and Kanaris Coast, is better known as Psaropoula, the old name of the central and better organized part of it. As it happens with the other long beaches of the town, various parts of Psaropoula are named in different names, as if it were a separate beach, usually taking the names of a hotel or a tavern foundain this particular area.Psaropoula is a well organized beach attracting many people. You will enjoy the sun and the sea lying on the sun beds or under the umbrellas. The beach offers several sea sports as well. As the beach is found within the town of Rhodes, access to it is very easy by public bus or by taxi and of course by rented or private car and motorbikes. If your lodging is close enough, you may also access the beach on foot.

This is where the Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes-Aquarium is located. Housed in a building of unique architectural style, the Aquarium is the ideal place for those wishing to get acquainted with the marine wealth of the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean sea. The Aquarium has been fashioned in the form of an underwater sea cave. Sinuous corridors, artfully decorated with natural sea-shells create a true underwater ambience

To the North of Eleftherias Square, you will see King George square, also surrounded by monumental public buildings. The most impressive one is the Government House, a replica of the Venetian doge palace, which was built in 1924-36 and was the seat of the Italian governor of the Dodecanese. The building next to it is the Archbishop’s Palace. Right after, you will see the church ofEvaggelismos (Annunciation), the metropolis of Rhodes, with icons created by Photis Kontoglou. This church is a true copy of the church of the Knights of Saint John, which was located next to the Grand Master Palace and was completely destroyed in 1856 because of an explosion. It was constructed according to plans and descriptions of 19th century travelers. The fountain in the church’s yard is a replica of the Viterbo fountain, a city in North Italy. On the other side of the road lies the Town Hall and the National Theatre and further down nightclub Elli, in front of the homonymous popular beach. The Muslim cemetery is also located in the same area. On one end of the cemetery stands the mosque of admiral Murat Reis -former church of Aghios Antonios (Saint Antony)- the only mosque to be found out of the Old Town walls. The admiral, who was killed in Rhodes in 1522, lies in a circular mausoleum next to the mosque. The small yellow house on the other end of the cemetery is Cleobulus villa, where author Laurence Darell used to live. In his book entitled Reflections on a Marine Venus (Kanakis editions), he records his impressions of the two years (1945-47) he spent in Rhodes. Grand Albergo de le Rose. In front of Elli beach stands the most famous Italian building of Rhodes: the Hotel of the Roses (Grand Albergo de le Rose). It was built in 1930 and during mid-war, it was considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in Europe. All the rich and famous that passed by the island stayed here. Moreover, in Grand Albergo de le Rose the treaty between Israel, Egypt and Jordan was signed in 1949. Today, the casino of Rhodes is accommodated in one of its wings.

In the new town of Rhodes, its capital, you will find the commercial centre, hotels, cafés, restaurants and clubs. The settlement started developing after the island was occupied by the Ottomans, when Christians were not allowed to live within the fortified town. At nights, the Ottomans would close the wall gates and Greeks who ran their shops there were forced out. This measure remained in force until 1908. In the fields of Mandraki, the Greeks built their small houses, one adjacent to the other. These old neighborhoods were called marasia, but only a few remains survive today. The seaside road of Mandraki, lined with the imposing Italian public buildings, bears the signature of governor Mario Lago and head architect Florestano di Fausto. The New Market is a huge polygonal building of Arabic style. Both its atrium in the interior and its sides on the outside are full of stores, travel agencies, cafés, coffee houses, restaurants and souvlaki joints. The bus terminals and taxi stands are out of the Market. South of the New Market, you will come across Rimini square, adjacent to the Grand Master Palace gardens. There, in an outdoor theatre, the show called “Sound and light” is being performed every night, presenting the history of Rhodes in various languages. ​ THE FORTRESS OF ST. NICOLAS. It stands at the pier’s end in the port of Mandraki. It was built by the duke Philip of Burgundy in 1464-67. Previously, there was only a small chapel dedicated to Saint Nicolas at the same place, which was turned into a fort by the Egyptians when they invaded and was used to bomb the town. The walls around the fort of Saint Nicolas were built by Grand Master Pierre d’ Aubusson, who also restored the damage suffered by the fort during the Turkish besiege in 1480. The fort was transformed into a lighthouse by the Turks and survives to present day.

Protected thanks to its imposing fortifications -a line between the past and the present- Rhodes’ old town is the proud “emblem” of this island of the Aegean. It is considered to be the best preserved medieval settlement in the world and this is why it is included in the list of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO since 1988. THE WALLS. They are circa 4-kilometers long and around their perimeter there are towers, ramparts and imposing gates. They were built over the pre-existing Byzantine walls, which had in turn replaced the ancient fortification, after the devastating earthquake of515 BC. They took their current form during the period between the Ottoman sieges of 1480 and 1522. Around the fortification, there is a wide moat. Curved on the walls and on the towers, are the coats of arms of the Knights who built them, improved them or defended them. The coat of arms of Great Master d’ Aubusson, who cared for the reinforcement of the fortifications more than anybody else, is seen 50 times in various spots. THE GATES. Access to the Old Town is granted through seven large gates and a few smaller ones, located around the walls. Some of them exist since the rule of the Knights, whereas some were opened by the Italians (Eleftheria, Tarsana, Akantia) to meet the new traffic needs. The gates are the following: Thalassini (Sea Gate), the most imposing of all, built in 1478, with two towers on the left and right as a defense against any besiegers Saint Paul’s Eleftheria Amboise Saint Athanasius’ Saint John’s Gate or Koskinou Gate Akándia. There are also smaller gates: the Gate of Panagia (Virgin Mary) Tarsana Gate (or Dockyard Gate) Arnaldo Gate and Saint Catherine’s Gate or Mill Gate. THE ROAD OF THE KNIGHTS. It follows the traces of the ancient road that used to connect the port to the temple of the Sun. It has been restored to its medieval form. It starts from the Museum square and ends to the Grand Master Palace. Along the way, you will see the auberges of most of the “tongues”, namely the ethnic groups which formed the Hospitallers Order. Each “tongue” had its own auberge, something between a club and a hotel, where its members would gather (they were not staying permanently there) and the official guests would be entertained. THE “CLUBS”. The Italian Knights auberge is located at one end of the road of the Knights, on the right, going uphill towards the Palace. ​ Opposite the auberge, you will find Knight Villaragut’s residence, head of the Spanish “tongue”. Next to the Italian Knights auberge, you will see the French Knights auberge, which is the most impressive of all. Around the middle of the road of the Knights, on the right side, you will find the Holy Trinity’s chapel. On its façade stands a gothic-styled statue of Virgin Mary holding the Holy Child. Next to it, the French vicarage is built, which currently accommodates the Italian consulate. On the north end of the medieval road, you will find the Provence Knights auberge, built in 1518 and on the opposite side the Spanish Knights auberge. The road of the Knights ends to a loggia, leading to the Grand Master Palace. ​ MUSEUM SQUARE. It is located a little further from Argyrokastro square. Here starts the road of the Knights, right across Lady of the Castle Cathedral (11th century). During Byzantine rule, it was the Orthodox metropolis of Rhodes, but the Knights turned it into a Catholic Cathedral, and later on the Ottomans changed it to a mosque (mosque of Ederum). On its west side, over the main entrance, a large square frame survives, which used to hold a painting depicting Virgin Mary surrounded by saints and knights. Unfortunately, the painting did not survive. On the south-east end of the Museum square, you will find the English Knights auberge, but the most important building stands at the centre of the square: the New Hospital of the Knights, one of the biggest in the Old Town (55 x 65 meters). It took 49 years to build. During the Ottoman rule, it was used as barracks and it currently accommodates the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. HIPPOCRATES SQUARE. Crossing the most impressive gate, the Sea Gate, a few meters further on the left, you will come across Hippocrates square, the most central in the Old Town. It is crowded all day long, with people sitting at cafés, taking photographs near the marble fountain, or waiting for their dates to show on the steps of Castelania. During the Middle Ages, this knightly building of 1507 used to accommodate the commercial tribunal and the market regulations authority. Nowadays, the Municipal Library and the Historic Archive of the Dodecanese are accommodated there. Two of the most central roads of the Old Town start from Hippocrates square: Aristotle street, leading to the Jewish Martyrs square, and Socrates street, the most crowded road in the old market. SOCRATES STR. From the ancient times, throughout the Byzantine period, the rule of the Knights and the Ottomans and up to present-day, this is the commercial road of the Old Town, the so-called old market. It is lined with hundreds of stores selling souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, leather goods, umbrellas (even though it does not rain a lot, Rhodes is famous for its umbrellas), ceramics, carpets, etc. At both ends and in the middle of Socrates street, there are three temples: Katrivan mosque, Aga mosque and Suleiman mosque. The latter is also called Red mosque, due to its color. It was the first mosque built by Sultan Suleiman himself, right after occupying Rhodes, at the highest site of the market, to be seen from everywhere. The mosque was rebuilt in 1804. The wooden door across Suleiman mosque leads to the Muslim library of Ahmet Havuz, founded in 1794.

The walls of the city were a work in progress for the 200 years the Knights ruled the island. Severely damaged in the first siege they were rebuilt bigger and stronger by Grande Master d’Aubusson after the siege of 1480. The walls are 12 meters thick and the moat more than 21 meters wide. The length of the walls is about four kilometers and each section was defended by one of the Langues or tongues which corresponded to the languages spoken where the particular group of knights came from. The Langues were England, Germany, France, Auvergne, Provence, Italy, Castille-Aragon. The leader of each tongue reported to the Grande Master. The entire area outside the walls is a green park of shade trees and flowers and the moats now have green grass and paths through them instead of water. A couple times a week there is a tour of the city walls and fortifications. But leaving through any of the gates and walking around the old city will give you an idea of just how impressive and formidable it was to the Turkish soldiers trying to take it.

The new marina on the Greek island of Rhodes started its trial operation and is already hosting leisure boats. In the first phase of its development, the marina can accommodate 382 yachts. It offers a safe and functional stay as well as a single electronic system of surveillance, operation and management. The visitor is directly informed on the offered services by contacting the reception or through the marina’s electronic management system by using a smartphone, tablet or computer. The marina also offers a full electronic booking-berthing system and those interested can send their request from across the world and receive an answer immediately.

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is the official Latin Rite Parish church of Rhodes. It is next to the Athanasius Gate, between the two districts of Acandia and St. John. On Sundays and Holidays Holy Mass is celebrated in Greek. Thanks to some volunteers, the faithful can follow the Mass in their own language through brochures with the readings translated into 12 languages. After each Mass, Father Luke and his parishioners gather in the hall behind the church or in the garden for a moment of celebration: some of the women take turns baking cakes typical of their countries to offer with good coffee to celebrate together.

Acropolis of Rhodes: In the past the Acropolis of Rhodes overlooked the western part of the city. It was not Unlike most other ancient acropolis, this one wasn’t fortified. The Acropolis of Rhodes was replete with Sanctuaries, huge temple premises and public buildings. The buildings were strategically built on precipitous terraces that were ably supported by impregnable walls. The Acropolis of Rhodes is one of the finest specimens of Hellenic style of architecture that blended harmoniously with the surrounding environment. See the ancient sites of the Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus, Nymphaia, the Odeon, theTemple of Pythian Apollo, the Stoa Building, Artemision, the Stadium, the Gymnasium and the Library.