Dodecanese Islands

DODECANESE ISLANDS

The Dodecanese islands are located in the southeast Aegean, along the coast of Asia Minor. They are encircled by Crete to the south, by Samos and Icaria to the north and by the Cyclades to the west. In Greek, the word Dodecanese “Dodecanisos” means “twelve islands”, but despite its name, this archipelago consists of 17 islands and over 80 islets, mostly uninhabited. The main islands are Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kastellorizo, Lipsi, Leros, Kasos, Nisyros, Symi, Agathonisi, Telendos, Pserimos, Tilos and Chalki.

KOS

Kos is the third largest island among the Dodecanese islands, after Rhodes and Karpathos, and the second most important after Rhodes. Kos is a very green island, long in shape and flat in terms of relief. It enjoys a mild climate and hot springs. There you will see beautiful landscapes, coastal towns, beaches and many archaeological sites and monuments from all eras. It has a very good tourist infrastructure and all the comforts you require to enjoy your holiday.

In 460 BC, Kos was the birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine and medical treatments and the author of the “Hippocratic Oath” (the moral code that doctors still have to respect nowadays).
	The Asclepion. This sanctuary was dedicated to Asclepius, god of medicine. Its structures, due to the unevenness of the steep ground, lie on four different terraces that are joined together by a staircase made ​​of marble.

 

RHODES

The island of Rhodes, near the coast of Asia Minor, is the capital of the Dodecanese islands and it is considered one of the most cosmopolitan islands in the Mediterranean nowadays. This fertile island with rich vegetation is the largest of the Dodecanese and is a major attraction due to its geographical position, mild climate, the quality of its beaches, its natural beauty, its historical heritage, its vibrant nightlife and its tourist infrastructure.

Rhodes covers an area of 1,400 km2 and has 150,000 inhabitants (45,000 live in the capital). It is known as the “Island of the Sun” and its name was issued when the Sun god (Apollo) fell in love with the nymph Rhodes and decided to give her name to the island.

	Rhodes’s capital is a noble city and a major Mediterranean port. It consists of two parts, the fortified city built by the Knights and the modern city. Inside the fortified city, you can see the medieval city on one side and the old town on the other side.
In the medieval part of the town, you should visit: the Grand Master’s Palace, built by the Knights of the Order of St. John and completely rebuilt by the Italians, the Avenue of the Knights of St. John with seven hostels from different European regions (France, Provence, Aubergne, England, Germany, Italy and Spain), and the Archaeological Museum, housed in the old hospital of the Knights, where the famous statue “Aphrodite of Rhodes” is exhibited.
	In the old town, you should visit the Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent, which is at the entrance to the Grand Master’s Palace. After the visit, we recommend taking a walk around the old town, where you will find endless little shops selling hand-made souvenirs of great interest.
Leaving the city and its walls behind, it is well worth taking a stroll down the promenade lined with municipal buildings all along its sides. The Italians built it in the early 20th century together with the small harbour with two columns on which the Colossus of Rhodes (one of the seven wonders of the antiquity) was located.
	The Acropolis of Lindos is located at 57km on the south and inside you will find the temple of Athena Lindia. On the way up to the Acropolis, the view of the town is one of exceptional beauty. Its streets are narrow and very labyrinthine; they were built like that on purpose, so that pirates would got lost in the streets when trying to attack the local people. All the roads are covered with pebbles of different colours and designs.

 

PATMOS

The religious importance of Patmos, called the Jerusalem of the Aegean, dates back to the arrival of John the Apostle, in the year 95 AD and the founding of the monastery that bears his name in 1088. During his stay on the island, he wrote the Book of Revelation.

The Emperor Alexius Comnenus donated Patmos to the monk Christodoulos Letrinos with a view to setting up a monastery in honour of the apostle. That is how the monastery of Patmos, the most important monument of the island, was built. Patmos is located among Leros and Ikaria. It is a mountainous island, with many coves and rocky ground. Crops, fishing, tourism and Byzantine iconography are the core activities of the inhabitants of Patmos.