Rhodes, continued

Being on Rhodes for a full week gave us lots of opportunity to explore the island.

One day we drove down the west coast.

Our first stop was at Kámeiros, one of the three ancient towns that merged together as Rhodes. It was in a valley overlooking the Aegean Sea.

One of its most impressive features was a gigantic cistern for collecting water, built in the sixth century BCE.

Our next stop was at Kámeros Skála for a nice lunch in a restaurant looking out over the sea.

After lunch we visited the ruins of the castle of Kritinía, one of those built by the Knights Hospitaller during the Middle Ages.
It also commands an impressive view out to sea.

After that, we stopped at Émponas, the center of the island's winemaking industry, for a wine tasting.

Near the outdoor tasting room were two Rhodian deer, a native endangered species of tiny animals.

Another day we explored the interior of the island, and the natural springs of Eptá Pigés (which means "seven springs" in Greek). It wasn't much.

A tunnel brought the water from the springs beneath a mountain to more populated areas, and some adventurous people were wading into it.

That afternoon we saw a bit of the east coast, stopping for lunch and a relaxing swim at the Kallithea Springs.
It was a seaside resort built during the Italian era, and only recently restored and reopened to the public.

On another day we drove along the east coast as far as Líndos. This was the third of the ancient towns that joined to form Rhodes.

The modern town is very picturesque, as you can already see as you approach it.

Once in the town, you walk along narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses.

Some houses have elaborate carved facades. These belonged to the shipping captains.

The local church enjoyed beautiful frescoes painted in 1779, including one of Saint Cynephorus (which means "dog-faced"
in Greek, and who was also known in medieval France as Saint Guinefort)--the subject of a truly unusual legend.

You can hire donkeys to take you up to the Acropolis of Líndos. We walked instead.

The approach to the Acropolis is truly spectacular.

At the entrance to the Acropolis is the medieval castle built there by the Knights Hospitaller.

Below the castle, though, is an image of an ancient Greek trireme ship, carved in about 180 BCE.

Once atop the Acropolis, you can see remnants of medieval fortifications and of ancient temples.

At the highest point on the Acropolis was the Temple of Athena, built in the fourth century BCE.

A monumental staircase leads down from this highest part of the Acropolis. Under it in antiquity were cisterns and storage rooms.

At the foot of these steps are the remnants of the ancient Stoa, an ancient meeting and business center.

There is even part of a thirteenth-century church, also built by the Hospitallers.

The views out from the Acropolis in all directions are magnificent.

Turning inland, you can see the white buildings of the town itself and the barren hills beyond.

You can see both of the ancient harbors of Lindos, one to the south and the other to the north of the Acropolis.

The Acropolis of Líndos was truly a breathtaking experience, and one of our favorite sights of the trip!

Close this page to see more photos of our trip to Greece