Rhodes Town

by Helen Matthews 

Mandraki Harbour

 I have been told that Rhodes, the capital of the Dodecanese, is the least Greek of the Greek islands, having been reunited with the rest of Greece only in 1947. Having visited it last April, I would agree that it is not the place to go to soak up an unspoilt, Greek village atmosphere. But it is rich in history, having been occupied at various times by Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottoman Turks and most recently by Italians.

We had chosen to stay in Rhodes Town for ease of access to the rest of the island. Rhodes is roughly diamond shaped, and Rhodes Town occupies the northern tip. The most dominant features of Rhodes Town are those left by Crusaders, or at least the Knights Hospitaller, who made the island their home for two centuries after they were driven from the Holy Land in 1291. They were once again driven out, this time by the Ottoman Turks and finally found a home on Malta. The Old Town is surrounded by their fortifications and dominated by their buildings, which appear remarkably intact.

However, all is not as it seems, for much was restored or rebuilt by the Italians during their occupation earlier this century. The imposing Palace of the Grand Masters was largely rebuilt to serve as a holiday home for Mussolini. Unfortunately, the Second World War broke out before he could make use of it. Other attractions in the Old Town include the Archaeological Museum, housed in the former Hospital of the Knights of St John; and the Street of the Knights, also heavily restored, which is lined with the inns in which the Knights Hospitaller lived, according to their nationality.

Palace of the Grand Masters

The Old Town is undeniably commercial, crammed with bars, tavernas and shops selling local crafts (ceramics, embroidered tablecloths, leather goods and woodwork), as well as a host of tacky souvenirs. For all that, it is well worth visiting, and one evening, after most of the day trippers had left, I could almost hear the ghosts of the former inhabitants as we strolled down the Street of the Knights.

My first impression of the New Town was that it might be all right when it is finished. There seemed to be roadworks on nearly every Street, and they were making a thorough job of it, excavating enormous holes at least ten feet deep. Navigating a route around the holes, at the extreme tip of the island we found the impressively named Hydrobiological Institute, which boasts the only aquarium in Greece, together with a small museum. The most notable exhibits of the museum were a number of freeze-dried sharks. Evidently these were too large for the tanks in the aquarium. Another attraction is Mandraki Harbour, with its distinctive group of three windmills. The entrance to the harbour is guarded by two pillars bearing a bronze stag and doe, the emblem of Rhodes.

I had been prepared to find history in Rhodes, but I had not expected the chocolate cake. The direct route from our hotel in the New Town to the Old Town took us past a row of about a dozen cafe bars overlooking Mandraki Harbour, all of which exhibited the most amazing selections of cakes, including huge slabs of chocolate cake heaped with fresh strawberries. All of these cafes employed a persistent waiter for the specific purpose of accosting passing tourists and tempting them with cakes. Purely in the interests of research, I did succumb, and the chocolate and strawberry cake tasted every bit as good as it looked. By the end of the week, we had taken to creeping around the back way in order to avoid temptation.

Since Rhodes is only about 40 miles long and 25 miles wide, it is relatively easy to explore. Taking a tour round the island one day, we visited the ruins of ancient Ialyssos; sampled the local wine at the Emery winery, visited a typical Rhodian house in a village at the foot of Mt Ataviros, the highest mountain in Rhodes; visited Monolithos, a mined castle with fantastic views over the east coast; and ended up at a quiet, clean and sandy beach at Gennadio, something of a contrast from the rather grubby looking beach in Rhodes Town.

Although buses were frequent, we opted to go to Lindos by boat, something we might have thought twice about had we realised that there is no landing stage in Lindos bay. Disembarkation occurs with the aid of a small dinghy and a milk crate. Lindos is definitely for the fit. It is an uphill walk from the bay to the town, and then a fairly steep climb to the Acropolis. Donkeys are available for those unable or unwilling to get there under their own steam.

Lindos

Having survived the climb, and avoided buying any of the embroidered tablecloths exhibited for sale on the way up, the first sight which meets the eye is the obligatory Hospitaller fortress. Having passed through the gateway, we emerged onto the first of four terraces leading up to the Temple of Athena. I found the temple itself rather disappointing, perhaps because it was supported by scaffolding when we visited. However, the location is stunning, with views down over the town, the beach and the bay where St Paul is supposed to have found shelter from a storm. Lindos town is very attractive, with traditional whitewashed Lindian houses. The town's status as a conservation area has prevented unsuitable development. But it is nevertheless very commercial, with many souvenir shops and tavernas, all boasting 'the best view in Lindos'.

For those more interested in sightseeing (or shopping) than lazing on a beach, Rhodes Town has plenty of attractions of its own and easy access to the rest of the island. There are two bus companies in Rhodes, which operate down the east and west coasts respectively. The termini are adjacent to each other in the Rhodes New Town, just behind the Nea Agora (New Market). From Mandraki harbour, pleasure boat cruises run daily to the neighbouring island of Symi and to Lindos. Rhodes Town is also the port for inter-island ferries and cruise ships.

Food in the tourist areas tends to be either 'international' (e.g. pizza) or nominally Greek with concessions to tourists (e.g. moussaka and chips), but there are also some excellent seafood restaurants to be found. Beware of the chocolate cake.

Our visit was in April, just before the start of the summer season, which does not begin until after the Greek Orthodox Easter. It was not too crowded, and at 70-75 degrees Farenheit, the temperature was perfect for sightseeing. The climb to Lindos might be hard work in the heat of the summer. Rhodes is certainly not an unspoilt Greek island paradise. But it is a fascinating place to spend a holiday.

First published in VISA issue 30 (autumn 1998)