Rhodes, Symi, Nisyros, Kos, Tilos, Rhodes
7days/ 6nights
The islands of the Dodecanese – apart from their geographical position – are united by a common historic fate. They were the bone of contention for many conquerors. From the findings, it is estimated that life existed since the Neolithic Times. The time when the Minoan civilization flourished, many of the Dodecanese islands had trade transactions with Crete. The Kares and the Phoeincians are reported as inhabitants of the islands during that period. During the period of populations exchange, Dorians came to the island. A big chapter in the history of Dodecanese opened then. It is the period of bloom for Lindos, Kameroun and Ialissos, which along with Kos, Knidos and Alikarnassos of Minor Asia comprised the Dorian Exapolis. During the Archaic times, the period of bloom continued for all the islands. Trade and seafaring flourish, but are ended by the Persian wars. All Dodecanese islands were part of the Athenaeum Partnership. A long period of decline followed for most of the islands. Their geographic position and shipping tradition helped them reconstruct and achieve a financial comeback by the time of the 11th century. Apart from their very significant history and important historic monuments, all the islands have unique beauties. Green landscapes, fertile valleys, mountains and paths for hiking routes. Endless beaches, coves protected from the winds, crystal clear waters ideal for swimming and water sports. The islands are, justifiably, among the top travel destinations. They satisfy all tastes and demands. Options vary. Cosmopolitan and noisy islands for the lovers of entertainment or quiet, isolated small islands for those seeking for some relaxation and islands that combine all the above. Visit them and let the magic of the Aegean Sea enchant you as you travel and treat yourself with the colors and sounds of Greece…
Rhodes is located at the crossroads of two major sea routes of the Mediterranean between the Aegean Sea and the coast of the Middle East, as well as Cyprus and Egypt. The meeting point of three continents, it has known many civilizations. Throughout its long history the different people who settled on Rhodes left their mark in all aspects of the island’s culture: art, language, architecture. Its strategic position brought great wealth to the island and made the city of Rhodes one of the leading cities of the ancient Greek world. Rhodes is the largest island in the Dodecanese. Its capital city, located at its northern side, is the capital of the prefecture with the oldest Medieval Town of Europe forming its centre. In 1988 the Medieval Town was designated as a World Heritage City by UNESCO. The Medieval Town of Rhodes is the result of different architectures that belong to various historic eras, with the architecture of the post-crusade period that brought the Knights of St. John to Rhodes being the most prevalent.
Symi is one of the smaller holiday islands in the Dodecanese group and lies just 9km off the Turkish coast, about an hour by boat, north of the major Greek holiday island of Rhodes.
Symi is a popular destination for day trippers from Rhodes and there are regular daily sailings. Boat building and sponge diving once made the island of Symi a haunt of the wealthy; now tourism has taken over.
Symi Island is noted for its peace and tranquility rather than for beaches, which are in short supply and not particularly attractive.
Symi is also known for the very high summer temperatures, which can soar up to 40°C or more in July and August, and make the sheltered main port a sizzling cauldron.
The neo-classical mansions that hang off the hills around the main port of Symi are a reminder of the rich pickings once enjoyed by the inhabitants.
A favorite target of day trippers, Symi changes character when the ferries come hooting into the bay. In the early morning and late evening it is enveloped in serenity. During the day it is swamped by trippers who throng the harbor.
Symi beaches are few and often difficult to get to, requiring a long walk or a water taxi. The beaches are mostly shingle with large stones underwater, with little shade and few facilities. The main beaches are found on the east coast of Symi and are daily serviced by water taxis.
Inland Symi island is hilly and barren with a single fertile plain. The trees, hacked down for boat building, have been long gone and the sponges that once made the island famous were killed off by disease. Much of Symi is now barren rock, with a few farms scattered in the hills.
Symi is an island for those that prefer to get away from it all. Apart from walking, sunbathing and sitting in a tavern there is little to do. The daily influx of trippers has taken its toll, with prices that reflect Symi’s popularity. There is a strong ex -pat British contingent on Symi.
Take the opportunity to visit an unspoiled destination formed by volcanic eruptions. It is rather impressive that today Nísyros is still an active volcanic centre, along the ones in Milos, Santorini and Methana! Actually at the village of Nikia there is a “Volcanic Museum”, the only one of its kind in Greece, exhibiting samples from the most characteristic volcanic rocks of Nisyros. Strolling along the narrow streets of beautiful Mandráki, the island’s capital and port, is a richly rewarding experience. Don’t forget to observe its colorful houses which are actually built with hewn slabs of andesite and dacite (volcanic material)!
Belonging to the Dodecanese chain of Greek islands, Nisyros Island in Greece is located between the islands of Tilos and Kos. Famous mainly for its volcano, the island is ideal for a quiet and relaxing vacation. Discover the Castle of Spiliani, the villages and pebbled beaches, as well as the thermal springs of the island, on a journey full of white and blue…
The island of Nisyros has some of the quaintest villages in the Dodecanese. They still preserve their traditional architectural style for most buildings and houses. There are only four settlements on the island and all are small with few inhabitants. The capital of Nisyros is Mandraki and along with Emporios and Nikia, they are the most visited towns on the island.
There are numerous beaches all around the island, mostly pebbled beaches, and one can also visit the islets of Agios Antonios and Giali, by boat. The most famous and attractive beaches on Nisyros are the beaches of Lies and Aspri Ammos, as well as Hohlakoi beach, with the black pebbles formed by the volcanic lava.
Regarding entertainment, Nisyros has a very quiet nightlife with peaceful and beautiful taverns, cafes and bars available around the island.
Kos is one of the most famous and most historic islands of Greece. For many, it is also the most beautiful.
The combination of the endless blue of the Aegean which fades onto its golden beaches, the evergreen mountains with the multicolored and intensely fragrant flowers, and the picturesque traditional villages under the bright sun, all constitute the image that makes thousands of people visit Kos every year to experience its unique beauties.
The unmistakable iridescent blue color of the glorious Greek summer skies and the inviting coolness of the crystal clear Aegean waters, with several beaches having been awarded the coveted ‘Blue Flag’ for quality and cleanliness, and last but not least, the innate hospitality of the locals make Kos island in Greece an ideal holiday destination. Besides golden, dazzling beaches there is much more that the Greek Island of Kos has to offer. Famous since antiquity and notable for being the birthplace of Hippocrates, the first medical doctor in the world, visitors flocked to Kos to worship at the temple of Apollo or to be treated at the Asklepieion and to take advantage of the natural therapeutic qualities of the thermal springs which are still in use even to this day; most noteworthy of the ancient visitors of the island was Cleopatra of Egypt.
Steeped in history and monuments from mythological times, Kos is also a perfect destination for educational (school) trips. The natural beauty of Kos and its landscape is fantastic for hiking and mountain climbing, and the fact that Kos is blessed with a mild climate, virtually all year round, makes it ideal to visit at any time of the year.
Today, Kos has been modernized in many ways, boasting, among others, a Marina, two water parks and some of the most advanced conference centers in the world.
The relatively flat surface of the island has made the bicycle an incredibly popular form of transportation and means of discovering the hidden beauties of Kos. Besides bike and car rentals, there are regular bus services connecting the entire island, and a huge taxi fleet, if you want to go about in style.
Simple, polite people welcome you as soon as you arrive on the island of Tilos. Tilos has only 300 inhabitants and very little tourism. Here you will enjoy a quiet life, nature and you will swim in crystal clear waters. The lack of tourism gives you the opportunity to really get to know the locals and become part of their everyday life. Don’t forget to visit Megalo Chorio where, surrounding the central plaza, you will see the remains of ancient walls, a necropolis (cemetery), a museum, monasteries and the ruins of a castle.
Tilos is situated between the islands of Nissiros and Chalki. It has an area of 64 square kms, a coastline of 63 kms and a distance of 290 nautical miles from the port of Piraeus. The ground is rocky with the only exception being a small fertile valley found almost in the center of the island, which ends up to the idyllic, one kilometer long, sandy beach of Eristos. The island has two basic settlements: Livadia , which is the island’s port, and Megalo Chorio. Megalo Chorio is the capital and a quite impressive settlement, built as it is at the foot of a rocky hill, with the Castle, which was built by the Knights of St. John, poised above it. Until early in the 18th century, the entire village resided within the castle walls. In the past years, Tilos had more inhabitants and more districts, from which only Megalo Chorio, the island’s capital, and Livadia, the island’s port, are still inhabited today. At a 2,5 km distance west of Megalo Chorio, you can visit the monastery of St. Antonios, whlie 6,5 kms NW is the monastery of St. Pandeleimon – the most important monastery of the island. It is estimated that it took its current appearance during the second half of the 15th century and flourished around the 18th century. It has many frescoes and a pebbled yard. Another settlement of the island, deserted today but worth visiting is Mikro Chorio. It is believed that it was built during the Knights era but its inhabitants started to leave during the 1930’s.
Tilos was first inhabited during the neolithic period. It was invaded and ruled by various tribes such as the Pelasgian and Mycenean people. Concerning its name, it is believed that it maintains its ancient name up to date. According to mythology, Tilos took its name from Tilos, the youngest son of Telchinis Alea and Helios. On this island, Tilos gathered therapeutic herbs for his ill wife and later built a temple of which he became the priest. Although the myth has a charm, the truth about the name, like most other islands’ names, is that it has an unknown pre-Hellenic origin.
Tilos was where the tender poet Irinna – thought to be equal to the famous Sapfo – was born, lived and died at a very young age. During the Hellenistic times, Tilos was subject to the influence of the mighty state of Rhodes and was finally incorporated into it.
In 1310, the Knights of St. John invaded Tilos. The Turks captured the island in 1522 and held it until 1922 when the Italians took over. Tilos was incorporated to mother Greece in 1948.
