Greece - Korina Miller [419]
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter is an almost forgotten sector of Rhodes Old Town, where life continues at an unhurried pace and local residents live seemingly oblivious to the hubbub of the Hora no more than a few blocks away. This area of quiet streets and sometimes dilapidated houses was once home to a thriving Jewish community.
Built in 1577, Kahal Shalom Synagogue (Polydorou 5) is Greece’s oldest synagogue and the only one surviving on Rhodes. The Jewish quarter once had six synagogues and, in the 1920s, a population of 4000. Have a look in at the Jewish Synagogue Museum ( 22410 22364; www.rhodesjewishmuseum.org; Dosiadou; 10am-3pm Sun-Fri, closed winter), in the old women’s prayer rooms around the corner. Exhibits include lots of early 20th-century photos, intricately decorated documents and displays about the 1673 Jews deported from Rhodes to Auschwitz in 1944. Only 151 survived.
Close by is Plateia Evreon Martyron (Square of the Jewish Martyrs).
NEW TOWN
The Acropolis of Rhodes (off Map), southwest of the Old Town on Monte Smith, was the site of the ancient Hellenistic city of Rhodes. The hill is named after the English admiral Sir Sydney Smith, who watched for Napoleon’s fleet from here in 1802. It has superb views.
The site is not well signposted but makes for an interesting wander. The restored 2nd-century-AD tree-lined stadium once staged competitions in preparation for the Olympic Games. Today, locals continue to use it for jogging. The adjacent theatre is a reconstruction of one used for lectures by the Rhodes School of Rhetoric. Steps above here lead to the Temple of Pythian Apollo, with four re-erected columns. A small exhibition between the stadium and the road details the history of the site and the reconstruction. This unenclosed site can be reached on city bus 5.
North of Mandraki, at the eastern end of G Papanikolaou, is the graceful Mosque of Murad Reis (Map). In its grounds are a Turkish cemetery and the Villa Cleobolus, where Lawrence Durrell lived in the 1940s, writing Reflections on a Marine Venus.
To get close-up to the underwater world of the Aegean, head to Rhodes’ small Aquarium (Map; 22410 27308; www.hcmr.gr; Kos 1; admission adult/child €5/free; 9am-8.30pm Apr-Oct, 9am-4.30pm Nov-Mar). The art deco building was constructed during the 1930s by the Italians as a biological research station. Walk through the sea cave to view a colourful array of molluscs, crabs, sea turtles and fish.
The town beach begins north of Mandraki and continues around the island’s northernmost point and down the west side of the New Town. The best spots will depend on the prevailing winds but tend to be on the east side, where there’s usually calmer water and more sand and facilities.
Activities
GREEK DANCING LESSONS
The Nelly Dimoglou Dance Company (Map; 22410 20157; deyappet@otenet.gr; Andronikou 7; admission per person/group €16/11; May-Oct) gives lessons and stages lively performances (9.15pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) in folk dance theatre.
SCUBA DIVING
A number of diving schools operate out of Mandraki, all offering a range of courses, including a ‘One Day Try Dive’ for €40 to €50, and PADI certification. You can get information from their boats at Mandraki Harbour (Map).
Diving Centres ( 22410 23780)
Diving Med College ( 22410 61115; www.divemedcollege.com)
Scuba Diving Trident School ( /fax 22410 29160)
Waterhoppers Diving Centre ( /fax 22410 38146, 6972500971; www.waterhoppers.com)
Sleeping
BUDGET
During the summer, finding an affordable bed in the Old Town is very possible, particularly if you book ahead. In winter, most budget places shut down throughout the city so you’ll definitely need to call ahead. While most of the New Town’s hotels are modern and characterless, there are a few exceptions.
New Village Inn (Map; 22410 34937, 6976475917; www.newvillageinn.gr; Konstantopedos 10; s/d €35/45) These village-style rooms in the New Town with very comfy