Greece - Korina Miller [423]
Shopping
You’ll find lots of recognisable high-street shops in Rhodes, particularly along Lambraki (good for shoes and umbrellas) and Karpathou, a pedestrianised street with cafes and shops galore. The eastern half of 28 Oktovriou is where you’ll find the posh shops and cafes.
New Market is filled with mostly tacky souvenirs. In the Old Town, look out for gold and silver jewellery, leather goods and ceramics: most shops are along Sokratous.
Byzantine Iconography (Map; 22410 74127; Kisthinioy 42) Visiting the studio of Basilios Per Sirimis is an experience you shouldn’t miss. A teacher and accomplished artist, he follows the traditional methods of iconography, producing paintings for churches and families throughout Greece. All of his materials are natural, including gold leaf and pigments mixed with egg and vinegar. You can see paintings in various stages of production and Basilios will fascinate you with his knowledge. Paintings go for €210 to €2000.
Getting Around
Local buses leave from the urban bus stop (Map; Mandraki) on Mandraki Harbour and charge a flat €1. Bus 11 does a circuit around the coast, up past the Aquarium and on to the Acropolis. Hopping on for a loop is a good way to get your bearings. Bus 2 goes to Analipsi, bus 3 to Rodini, bus 4 to Agios Dimitrios and bus 5 to the Acropolis. Buy tickets on board.
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EASTERN RHODES
The majority of Rhodes’ long stretches of sandy beaches are along its east coast. Consequently, that’s much more developed, with a number of villages made-over into summer resorts that tend to be filled with young package-holidaymakers and endless strips of tourist bars. If you do find yourself based in one of these resorts, you could make the most of the beach and then hire a car or hop on a bus to explore more remote beaches, the interior and the south or west coast.
From Rhodes Town, there are frequent buses to Lindos, but some of the beaches en route are a bit of a hike from the road. The obvious bonus to this is that it’s still possible to find uncrowded stretches of sand even at the height of summer.
Restored to its former glory, Kalithea Thermi ( 22410 65691; Kallithea; www.kallitheasprings.gr; admission €2.50; 8am-8pm April-Oct, 8am-5pm Nov-Mar) was originally an Italian-built spa, just 9km from Rhodes Town. With grand buildings, colonnades, domed ceilings and countless archways delivering stunning sea views, it’s worth a wander. Exhibitions inside show the many films made here (including scenes from Zorba the Greek) as well as local artwork. You’ll also find a cafe and a small, sandy beach that’s good for swimming. The as-yet-uncompleted, vast expanses of hohlakia (black-and-white pebble mosaic floors) have taken 14 years to complete so far.
Ladiko Beach, touted locally as ‘Anthony Quinn Beach’, is in fact two back-to-back coves with a pebbly beach on the north side and volcanic rock platforms on the south. The swimming is good, though the water is noticeably colder here.
Further down the coast, a right turn at Kolymbia takes you along a pine-fringed road to the Epta Piges (Seven Springs), 4km away. Head here if you’re feeling parched or deprived of greenery. The springs bubble into a river, which flows into a shaded lake. You can reach the lake by following a footpath or by walking through a narrow, dark tunnel that’s ankle-deep with fast flowing river water. If you’re claustrophobic or tall, opt for the path. The lake itself has a magical colour and is home to turtles. It was built by the Italians who damned the river to irrigate the Kolymbia plains. There’s a cafe next to the springs and a kitsch children’s playground. There are no buses to Epta Piges; take a Lindos bus and get off at the turn-off.
Back on the coast, the beaches of Kolymbia and Tsambika are sandy but can get crowded in summer.