Greek Islands: The Dodecanese Islands
The Aegean Islands and can divided into several island groups, including the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, the Sporades, the Saronic islands and the North Aegean Islands, as well as Crete and its surrounding islands.
The Dodecanese, located to the southeast, include Rhodes, Kos, Symi , Patmos and further south Karpathos.They are the furthest island group from Greek mainland and lie just off the Turkish coast. There is still evidence of an Ottoman past given the Turkish occupation of Greece which lasted several hundred years.
Here are some highlights:
Rhodes
You won’t run out of things to do on Rhodes. The capital offers a bustling modern city, next to a splendid medieval old town. If castles and vast stone walls are your bag, you’ll be well catered for. The fortress here was the scene of a dramatic seige here between Ottoman forces from Turkey and the remnants of the Crusader Knights in the early 16th century.
More winding narrow streets are to be found at the resort of Lindos, and ruins are yet more ancient variety at Kamiros. Rhodes is a massively popular destination, but big enough that escaping the crowds is quite possible. Look to the emptier west coast and island interior to flee the masses, or make for notorious Faliriki to experience first-hand the debauchery made famous by British reality TV series.
Kos
Situated within spitting distance of the West coast of Turkey, Kos has succumbed heavily to the tourist trade from two fronts. As is so often, visitors cling primarily to an over-developed coastline, leaving the relatively untouched interior that can offer an easy escape route. The location means that near-Eastern influences are evident in Kos’ ruins, the centrepiece of which are the remnants of the Asklepion. This 5th Century BC teaching centre of of Hippocrates, founding father of all things medical, is idyllically situated up a hill, with splendid views of Kos and across the water to Turkey, where the mega-resort of Bodrum is well-connected by regular ferry services.
Destination – Greece and Greek Islands