Dodecanese

Ever pined for the old Greece, where timeless islands beckon modern-day adventurers just as they did Odysseus and Alexander? Enter the far-flung Dodecanese archipelago, curving through the southeastern Aegean parallel to the ever-visible shoreline of Turkey. The footprints of everyone from Greeks and Romans to crusading medieval knights, and Byzantine and Ottoman potentates to 20th-century Italian bureaucrats, are found here. Beyond better-known Rhodes and Kos, enigmatic islands beg to be explored.

Hikers and naturalists flock to Tilos, while climbers scale the limestone cliffs in Kalymnos. Aesthetes adore the neoclassical mansions of Symi, Halki and Kastellorizo, and kitesurfers blow in to Karpathos for its legendary winds. Elsewhere around the Dodecanese, divers can explore underwater caves and ancient wrecks, archaeologists and history buffs let their imaginations loose on a bevy of ancient sites, while sybarites worship Helios on myriad beaches, far from the package crowds.

Explore Dodecanese

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Dodecanese.

  • Archaeological Site

    Acropolis of Lindos

    A short, steep-stepped footpath climbs the rocky 116m-high headland above the village to reach Lindos’ beautifully preserved Acropolis. First fortified in…

  • Museum

    Archaeological Museum

    A weathered, sun-kissed stone lion, visible from the street, invites visitors into the magnificent 15th-century Knights' Hospital that holds Rhodes’…

  • Monastery

    Monastery of St John the Theologian

    As this immense 11th-century monastery-cum-fortress remains active, only a small portion is open to visitors. The entrance courtyard leads to a…

  • Monastery

    Monastery of the Apocalypse

    Nestled amid the pines halfway to Hora, the Monastery of the Apocalypse focuses on the cave where St John lived as a hermit and received his revelation…

  • Volcano

    Caldera

    A visit to the caldera is like stepping into a science fiction movie, cows grazing amid strange coloured rocks in what resembles a lunar landscape.

  • Archaeological Site

    Ancient Kamiros

    Cradled in a natural hillside amphitheatre 1km up from the sea, the remarkably complete ruins of ancient Kamiros stand 34km southwest of Rhodes Town…

  • Beach

    Apella Beach

    However determined you may be to reach Olymbos, allow time to take the precipitous spur road that drops seawards from the east-coast highway 17km north of…

  • Archaeological Site

    Asklepieion

    The island’s most important ancient site stands on a pine-covered hill 3km southwest of Kos Town, commanding lovely views across towards Turkey. A…

  • Museum

    St Valsamidis

    This unorthodox collection is the life's work of a local Kalymnian man, Stavros Valsamidis, who for 48 years undertook private dives, and amassed items…

  • Museum

    Archaeological Museum

    This showpiece modern museum, on Mandraki’s main pedestrian street, displays a fascinating collection of Hellenistic and Roman pottery and sculpture, as…

  • Area

    Knights’ Quarter

    Essentially an occupying army, the Knights of St John transformed the northern segment of the Old Town during the 14th and 15th centuries, to create what…

  • Historic Building

    Palace of the Grand Master

    From the outside, this magnificent castle-like palace looks much as it did when erected by the 14th-century Knights Hospitaller. During the 19th century,…

  • Historic Site

    Street of the Knights

    Austere and somewhat forbidding, the Street of the Knights (Ippoton) was home from the 14th century to the Knights Hospitaller who ruled Rhodes. The…

  • Monastery

    Moni Taxiarhou Mihail Panormiti

    Near Symi’s southern tip, beyond the scented pine forests of the high interior, spectacular Panormitis Bay is home to this large monastery. Monasteries…

  • Beach

    Ladiko Beach

    One of Rhodes’ loveliest (and busiest) beaches, Ladiko Beach consists of two back-to-back coves, indenting either side of a small peninsula 3km south of…

  • Area

    Hora

    The Old Town’s central commercial and residential district, south of the Street of the Knights, is known as the Hora. Having acquired its current…

  • Forest

    Valley of the Butterflies

    The so-called Valley of the Butterflies, 7km up from the west coast, and 32km southwest of Rhodes Town, is a major day-trip destination for package…

  • Cave

    Blue Cave

    Located on Kastellorizo’s remote southeast shore, this extraordinary cave is famous for its mirror-like blue water. To get there, you must take one of…

  • Area

    Jewish Quarter

    The Jewish Quarter, an enclave of narrow lanes in the Old Town’s southeast corner, centres on Plateia Evreon Martyron (Square of the Jewish Martyrs). Now…

  • Castle

    Kastro

    Astypalea’s imposing castle was built by the Venetian Quirini family early in the 15th century. For the next 300 years, up to 4000 people lived within…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Dodecanese.

  • Activities