Due to its strategic position, Rhodes had been important since the ancient times and one of the most prominent seafaring and trading centers in the Eastern Mediterranean. When it became a province of the Romans and later the Byzantine Empire, it initially lost its ancient glory, but in 1309 the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem conquered Rhodes. They built strong fortifications to protect the island, turning it into an administrative centre and a thriving multinational medieval city.

In 1523 Rhodes was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, and the Greeks had to settle outside the city walls. During the Ottoman occupation, new buildings were erected within the Old Town, mainly mosques and baths. In 1912 Rhodes and the rest of the Dodecanese were seized by the Italians. The new rulers embellished the city with magnificent buildings, wide roads, and squares. The Palace of the Grand Master was rebuilt, and the Street of the Knights was reconstructed in order to regain its medieval glory. It was not until 1948 that Rhodes officially became part of the Greek State. In 1988 the Medieval City of Rhodes was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Kastelorizo, the easternmost island of Greece, bearing a long and stormy history. Only 300 people live on the island today, but the town and its magnificent neoclassical houses reveal the former prosperity of the island.

Chalki was a former sponge-diving center, famous for its Theological School. Emborio, with its grand houses and a picturesque waterfront offering fresh fish, is the only inhabited hamlet on the island. Horio and the Knights’ Castle are both well worth visiting.

Symi is just an hour away by ferry from Rhodes. Symi used to have 30,000 inhabitants before the Second World War and was the richest island in the Dodecanese, despite its small size. Today the island attracts many visitors thanks to its beautifully preserved neoclassical buildings and the famous monastery of Panormitis.

BY AIRPLANE – Regular daily flights from the airports of Athens and Thessaloniki. There are also connections to and from other Greek islands such as Kos, Leros, Mytilini, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastellorizo, Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete. Rhodes International Airport is also connected with direct flights to/from major European airports such as Frankfurt, Brussels, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Bologna, Cagliari, Milan, Pisa, Rome, Liverpool, London, Stockholm, and Kaunas.

BY FERRY – The Port of Rhodes has daily connections to the Port of Piraeus (Athens). The trip lasts approximately 12 hours with intermediary stops at the islands of Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, and Kos. Rhodes is also connected directly to all the other islands of Dodecanese and Crete.