On a small ferry in the bay of Rhodes, the wind whips ferociously at the crystal blue waters, creating rippling waves that carry us further away from the shore…Our tanned guide, Italian diver Davide all smiles as we board the yellow submarine, one of many that lines the marina, and we soon set off out of the harbour that once held refuge to a wonder of the ancient world; The Colossus of Rhodes.
We enjoy the sea air for a while as Davide points out the still imposing walls of the Palace of the Grand Master of Knights that sits in the Old Town. In the distance, the mountains of Turkey are visible and we have a little giggle as we get a text from our phone service carriers telling us the phone rate charges for Turkey, even though we are still very much in Rhodes.
Eventually, we head down into the lower compartment of the submarine, a narrow space that is lined with benches that we sit on while Davide dives under the water to turn our attention to the colourful sea life and old ruins that sit on the floor of the ocean bed from a time well before our own. It’s an amazing sight as we are transported to this underwater paradise, there’s something calming about the tranquillity of the ocean. Then all too quickly, we return up to the top of the boat, serene and content, basking in the sun as we listen to music while we are en route to the shore. If you ever find yourself in Rhodes, I recommend taking one of these short submarine tours, it’s a must do activity for the whole family.
The gateway to the Old City of Rhodes might feel like you’re about to be transported to medieval times and that’s a fair assumption. The city’s gates are in fact medieval walls that enclose a mere 6,000 people. The streets are narrow but vibrant, alive with small touristy shops and restaurants.
One of the more curious merchants is the many spas offering a dead skin removal by way of Garra Ruffa fish. Tiny little things who supposedly eat off all the dead skin on your feet and leave them feeling soft. Now after all my days of walking, this sounded much needed however the idea of tiny fish biting at my feet didn’t sound that appealing to me.
Fast forward about 10 minutes later, after I’ve calmed down from a giggling fit every time I’ve tried to dip a toe carefully in the water, I’ve finally faced my fears and have plunged my scared little feet into the small spa and continued laughing because it’s actually really ticklish more than anything else.
Once I’ve survived the fish ordeal (it really wasn’t anything to worry about and I’m thoroughly embarassed), we head off to the Street of Knights, a beautifully preserved street that was once where knights conducted military practices.
Easily the most impressive historical site in Rhodes is the Palace of the Grandmaster. The interior of the palace is just as illustrious as the walls that hold them, the bounty of the knights who once graced these halls carefully preserved in the mass structure. The history of the citadel is rich with tales of sieges and pirate pillages, but it wasn’t until 1947 that the palace was converted into a museum for all to see. If ever you’re in Rhodes, make your way to this stunning example of gothic architecture and you’ll see mosaics dating back from the 1st century, vases from the far east and statues from the Roman period. There are over 150 rooms in the palace so allow about an hour or so to explore.
Next up is the beautiful bay of Lindos, it’s here where I thought I’d just quickly run knee length in the water just to see what it was like (and to take some Instagram photos) but I forgot about one thing; that being that there is no sand, just rocks. The slipperiness of the rocks meant that instead of knee length, I managed to submerge my whole body in the water much to the amusement of my dad who stood there laughing for 5 minutes. Luckily during this time, the warm heat had already dried my clothes.
We stayed at the Atrium Platinum Resort Hotel & Spa during our time in Rhodes and would recommend it full heartedly. As you walk into the grand lobby, the sense of luxury invites you in, if Poseidon, God of the Sea had a home above the water this would be it. White marbled pillars stand proud below a blue ceiling dotted with lights in the shape of birds. We were lucky enough to have our own personal pool with our suite which was great for a nightly dip. There are 4 options for dining and 2 bars on site and the property itself is only 5 kilometres away from the old town.
Rest assured that no matter where you go in Rhodes, good food will follow. Taverna Artemida is one of those places. If you’re after authentically Greek food that serves up Rhodian specialities, make your way to this tavern for favourites such as dolmodis-stuffed vine leaves- and moussaka or try the mouthwatering lamb ribs. All the traditional food is cooked in a brick oven and we definitely came here more than once!
