It’s hard to imagine an atmosphere more removed
from the boisterous nightlife of Faliraki, but Rhodes Old Town is
only 10 miles from the tacky party resort.
| Picture: Image Bank |
Walking through the narrow, winding cobblestone alleyways late
one night, after most of the restaurants and shops had closed for
the evening, I felt like I’d been transported back to a time
before pub crawls had even been invented.
No longer was I a modern-day tourist in flip-flops –
instead I’d become a 14th century voyager visiting at the
time of the Knights of St John. These Christian soldiers landed in
Rhodes at the time of the Crusades and oversaw the construction of
this remarkable citadel.
Today, Rhodes Old Town is widely regarded as the oldest
permanently-inhabited medieval town in the world, but it’s
away from the hustle and bustle of the souvenir shops selling
sponges, leather goods and handbags that visitors can experience
the magic of this enchanting part of town.
My advice is to step off the beaten track and get lost in the
town’s inner sanctum. It is here that you notice the
town’s intricate detail: the flying buttresses hanging
overhead and the small courtyards and doorways leading into yet
smaller courtyards and doorways.
But despite the town’s maze-like nature, visitors always
seem to end up at the imposing outer wall where they can regain a
sense of direction.
Agents selling Greece should do their research on Rhodes Old
Town, as it has been undersold as a major historical attraction. It
may not have the atmosphere of the medina in Fes, the old capital
of Morocco, or the spiritual presence of Jerusalem, but this
little-known gem of the Dodecanese islands is enough in itself to
make a holiday to Greece memorable.
A visit to the Old Town was the highlight of a three-day trip to
Rhodes I took in early September. Assured by the tourist office
that there is more to the island than the much-publicised Faliraki
experience, I set out to discover the other side of Rhodes. Twenty
miles along the west coast, I came upon another piece of ancient
history.
The ruins at Kamiros are the remains of what was the principal
city on the island in the 6th century BC, famous for its wine, figs
and olives. Exploring excavated walls in the heat may not be
everyone’s idea of good fun but a short stroll to the vantage
point, which offers a great perspective on how the city must have
once looked in its pomp, is well worth the effort and the six euro
entry fee.
Driving around Rhodes, clients will see many beaches from the
road. My favourite was the wide and sandy Tsambika beach, 12 miles
south of Faliraki. At the bottom of a winding road, it is
overlooked by the Monmi Panagias Tsambika monastery, perched on an
overhanging cliff.
Keen walkers can climb the mile-long track to the monastery for
a great view from the summit. Childless women are said to make the
journey on their knees every September, in order to pray for a baby
when they reach the top.
In need of neither a child or the exercise, I stationed myself
at one of the beachside tavernas and ordered a superb late lunch of
grilled fish – fresh, tasty and only 12 euros with wine.
The waterside haven of Lindos, 25 miles south of Rhodes Town, is
a popular stop-off for tourists who come for the beach, souvenir
shops and restaurants. Parts of the film Shirley Valentine were
shot in this picture-postcard village of dazzling white 17th
century houses and cobbled alleyways, leading down to a perfect
semi-circular bay.
So charming is the village that ex-Pink Floyd lead singer Roger
Walters is rumoured to have bought a property there. As I sat down
that night and marvelled at the sunset from one of the many rooftop
restaurants, I was too busy enjoying another excellent meal to even
notice the dark side of the moon.
