here are a lot of picturesque villages and landspots with ancient ruins all over the island letting the visitor to know better the history of Rhodes or just have some unforgettable moments of joy and relaxation. One shouldn't miss the following six ones:

he village of Koskinou lies eight km from the town of Rhodes and is in the middle of an area of fruit-trees. The village has been declared subject to preservation because of his lovely and unique traditional houses which are ornamented with multicolored ceramic plates and weaving while their flowered filled courtyards are paved with black-and-white pebbles. There is a major festival on the name day of St. Marina (July 17) and Tourism day (September 27) with customary music and dancing.

ontinuing along the coast road you reach the town of Kallithea 11 km, further on. Its springs with their medical waters, which used to attract many people suddering from various ailments, are no longer in operation but it is still worth having a look at the spas themselves and having a swim in one of the quiet little bays. The renovation and reopening of the springs is now been planned. Don't miss to visit and swim in the picturesque little harbor of Kallithea.

rom Kallithea the roads go uphill to the south and one kilometer later you see the famous beach of Faliraki spreading out before you, over 5 km of golden sand and crystal-clear sea. Ultramodern hotel units have been built along this coast which can satisfy all your requirments. You can also enjoy a full range of marine sports. After Faliraki you can go to the deep blue waters of the small bay Ladiko, one of the most picturesque inlets in all Rhodes, or visit the Afantou village, one of the oldest villages on the island.

ncient Kameiros was founded by the Dorians, just like Ialyssos and Lindos, though the discovery of a Mycenean necropolis nearby makes it clear that during the prehistoric period the area must have been inhabited by the Achaeans. Contrary to Lindos this town was by and large a rural society whose main products were olive oil, figs and wine. The town reached its greatest height in the 6th century B.C. but was gradually abandoned when the town of Rhodes was founded.
The visitor of the nowadays archaelogical site may see the Agora (Market), the ruins of Doric temple from the 3rd century B.C., the town's main street with its semicircular exedra, the public baths which were built in imitation of Roman baths, the acropolis that occupies a tringular flat piece of graound at the top of the hill and the Large Stoa that was erected in the 3rd century B.C.

n 1876 archaelogists found the necropolis of Ialyssos lying between the village of Trianda and Filerimos hill, on the west coast of Rhodes. This is the most ancient well-defined settlement of the island (1550-1400 B.C.). Most of the finds are in the British Museum and the Louvre and only a few in the Rhodes museum. Most of these priceless items are from the 5th century B.C. which shows that the town reached its zenith then.

urning left at Trianda and going 5 km along a road through a dense pine forrest you arrive at the top of Filerimos hill (267 m). There is an amazing view from here. The hill took its name from a monk who came from Jerusalem in the 13th century bringing with him an icon of the Blessed Virgin painted by the Apostle Luke. The small church he build became later a basilica and then in the 14th century the Knights built in St. John, a large monastery with its excuisite bell-tower that one still sees today.

he small village of Colymbia with about 210 residents is located 25 kilometers south of Rhodes City, exactly after the bridge over the "Loutanis" river. The magnificent street of "Eucalyptus" is the special feature of the area. Side by side flows the water-canal which is manifactured by the italians. By this perfect system was possible the fields irrigation through water tanks. The water is from the area of Seven Springs, 10 kilometers away and there is no need for any additional mechanical system. On the rights side of the "Eucalyptus" street, one can visit some monuments from the 6th century.

Photos and text taken from "Rhodes - the brilliant island of the sun" (Toubis Editions)

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