Villages on Rhodes island

Rhodes villages – Visit to the north part of the island

For an authentic and traditional vibes among the Rhodes villages, definitely worth a visit the traditional village of Koskinou just outside the city of Rhodes. It comes with colorful facades of the houses, the beautiful courtyards filled with flowers, the interior decoration  with ceramic plates and embroidered fabrics on the walls. In the afternoon you can admire the warm colors of sunset illuminating the houses. There are several traditional taverns and ouzeri ideal for a drink or dinner.

Entering the hinterland through Pastida you get to Maritsa, a simple village with a beautiful square. In Maritsa there is always a lot of local people that can be found in the square drinking coffee or ouzo. If you want to spend an evening in good company visit the local tavern in the square and after dinner rebetico bar in the village.

Pearls on the way, springs and butterflies

Nearby you can not miss a visit to the 7 springs  called in greek Efta Piges. The spring water is collected in a small pond built by the Italians to irrigate orange groves of Kolympia. The lake is east to reached by a path and it is also possible to enter into a tunnel of 185 meters. Beautiful peacocks walking stiffly by the springs and the lake.

Springs are part of  protected area Natura 2001 along with the Valley of the Butterflies and Mount Profitis Elias. The Valley of the Butterflies (petalùdes in Greek), is a natural park, one of the rarest habitats in Europe. This phenomenon is unique  concentration of millions species of butterflies Panaxia quadripunctaria in the months of June to end of August . The valley is full of paths and trails for visitors who wish to observe a phenomenon walking in a impressive nature.

The authentic traditions

Afandou is a village on Rhodes, which was founded in the days when pirates were destroying and plundering the Mediterranean. The name afanto or afando means  invisible from the sea. Afandou is now a lovely traditional Greek village surrounded by picturesque countryside and attracts mainly families and couples who want to relax during the day. It is one of the biggest villages of Rhodes where you will find numerous bars, cafes, restaurants and taverns with typical local cuisine.

Embonas is one of the most picturesque village among the Rhodes villages, which is almost 850m high and is considered one of the most remote village on the island of Rhodes. This position has allowed the village to remain almost untouched by the influence of tourism. Some of its inhabitants are still wearing local customs and  all of their local traditions are handing down from one generation to another. Beautiful multicolored embroidery products in Embonas are part of the cultural tradition of the village. Almost all the houses are an excellent example of traditional architecture. In the picturesque Embona you can find some apartments for holidays in Rhodes as well as traditional cafes and taverns serving delicious specialties.

Archanghelos is located south of the city of Rhodes, on the east coast. This village is the largest of Rhodes  with a population of 6,000 people is considered a small city. The inhabitants, very faithful to their traditions,  produce several products such as bread baked in traditional wood ovens, ceramic crafts, shoes and leather boots. They speak a very special dialect and celebrate ceremonies, such as weddings and baptisms, according to the traditional customs.  Worth a visit  the church of the Archangel Michael, which dominates the village, as well as the church of St. John with its beautiful frescoes.

The South part of Rhodes villages

Prassonissi is located at the southern end of the island of Rhodes. It is a impressive cape, attached to the island by a strip of sand, on which stands a lighthouse that becomes an island at high tide, giving rise to the phenomenon known as “the meeting point of the two seas. Due to the big number of tourists that gather there, Prassonisi has lost its pristine beauty and there is great evidence of environmental damage.

Tourists tend to drive all around the beach with scooters and cars. As such, the sand has a solid feeling now and it is almost like concrete at certain parts of the beach. The protected turtle known as Caretta caretta used to hide its eggs at the specific region but this rarely happens anymore due to the lack of environmental management of the territory.

On the mountain Akramitis, it is situated the Castle of Monolithos, in the southwest of the island of Rhodes. The castle was built on a steep cliff by the will of the Knights of Venice and was considered one of the most impressive fortresses on Rhodes. Its location is very attractive as overlooking the sea, in particular, visitors can enjoy a wonderful view of the beautiful beach of Fourni.