Rhodes

Greece, Greece

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Rhodes is the largest and most popular of Greece’s Dodecanese islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea, located just 9–10 kilometers off the coast of Turkey, and is the fourth-largest Greek island covering 1,401 square kilometers with over 115,000 residents.

The island’s capital city, also called Rhodes, sits on its northeastern tip and is the largest urban center, famous for its well-preserved medieval Old Town with Gothic and Ottoman architecture that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. Rhodes is best known as the ancient home of the Colossus of Rhodes, a 100-foot bronze statue of the sun god Helios that stood as one of the Seven Wonders of the World from 294–282 BCE until an earthquake destroyed it in 225 BCE.

The island offers a subtropical climate with mild winters, long sunny periods, and refreshing summer winds, plus stunning landscapes including green hills, forests, and 220 kilometers of coastline with some of Greece’s best beaches. Beyond its famous medieval capital, Rhodes features three major ancient cities—Lindos, Ialyssos, and Kamiros—with impressive archaeological ruins, particularly the spectacular acropolis at Lindos perched on a hill overlooking turquoise waters.