Rhodes Island (Greece)

Rhodes Island is part of Greece's Dodecanese island chain located in southeastern Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean), off Turkey's Anatolian coast. The island is the Dodecanese's largest by land area (1401 km2 / 541 ml2), followed by Karpathos and Kos.

The island has population around 115,000 and is most famous as the site of Colossus of Rhodes - one of the ancient world's Seven Wonders. The huge statue once straddled the city harbour, but was destroyed many years ago by an earthquake. Within capital's massive citadel walls the preserved medieval Old Town presents a beehive of narrow cobbled streets, dominated by historic Avenue of the Knights and Palace of the Grand Masters. Remember to visit Lindos, a National Historic Landmark, amongst the most captivating Greek sites and a setting of great antiquity.

From 12th through 16th centuries the Rhodes island was the headquarters of crusader Knights of St John, mostly of French origin. The Knights spoke in 7 tongues and were led by their Grand Master. In 1522 the Knights' rule in Rhodes ended when Suleiman the Magnificent led an army of 100,000 against them. Those who survived the siege then fled to Malta.

Rhodes Island cruise terminal