The pandemic has forced tourists to significantly narrow their “horizons” and now it is not so easy to urgently plan a trip to Rome or Paris or fly to the sea, even with the funds. Rambler will tell you about the Dodecanese Islands in Greece.
Mysterious and multifaceted Greece attracts tourists from all over the world. One of the most interesting destinations in the country is the Dodecanese archipelago. Most travelers are familiar with the Dodecanese islands of Kos and Rhodes, but few know about the islands of Patmos, Lerros, Kastelorizo, Symi, and the live volcano Nisyros.
Dodecanese Islands
What to do here
In the Dodecanese, tourists will find mountains, a beautiful carved coastline, and many small bays with clear water. This is the perfect place to eat delicious Mediterranean food, party, and swim in the clear sea. And, at the same time, rest here can open the inside of Greece to you, show its non-mainland part, acquaint you with culture and enjoy history.
When traveling around the islands, tourists must visit natural attractions, which are hard to take their eyes off. It is a living volcano of the island of Nisyros, and its natural caves-saunas.
Many are attracted by the extraordinary turquoise water of the bay on the banks of the Arch – in the Tiganakya region.
Climbers from all over the world flock to the most bizarre rocks on the island of Kalymnos. The sunset overlooking the Aegean Sea is particularly impressive.
About 40 small uninhabited islets are scattered around the island of Lipsi, and two seas meet picturesquely at Cape Prasonisi in the south of Rhodes.
In the Dodecanese, there is also a small islet of Marathos with a capacity of only 50 people and a small island of Tilos, where the famous bar in the village of micro Chorio awaits tourists.
Dodecanese Islands
History of Dodecanese Islands
The Greek islands are steeped in history. There are cultural monuments from the times of Byzantine and Ottoman rule, the era “under Italy” and new Greece.
The main ancient monuments of the Dodecanese are the Lindos Acropolis and the grandiose temple-sanatorium of Asklepion on Kos.
Another interesting location on Kos is a replica of the ancient economy of Hippocrates. This is a residential building from the 5th century. BC NS. with a philosophical studio and a small theater.
An important cultural monument is the monastery of St. John the Evangelist, one of the largest in Greece. It began to be built in the 11th century. The monastery’s treasury contains Byzantine icons, relics, sacred vessels, and in the library you can see one of the richest collections of Greek manuscripts. Since 1999, the monastery has been included in the UNESCO list.
The decoration of the village of Megalo Chorio on the island of Tilos is the gloomy church of the Archangel Michael of the 15th century and the St. Panteleimon monastery of the 15th century with characteristic Byzantine architecture and frescoes.
The entire old town in Rhodes can be considered a cultural and historical site – there are castles, fortresses, acropolis.
How to get there
There are flights to Rhodes, and from there you can go to any side of the archipelago of interest by ferry, yacht, or plane.
To travel, you will need a Schengen visa, a completed PLF form, and confirmation of covid status (vaccination, PCR test, certificate of previous illness).
