Excursions on Rhodos

This week we are still on Rhodes, and we rented a car for four days to explore more of Rhodes.

Very sorry for the delay this week. I had done a lot work on the post, but after restarting the computer almost everything was gone. So I lost the energy to write more… But here it is!

In Lindos there is a lot of cats and many of them likes to decorate the walls

Cleopoulas Tomb

Monday morning we started to explore Lindos. We found a trail on a website and it looked like a nice morning walk.

Since we were anchoring in St.Pauls bay, we had to walk through the town and down to the beach on the north side. There is a parking area before the road that goes down to the beach and there starts the trail. You have to go through this gate, just remember to lock it after you!

On the other side of the gate you will meet a lot of donkeys. Some of them more curious than other, but harmless and kind.

It is easy to see the trail in the beginning, watch up for donkey-poo!! 🙂

Pritty close by!

Lindos town through an arch

You will pass this monument in memory of the writer, politician and economist, Ioannis Zigdis. He was born in Lindos in 1913, the same year as my grandmother was born, and he died in 1997, one year before my grandmother died. So this monument got me thinking about my grandmother.

It is still easy to follow the trail. You can see the tomb on the top of the hill to the right in the photo.

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An old windmill

Astor was curious and climbed up the stairs inside the windmill

The old wodden gears inside the windmill

On the top of the windmill – inside

From the windmill it is harder to follow the trail. Go to the northern side of the windmill then you will see it there. The opening into the windmill is at the south side so it is normal to walk there and then you will not see the trail that easy.

There is some red marks on the trail and some places you will see rock cairns. In november you will find many theese flowers around.

Tomb of Cleobulus the Lindian. Nice place to have a walk and a beautiful view over Lindos

A nice place to have a rest for lunch, or just a snack!

the tomb inside

On the way back from the tomb

The bay of Lindos with the castle on the top of the hill

the view from the windmill to the north

The beach in front of the town. We anchored here last time we were here. I also write a post in my old blog about Lindos if you like to read (unfortunately in norwegian)

The donkey looks so sad…

We walked back through the town and decided to have a pancake for lunch. This is absolutely too much!! I could give the rest to this cat, but Astor was faster!

We had a plan to go back to the boat and then later have a walk to the castle. But someone told us that the castle were closing early, so we decided to go there instead while we already were in town.

There is two different ways to walk to the castle, both of them is uphill! The castle is on the top of the hill at 111 masl, but the reward is great when you are at the top!

Lindos Castle

We paid for two tickets and walked inside. First you have to walk up a steep stair!

Here is the gate to the castle

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From the castle you have a perfect view of Lindos.

Lindos was founded by the Dorians led by the king Tlepolemus of Rhodes, who arrived in about the 10th century BC.

The Doric Temple of Athena Lindia, dating from about 300 BC, built on the site of an earlier temple.

Have you ever seen a better anchoring?? Yep, it is our boat down there!

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In Hellenistic and Roman times the temple precinct grew as more buildings were added. In early medieval times these buildings fell into disuse, and in the 14th century they were partly overlaid by a massive fortress built on the acropolis by the Knights of St John to defend the island against the Ottomans.

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The church of Ayios Ioannis was built in 12th/13th century, possibly on the site of an Early Christian basilica of th 6th century.

During the period of Ottoman rule the Byzantine church was converted into a muslim mosque.

It was nice to have almost the whole castle for our selves, the next day it was full of tourists from the cruiseship.

In the evening we went back to town to try to get a sunset photo of town, but it is too late in the year, you have to be here earlier, maybe august will be fine.

Wednesday morning we went out to find the bakery we have seen on google maps. That should lay on the main road so we had to go along the main road outside town. We are still in the same bay and it is the most amazing anchorage we have been in!

From the main road you will have a nice view of Lindos and the castle. We had tried to figure out if it was possible to rent a car around here, but we felt that everything was closed. We stopped by Lindos Rent a car, with no car outside. But we met Filippo there and after a phonecall he could fix a car for us!! He was a really nice guy, I will recommend you to go there if you need a car in Lindos. We rented a car from friday to monday.

Unfortunately the bakery didn`t excist anymore so we had to go to the supermarket instead.

Everything is closed in Lindos for the winter, but they open up their shops when there is a cruiseship coming to Rhodes. I guess I saw 10 buses with cruisetourists this day.

And I got a new dress!

It is much nicer to walk through the town when the shops are opens.

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The weather forcast is not easy to trust down here. Thursday it says it should be rain the whole day, so I prepare myself to work in the boat. But it was not that bad weather.

We knew it was cruiseship in Rhodes town on friday, and the weather forcast was like “ok”, so we decided to go to Rhodes town. First we visited the ancient site close to Rhodes town.

Ancient site of Rhodes

The Italian School of Archaeology at Athens excavated ancient ruins during the early 20th century. This excavation unearthed the Acropolis of Rhodes and found several treasures, including the Odeon.

Odeon has place for 800 audiens and have been restored, so it looks pritty new.

Back in the time of the Ancient Greeks, competitive sport was a way of life for many. It played a key role in their cultural identity and the whole city would gather in the stadium to enjoy hours of entertainment, including early versions of the Olympic games.

A interesting place to visit while you are on Rhodes!

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And we found some cats…

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After visiting the ancient site we walked to the town. We let the car stay at the car parking at the site. I stopped at a hairdresser to wash and dry my hair (it is not possible to have a shower every day in the boat 🙂 ) It took me 30 minutes including a haircut… I payed only 25 EUR so it was okay.

Rhodes old town

While I was at the hairdresser Astor went to town to have a look. We met up again in the old town. And this day was totally different from last saturday when it was almost empty.

It was tourists everywhere

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We needed lunch and stopped up at the square and had lunch at Kolona. It was nice to sit there and look at all people from different parts of the world.

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Someone is feeding the cats in the old town!

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We had an icecream on Pinocchio Sweets in the new town, before we headed back to the car.

They played christmas music and they had decorated for christmas.

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A little bit bigger Poinsettia than we in Norway buy for christmas!

Monolithos Castle

Saturday we were ready for a hike. I wanted first to hike to the highest mountain on the island, Attaviros. But the weatherforcast was not the best so we drove to Monolithos instead to hike to Akramitis, the second highest mountain.

But as nearer we came to the mountain we realized it was not a perfect day for that hike either. It was fog on the top, and when you don`t know the trail its not the best thing to do. And of course, with the fog you can`t see the view! That is my excuse to hike to a summit!

Astor had luckily read about another trail from Monolithos, so we drove to Monolithos Castle instead. You can see the castle on the top of the monolith in the middle of the photo.

We parked next to where the path starts up to the castle

Half way up there is a stairway

the small chapel of Saint Panteleimon is on the top of the hill, inside the castle

The castle was build in 1480 to protect the area from pirates and enemies

The castle has been ruined for decades but it is a nice place and you have an amazing view on the top

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The chapel of St. Panteleimon

Most of the churches in Greece are open to public

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We are on the way down from the 236 meter high rocky hill

The view to Akrimitis, the second highest mountain on Rhodes. You do not see the top from here.

After the visit to the castle we started to walk around this 8,5 kilometers trail, down to the sea and up hill back to the parking. First you walk along the road, but this is a road that ends at a beach and I guess we only met one car, so you can walk just in the middle of it!

We found this berry along the road. We haven`t seen them before so we were curious what it was. Luckily I have a greek friend who could help us out! This is Komara. They are ripe when they are dark red. We actually found this berry on a market in Türkiye the week later and got a taste of it. We didn`t bought it.

we found this trail on alltrail.com, they have a lot of options.

After a while walking on the main road it is time to take off this road and go to the right on the first gravel road you meet.

Then you turn north again and you can see the mountain Akramitis, which was the plan today. You don`t see the summit as it is further north. You can see the castle of Monolithos on the hill to the right.

We are walking nearby the sea but it didn`t go all the way down to the sea. But we found an okay spot to sit down for a while having some snacks.

We passed a grape plantation and right after that you take of from this gravel road to the path on the right side. From here starts the hardest part of the trail.

It is narrow, some places rocky and a lot of bushes.

I am glad I had a long tights here, the bushes scratches your legs !

You still have a nice view to Monolithos. Now you are climbing a bit, the end of the trail is higher up than the castle at Monolithos.

You will pass an old vineyard and at that point you are now walking on a gravel road again.

And it is uphill!

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It`s time to pick olives and here they were working. After the olive grove you will be back at a main road, still up hill!

When we came back to the car we drove first to Monolithos village to find something to eat, then we headed south to Prasonisi at the southern tip of Rhodes. We had a lunch stop here while were sailing in 2018

Prasonisi

It is an amazing place, but I am not sure if I have seen a place in the world with more garbage…

Hiking Seven Springs

The next day we went first to Seven Springs. We drove all the way up to the restaurant and parked the car there. Behind the restaurant you will find tables and signs for Seven Springs, but don`t walk that way, because the trail is on the other direction.

You will anyway find some peacocks

Goose

And it is beautiful around… but it is the wrong direction and you will wonder about where the trail is.

We used the app from alltrails

When you have the restaurant on your left hand, walk along the river to the right and there is a new sign for the trail, and it is easy to follow

It`s a gravel road almost all the way

After a short while you are coming to this waterfall. It is possible to walk inside a tunnel from the restaurant to this place, but it is water inside the tunnel so you can`t walk with shoes, and it is also completely dark so you will need a flashlight.

I want to come back here in the spring when it is greener and more flowers!

And we found some crabs!! And this is not by the sea!! It is far away from the sea, so it has to be a land crab. We saw more of them, making small caves.

The water duct where we found the crabs

The hardest part of the trail. I think it is easier to walk the other way here, but it is not a problem anyway because you have the rope to hold on to.

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Even if it is november it is green forrest in this part of Rhodes

If it starts to rain you can find places to hide!

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Ups… have a look where you walk!

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A ghost three…

A duck with ducklings. I should have been taken away the waste, but I was sure I would have scared the birds then.

This is a quite short trail, so we drove further on to Filerimos a bit northeast on the island. There is a road all the way up to the top of the hill, but it is not fun driving up there! So we parked at the beginning of the hill at the fire station.

Hiking at Filerimos Hill

You have to walk along the main road for some hundred meters, before you take off the road unto a gravel road on your left hand. You start walking around the hill in the beginning.

But after some turns you take of to the right and at that point it is steep uphill. Everyone can do it, but take your time!

You are gaining many height meters in the steep hill and soon you get a view to Rhodes.

After walking on this gravel road for a while, you are back on the main road and the church of Prophet Elias appears. A beautiful pink church close to the road.

The church was open so we went in to see. Beautiful as all other churches in Greece.

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We walked further on and almost at the top of the hill we came to some benches where it is a nice place to have a rest. Now you are taking of the road and the trail goes right behind the benches.

We came to an abandoned building and there we had a problem to continue the trail. It looked like the trail continue behind the building, but suddenly it was only bushes and no trail, so we had to turn back. But we found the trail again and then it was a short distance to the car parking at the top of the hill.

At the car park all of theese peacocks met us, together with many more. This is a typically place for families to do an excursion on a sunday.

The Monastery of Filerimos is located her on the top. This place is also an important archeological site; here once stood the Acropolis of the ancient town of Ialyssos with an important temple dedicated to Athena Polias. We didn`t visit the monastery this time.

The Italian, who occupied Greece in the 20th century added a Via Crucis (Calvary), a pathway that leads from the monastery towards the south-western edge of the plateau,

And at the end of the pathway you find this huge cross. You can read more about Filerimos on rhodos.gr

From the cross it is a beautiful view to the southwest of Rhodes.

You can see peacocks everywhere on the hill

I think peacocks has to be one of the most beautiful birds/animals!

This has to be an old three!

After a short pitstop at the top we started the walk back to the car. We went down another way so we made it to an aroundtrip. In the beginning you have a nice view to the northwest of Rhodes.

First you walk on the main road, but after the first curve you will find the old road on your left side.

It is nice to walk in the beginning, it is almost flat and a wide road.

But after starting downhill it is so narrow, you can`t almost see the trail. It is not steep but you have to look where you put your feet! After a while I was afraid we were out of the track, but then a dog came against us. I don`t like to meet large dogs on their own, but luckily pritty soon his owner came, together with some friends and another dog. I was just glad to meet people, then I knew we were on the right track!

We had a plan to go to the village of Apollona to eat dinner on a famous restaurant, but luckily we called them before we started driving, because they didn`t had any table for us that day. So we went to Rhodes town instead (since we already were close) to have our second pita gyros on Avgoustinos. It is the cheapest dinner you can have here, around 3 EUR each. And it is good and it is enough!

After dinner we walked up to the beach on the northern tip of Rhodes. I am taking a photoclass at the moment and hoped to get a good photo shoot of the waves.

Not many people at the beach today. But the beach goes around the whole tip so if it is waves on one side, it is quiet on the other side.

A small aquarium, but it was closed so we didn`t visit.

I can imagine a lot of drunk norwegians…

On the way back to Lindos we had a stop in Charaki Bay to find a supermarket, but it seemed that everyone had left the bay! But the colour of the sea was sooo blue!

This is probably a very nice bay in the summer!

Next week we entering the wintermonths and are ready for a new chapter in Türkiye. So check us out in the next post!