Details
Description:
The Berlitz Rhodes Pocket Guide focuses on Rhodes Town, Lindos, south of Lindos and the west and east coasts. It covers all the major sights, area by area, in an easily navigable format. Descriptions of tourist attractions include Rhodes' Old Town and Grand Master's Palace, Lindos' Acropolis and the ancient sites of Kamiros and Ialyssos. The guide also contains background historical information, advice on shopping and entertainment and the low-down on Greek cuisine. There is an A-Z of practical information, listings of recommended hotels and restaurants and useful expressions in Greek. The book also contains special features on topics ranging from the knights of Rhodes to icons. The guide details the natural splendours of the island such as the Valley of the Butterflies, Kallithea Spa and Lindos' beautiful beach. Excursions from Rhodes are also outlined including Kos, Chalki, Symi and Marmaris. Maps show Rhodes, the Old and New Town and the Acropolis of Lindos, and there are dozens of colour photographs throughout.
Contents:
Maps: Rhodes; The Old Town; The New Town; The Acropolis of Lindos.
The Islands and the People; A Brief History.
Where to Go: Rhodes Town; The East Coast; Lindos; South From Lindos; The West Coast; Excursions.
What to Do: Beaches; Sports; Shopping; Entertainment; Things To Do For Children.
Eating Out; Handy Travel Tips; Hotels and Restaurants; Index.
Extract:
Nothing quite prepares you for the spectacle that is Rhodes Old Town. An immense citadel with high sandstone walls 4 km (2.5 miles) long, set by the town's five natural harbours, it immediately takes you back in time. Built on the site of ancient Rhodes, begun some four centuries prior to the birth of Christ, the Old Town came to serve as the headquarters of the Knights of St John in 1309, one of the most powerful organisations of the early second millennium. Their principle aim was to provide medical care for pilgrims on their journeys to the Holy Land, but they became one of the leading military opponents of Islam and the front line against the fierce Muslim armies coming from the East. In 1522, after a long siege, Ottoman forces wrenched Rhodes from the grasp of the Knights and thus began four hundred years of Muslim Turkish rule. Vestiges of their influence can still be found within the walls. The turn of the 20th century saw the Ottomans in decline and in 1912, following the Italian-Turkish War, the Dodecanese islands (including Rhodes), were ceded to Italy. A great deal of time and money was invested in renovating and excavating sites on the island.
