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Introduction
The summer is always too short and that's especially true here in Berlin or other northern climates. Luckily, Germany offers many days of vacation to those working and living in the country. With roughly 30 days of vacation, you can take advantage of other climates and extend your summer with precise planning. After only a 3-hour, direct flight, you can find yourself in a completely different environment with beautiful, warm weather. The setting of Rhodes provides the traveler with a very interesting and beautiful view of islands, coastlines, and the open sea. Our flight was luckily during a clear afternoon so we had a spectacularly clear image of the area.
Landing in Rhodes
As you approach Rhodes, many nearby islands and the Turkish coastline, come into focus. After descending toward the runway, it appeared that we would be landing on the water but luckily the pilot hit the mark with the landing directly along the coast. We were also fortunate enough to see the kiteboarders taking advantage of the coastal breeze and enjoying the last couple of hours of sunlight. It was very rainy and cold departing from Berlin, so the 35-degree weather, mixed with the palm trees and beach was a nice change of pace and scenery. The moment the flight staff opened the doors we were transported to another world. The warm and humid air, the sea, the language, the smells and sounds were all screaming vacation! The bus ride was quite full but took only 30 minutes to bring us downtown to the impressive old city.
I couldn't be more excited to go out and enjoy some of the amazing food I was smelling all around me. We checked into our hotel and quickly made our way to the nearby restaurant which was almost entirely outdoor seating. I had to go with the octopus in red-wine sauce with a mash of fava beans. It was speaking to me since I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten octopus and Greece is certainly the place to get it. After some perfectly cooked, whole octopus and a nice glass of wine, it was time for some much needed sleep!
Transportation on Rhodes
Most of the time, I'm happy to take the local, public transportation when I travel. It's usually a nice way to see a new city at a low cost but this time we chose a rental car to get around. It took a while to find a vehicle due to the high demand and the fact that we booked it last minute but we eventually got our minivan! No, we did not need that large of a car but that was about the only offer available, unless we wanted a more expensive convertible and I'm personally not a fan. Despite the high price, I believe we made a great decision since we were able to take our time, adhere to our own schedule and see all the beautiful sites the island had to offer.
We initially used our vehicle to get to Pefkos, a beach town just past the more famous, Lindos to the southwest. We were extremely pleased with our decision, since Lindos was incredibly crowded, had tight streets and wouldn't have given us the relaxing vacation vibe we were looking for. The minivan enabled us to take a few day trips, including a day at and nearby Lindos. Renting a car, or scooter for that matter, is a great way to get around an island. You have tons of freedom and don't have to rely on inconsistent or unreliable buses. You can also go to the more hidden or obscure locations that public transportation can't always reach. Judging by the timetable and locations of the bus stops, I believe we would have wasted a lot of time and would have been very limited in our possibilities . The minivan turned out to be a great choice and also functioned as our transportation back to Rhodos city when we needed to fly back home.
Which Beach on Rhodes is the best?
"Variety is the spice of life" is a nice proverb that comes to mind. Rhodes has so many types of beaches that it's probably best to see a few depending on what you are looking for. Both Pefkos and Tsambiko had a nice sandy beach and were great for relaxing, ordering food and drinks from your lounge chair and occasionally cooling off in the water after a couple hours of a nice book. I was also able to get a stand-up paddle board for the about an hour and a half at a very good price at Pefkos beach. The rental hut had a few different options such as power boats, sailboats and the people running it were very nice and easy-going. This provided me with a beautiful view of the rocky coast and gave me a unique vantage point of the surrounding area.
Tsambiko offered even more options for watersports but it appeared to be more expensive, at higher demand, and in some instances, quite weathered material. I believe this was just due to the high demand and popularity of the beach. The backdrop to this beach was also quite stunning, as the rocky cliffs provided a natural barrier to the extent of the beach in both directions. The cliffs were hundreds of meters high and seemed impenetrable from the beach. Large, imposing, white-stone faces that contrasted vividly with the turquoise waters.
The Grande Blue was completely different, in that it had a beach composed of pebbles, had a large, cliff entry and had a great seafood restaurant peering out over the swimming bay. We ended up ordering some mussels and an ice-cold beer to go with it; all the while looking out over the gorgeous bay, itching to get in the water. Of course we had to get down to the water as soon as we finished our appetizer and drinks. the bay was crystal clear with more of a reef underwater that left me wishing that I had brought my snorkeling gear.
The Cuisine of Rhodes
Greek food can be unbelievable but from my experience, it can be quite heavy for those who are not used to it. Since I had difficulties the last time I visited with all of the dairy, meats, and baked goods, I decided to take a slightly lighter approach and focus on the seafood and salads. I was extremely happy with my decision and I believe my digestive system also breathed a sigh of relief. The aforementioned octopus set the tone for the rest of the trip and many more great meals followed. My best meal would have to be the seabass that I ordered in Pefkos. Not only was it delicious but it was also beautifully garnished and plated. I felt that it simultaneously looked and tasted like a piece of art. The filet was cut up into four pieces which were all separated by a spinach rice and a vibrant beet puree. The colors, textures, and flavors were in stark contrast to one another and fit together like a perfect puzzle. The setting provided the final piece to this puzzle. The restaurant's terrace was on the second story across the street from the beach. We also went there quite early and had the place to ourselves until the very end of our meal which coincided with sunset.
Island Hopping from Rhodes
Greece is home to thousands of islands and depending on how you count those islands, the number varies significantly. The important thing to take away from this, is that you should definitely explore and get out on the water! With so many options, it would be difficult to get bored or not find something or somewhere that intrigues you. Rhodes, is a great island but curiosity and adventure got the best of us. We were able to find an affordable, last minute ferry to the nearby island of Symi. It had a very specific style that was composed of a variety bold colors, painted onto the buildings that were scattered all around a naturally occurring harbor. The ferry ride only lasted an hour from Rhodes city and the route was alongside the Turkish coast most of the way. As you approach the island, you are gently guided into the narrowing harbor that leads you to the main town of Symi. The view gets progressively more beautiful as you go deeper and deeper in-between the massive cliffs. The water, buildings, yachts and stone walkways all come into view and invite you into the vibrant fishing village. Although very small, I believe this would be a great spot to spend a few days or even a week if you are taking it very slow and easy. the restaurants, bars, cafes and beaches all looked and smelled amazing. I'm sure it would be difficult to run out of things to do.
Terminology:
Precise - Very specific or accurate in quality
Spectacularly - Dramatically beautiful
Descending - moving in a downward trend
Hit the mark - Achieved the goal or
Change of pace - pace is the tempo in which you do something so a change of pace often describes a change in lifestyle
Speaking to me - in this context, I mean that the food was particularly standing out or exciting for me
Despite - Without being affected by something or disregarding an assumed connection or issue.
Adhere - to follow or subscribe to a belief or method
Enabled - to allow to work or to be made possible
Inconsistent - Infrequent, irregular
Obscure - not typical or ordinary; niche
Proverb - Well-known saying or generally accepted truth or advice
Vantage Point- the point from which you can have a nice view of something
Weathered - to be worn out or aged
Impenetrable - When something cannot be passed through or entered
Imposing - large or impressive in appearance
Peering out - To look out with curiosity or to emerge into view
Itching to(do something) - When someone cant wait or is extremely excited to do something
Sigh of relief - the sound and movement of a deep exhale after a tense or exhausting moment
Aforementioned - Referring back to something you already introduced earlier
Set the tone - To establish an atmosphere or standard for something
Simultaneously - happening or occurring at the same time
Coincide - Come together as one or to happen at once
To intrigue - Create interest or curiosity about something