Destinations - Mediterranean - Rhodes

Located only seven miles from the Turkish coast, Rhodes is one of Greece’s favored vacation centers.

In ancient times, the entrance to its harbor featured a celebrated landmark, the Colossus of Rhodes. The 105-foot statue rose from a 35-foot stone base and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Rhodes was an important cultural center with a well-known School of Rhetoric attended by such greats as Cicero and Caesar. From a school for sculptors came the famous Laocoon group, which is now in the Vatican Museum.

Rhodes' most famous attractions originated with the Knights of St. John, who occupied parts of the island from 1310 to 1522. As their legacy they left a medieval town, dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Knights' Hospital. The whole is encircled by one of the best-preserved walls in Europe.

Rhodes has inspired many artists; it’s not uncommon to come across a painter at work in one of the shady squares. The Old Town also offers plenty of shopping opportunities and a lively nightlife.

Not far from the city stands Mount Filerimos, where a church has been built on the site of an ancient temple. A popular excursion is to the charming village of Lindos. Its premier attraction, the ancient acropolis, stands at the top of sheer cliffs. Walls of a 13th-century Crusader castle enclose the site. Excavations at the beginning of this century brought to light a plaque inscribed by a priest of Athena in 99 B.C. listing the dignitaries who visited the Temple of the Lindian Athena - Hercules, Helen of Troy, Menelaus, Alexander the Great and the King of Persia. Today, the winding path up to the acropolis is lined by stalls, where locals sell lace tablecloths and a wide range of souvenirs.

View all the cruises that call at Rhodes, Mediterranean cruise destination

Companies: Hapag Lloyd Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Hebridean Island Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, P & O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Swan Hellenic, Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Fred.Olsen Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Ocean Village, Royal Caribbean International, Star Clippers, Voyages of Discovery, Windstar Cruises,

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