My Rhodes holidays
If you already follow me on Instagram and Snapchat (@lauracomolli), you will know that for June 2nd holidays (here in Italy is the Festival of the Republic) I treated myself to a trip organized by me. Finally with my boyfriend. After so many separate trips, we decided to leave together for an exciting new destination: the Greek island of Rhodes! Here’s my travel diary!
We must start by saying that the journey is longer than you can imagine: it takes two flights to get to Rhodes. We started from Milan Malpensa and we made a stopover in Athens. Yes, because Rhodes is the easternmost of the Dodecanese Islands: just 18 km from the coast of Turkey. The total journey time is around 5 hours, but it totally worth it!
Once arrived at the Diagoras airport, we rented a car. I recommend to rent something to take you around the entire island, which is quite large. An island rich in history and beaches, all to be discovered!
We landed late at night, hungry, and after taking the car we spotted just off the Memphis BBQ Grili (in the city of Rhodes, northern part of the island). In Greece, in general, I noticed that most of the restaurant are used to serve dinner until late night. We were lucky to be able to eat despite the time (it was o1:00 am in the morning)!
After dinner we headed straight to the hotel, located along the southeast coast of the island! We stayed at the Rodos Princess Settemari resort (which is an hour and ten minutes from the airport). Dipped in the Mediterranean vegetation sloping down to the sea (a beautiful little bay of sand and pebbles), it also offers 4 swimming pools, for every tastes! In this period, in June, tourism is already strong for the presence of mainly British and Germans, for whom it is already time for the summer holidays. To welcome us the morning after our arrival there was Carlotta, the super nice girl of Settemari, that recommended us all places that we could not miss. Because we only had two full days and then had to take advantage of them!
FIRST DAY
After breakfast we set off on our rental car to St. Paul’s Bay, a beautiful bay just below Lindos (one of the main towns on the island of Rhodes). Oleanders, clear water, rocks and white sand in a beach with wood and straw umbrellas. A little corner of paradise, perhaps my favorite beach on the island!
Oleanders color and perfume not only St. Paul, but also all the way to reach it!
From this last photo you can catch a glimpse of the Acropolis, even more beautiful at night when it is fully illuminated! We held in St. Paul’s Bay until lunchtime, to enjoy it in a small restaurant on the beach that we had scored just arrived, the Tambakio. Coincidentally my boyfriend and I ordered the exact same dishes: grilled octopus, fig salad and pita (their bread) with chili! We both had a great desire to eat fish and here is so fresh, almost just caught!
In the afternoon, around 04.00 pm, we moved North to see Anthony Quinn Bay beach. A small, protected bay, which has a history a bit special. It owes its name to the famous Hollywood actor, known for his role in The Guns of Navaroni, film shot in Rhodes and that has made the island worldwide famous. It’s been said that Quinn, totally in love with this bay, have tried to buy a large property not far from the beach, but he failed.
Late in the afternoon we took the car and drove for about an hour to go and visit the ancient city of Rhodes, at sunset. Entirely surrounded by walls, inside you can breathe a lot of history that it has lived. It is really impressive to walk the narrow streets, between inevitable oleanders and houses arranged in detail. Everywhere are sleepy cats crouched on the windows. We have gone down to the harbor to see where there was the ancient Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Legend says it was a huge statue of the god Helios with two legs that served its own entrance to the port itself. In fact many say it was not in that position, but in another part of the island. We do not know who is right because the remains were never been found!
For dinner we stopped at one of the many charming cafes of Rhodes, Nireas Restaurant, which has affected more than others by the fact of tables being among trees whose trunks were lit by little yellow lights. We tried some typical Greek dishes: sea urchins, limpets, mini shrimps and a tuna tartare with sesame. All delicious!
SECOND DAY
The second day, after breakfast, we left our Rodos Princess Settemari heading South this time. After about an hour’s drive, we reached Prassonissi beach. Lapped by the sea on both sides. By one from the Aegean Sea, more calm and ideal for swimming, while the other from the Mediterranean Sea, windiest and populated by wind and kite surfers. Separated only by a thin strip of golden sand!
In the afternoon we returned to St. Paul’s Bay, the beach of the first day, my favorite (as I told you before)! We relaxed, we sunbathed and made a long bath, followed by an excellent ice cream (with the particularity of the black cone, that I had never tasted before).
Before dinner we took a walk at sunset in Lindos, which is just above the beach. Here also there are lots of oleanders in every corner!
For dinner we chose to return to Tambakio, the delightful restaurant of the beach where we had lunch the first day. My boyfriend ordered the olives as an appetizer and then the linguine with seafood. I wanted to try the Lindos shrimp (mini exquisite typical local shrimp) and then the same fig salad that I had already ordered the day before at lunch.
The following day the alarm was sounded soon (we had to catch the 6:40 am flight), but this allowed us to see the sunrise!
I hope you enjoyed my Rhodes travel diary and that it will be useful for planning your vacation!
Happy Monday and happy start to the week to you all!
GIORNO 1 – DAY 1
VESTITO – DRESS: MariaGrazia Severi
BIKINI: Anjuna Collection
SANDALI – SANDALS: Sarenza
OCCHIALI DA SOLE – SUNGLASSES: Unique Design Milano
GIORNO 2 – DAY 2
VESTITO – DRESS: MariaGrazia Severi
BIKINI: Anjuna Collection
SANDALI – SANDALS: Sarenza
LAURA’S TRAVEL GUIDES
