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Travel Guide to Dodecanese islands of Greece
The Greek Dodecanese islands of Greece hug the coast of Turkey in the far south east
corner of the Aegean Sea. Dodeka means 12 in Greek and refers to the group of
islands which was granted special privileges for willingly submitting to the
Turkish sultans who held sway here for centuries. In fact there are 32 islands
in total - 18 of which are uninhabited. Having suffered a turbulent history at
the hands of various invaders, these days the Dodecanese islands happily embrace the
seasonal arrival of international tourists who come here to enjoy the islands'
hot climate, beautiful beaches and spectacular historic sites. Rhodes is the capital of the archipelago - by far the biggest island in the
group with good air and sea links to the other islands, Athens, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel.
Rhodes and Kos both have international airports with regular
charter flights to and from the UK and other European destinations. If you're
planning an island-hopping tour of the Dodecanese your best bet is to fly into
one of the main islands then rely on ferries or hydrofoils to take you the
rest of the way. Your holiday here can be whatever you want it to be. Dodecanese islands offer
ancient walking trails, awe-inspiring archaeological sites, some of the
holiest places of pilgrimage in Greece and magnificent medieval castles.
You'll also find some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe - it's been said
that Rhodes has more bars and discos per person than New York, Paris or
Berlin. And the frantic frolicking at the island's top seaside resort of
Faliraki has attracted international media attention on more than one
occasion.
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Kos, the second largest island in the group, can give Rhodes a run for its
money when it comes to serious partying. Besides hardened revellers, the
island also attracts hordes of visitors to the medical school and sanctuary
built in the 4th century BC after the death of Hippocrates, the Father of
Modern Medicine who was born on the island. One of the archipelago's top tourist attractions is the magnificent
Monastery of St John on the "holy island" of Patmos where the apostle compiled
the Book of Revelation, the last book of the bible. You can visit the Cave of
the Apocalypse where St John "The Divine" is said to have received a series of
visions and heard the word of God through a cleft in the rock.
Those thirsting for a taste of the "real Greece" will find some lovely
unspoilt corners mercifully unscathed by the ravages of mass tourism. The
rugged mountains of Karpathos conceal delightful villages where age-old
customs are fiercely preserved. The local women dress in traditional costumes,
grind their corn in the local windmills and bake bread in outdoor communal
ovens. Kalymnos offers mountainous scenery interspersed with fertile valleys, some
of the finest fresh fish tavernas in the Aegean and lovely unspoilt beaches,
some of which can only be accessed by boat. An increasing number of foreign travellers are starting to discover the
many delights of Leros which boasts good beaches and tourist facilities whilst
still retaining its essentially Greek character. But most package
holidaymakers by-pass the small islands of Symi and Tilos which appeal to
hikers, nature lovers and those who simply want to relax on an uncrowded
beach.
Transportation to the Dodecanese islands is very frequent. There are flights to the Dodecanese throughout the year, mainly from Athens Airport. The only Dodecanese island that receives flights from Thessaloniki and Heraklion, Crete is Rhodes. There are also scheduled flights that connect the Dodecanese islands to each other. The islands of Rhodes, Leros, Kos, Kasos, Karpathos, Astypalea and Kastelorizo have airports and interconnecting flights are programmed daily.
The price of airplane tickets to the Dodecanese depends on the season and the time of reservation. We suggest booking your flight well in advance for preferred seating and lower airfare.
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