Greek Island Guide
Dodecanese Islands
Dodecanese Islands
|
The Dodecanese chain of islands are the most southeastern in Greece. A few of the islands are close enough to Turkey for day-trips though the islands are so beautiful you may not feel like leaving. Ferries leave Pireaus in the late afternoon and arrive in Rhodes some fifteen hours later after stopping in Patmos, Kalymnos, Leros and Kos. Some of the islands have a well developed tourist infrastructure with fancy resorts and packed beaches while others are perfect for those who seek an escape from the masses. Click on the names of the islands below or scroll down to see my descriptions and links to more information, photos, hotels, restaurants and more. You can use the top button to return. When you finish you can use this link or the link at the bottom of the page to return to Greek Island Synopsis Main Menu. If you want help with your Greek Island combination try my Create-an-Itinerary page. If you have any questions or can't decide what you want to do you can always e-mail me . If you find this page useful please share it with your friends on Facebook. For ferry schedules and tickets visit Ferryhopper.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Astypalia |
|
Halki Halki (or Chalki) is a small island which caters to package tourists looking for an unspoiled island. For that reason it is tough to find a room. When the sponge in the area died out many of the inhabitants moved to Tarpon Springs Florida and the old Horio is deserted. There is a daily caique connecting the island to Rhodes and a hydrofoil once a week to Kalymnos, Kos, Nisiros and Tilos, but no ferries since there are no cars on the island. You can find hotels on Booking.com's Halki Page. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com. |
|
Kalymnos For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com |
|
Going to Karpathos is like going to another world if you have never been to Greece before or if you have traveled in Greece before, a way of life you thought had disappeared a half a century ago. Don't come here to party but to watch, listen and learn. The island is very traditional, especially the mountain village of Olympos which was isolated for centuries and still carries on many medieval customs and crafts and is one of the most beautiful villages in Greece. One side of the island is rocky while the other is more fertile and green. A line of mountains separate the two sides. Many nice beaches some with hotels and restaurants but tourism has not gotten out of hand here...yet even with direct flights from some European cities and of course Athens. The port town of Pigadia is the island's capital and has hotels, restaurants and cafes on an active waterfront. There are only a couple ferries a week from Pireaus and perhaps one or two a week to Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, Milos, Kassos, Halki, Paros, and Naxos. For hotels see my Karpathos Hotel Suggestions or search Booking.com's Karpathos Page or see Matt's Hotels of Greece Karpathos Page or contact Aegean Thesaurus Travel. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com |
|
A great island for walking and witnessing the vanishing traditions of Greek island life. One of the least visited islands in Greece. You can walk from the main village of Phry to all the other villages and beaches on the island or to the two monasteries. There are only 2 boats a week from Pireaus. There is an airport though with flights to Athens, Karpathos and Rhodes. My favorite restaurant in Athens is called Bakalogatos and the owners are from Kassos and so they serve a lot of food from the island and if the food on the island is as good as the restaurant you should go. For hotels see Booking.com's Kassos Page. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com |
|
This tiny island was made famous by the film Mediterraneo, a must-see for anyone visiting Greece. It is also called Megisti. The island has no beaches but has instead the rocky coves that make it one of the best islands for snorkling. The island has a dramatic history and has been occupied by just about everyone and was even bombed severely during WWII. There are also excursion boats to the islets which surround Kastellorizo including the island of Ro whose last inhabitant, Despina Achladioti, died in 1982. Every day she would raise the Greek flag over the small island, clearly visible from the Turkish coast and she became a symbol of the Greek Spirit in the face of adversity. There are daily flights to and from Rhodes to Kastellorizo in the summer and ferries twice a week to Kalymnos, Kos, Rhodes, Symi and Tilos. For hotels see Booking.com's Kastellorizo pageor Matt's Hotels of Greece Kastelorizo Page or contact Aegean Thesaurus Travel. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com. The Megisti Hotel is a 4-star hotel located on the east side of Kastellorizo’s beautiful natural harbour. |
|
Very
popular with Scandinavians in the past, Kos is rich in archaeology including
Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian
sites. Many of the islands beautiful beaches
used to be quite crowded just as they are in
Mykonos and Santorini and the other popular
islands, but a drop in the number of package
tourists mean there are bargains to be found.
The interior of the island is still
undeveloped, fertile and agricultural and best
of all, largely flat so that riding bicycles
(and of course motorbikes) is a fun way to get
around. There are daily ferries to and from
Pireaus and the other large islands of the
Dodecanese, daily boats to Bodrun in Turkey
and three flights a day to and from Athens.
There are also several boats a week going to
the smaller islands. If you are coming in the
summer better book in advance (as
anywhere).
For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com See Guide to Kos: Island of Hippocrates by Marc Dubin |
|
One of the undiscovered treasures of the Dodecanese Islands with everything a traveler would want including castles, ancient sites, churches and great food. The main port of Laki is one of the best examples of Art Deco Architecture, though it is actually called Italian Rationalist, in a city created from scratch in a swampy area when the island was a part of Italy. It was designed by Mussolini's architects in 1923, though the capital is in the village of Platanos and most of the hotels, restaurants and nightlife in the beach towns of Pandeli, Agia Marina and Alinda. The rest of the island is green with stunning beaches and large bays. One of the most important islands during the Second World War when it was controlled by the Italians, then the Germans and finally the English. The waters around it are full of sunken warships, other boats and even planes that were shot down and is considered one of the most exciting places for diving in Greece. It is also the base for sailing trips to the coast of Turkey and the other Dodekanese islands including dozens that you have never heard of. Daily or almost daily boats from Pireaus make the overnight trip and then continue on to the other larger Dodecanese islands. There is also a daily flight from Athens in the summer. You can find hotels for Leros on Booking.com's Leros Page or visit Matt's Hotels of Greece Leros Page. You can also book holidays on Leros through Aegean Thesaurus Travel. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com. |
|
Lipsi Few people had heard of the small island of Lipsi until 2002 when the leader of the Greek terrorist group November 17th was captured here in his villa where he had been quietly living for the last 15 years or so. But Lipsi is one of the most interesting of the small islets that sit between Patmos and the coast of Turkey. Despite it being a relatively unknown island there is some package tourist activity here and just showing up because you assume you will find a room may be unwise in July or August. There is really only one town which is the port. With a number of good tavernas in town, a few hotels and a dozen beaches within walking distance and a few ouzeries on the waterfront, this may be the quiet island you are looking for, if you can get here. A travel agent can help but finding one that books Lipsi maybe tough. Try Aegean Thesaurus Travel who seem to be willing to book the islands that other agents have no interest in. Otherwise you will probably be more successful using Booking.com's Lipsi page. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com. |
|
This fertile island is actually an active volcano, one of 4 in Greece. Even though there is little water it is rich in agriculture because of the mineral rich soil. The colorful port of Mandraki is host to an ancient acropolis, a monastery and a black stone beach. There is a thermal spa at Loutra. The volcano itself attracts many visitors and the villages of Nikea and Emboreios sit on the rim with spectacular views of the caldera. An excellent island for walking, the volcano has created and altered some incredible landscapes. There are several ferries and hydrofoils from Kalymnos, Kos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos and Kastellorizo. For hotels see Booking.com's Nisyros Page or Matt's Hotels of Greece Nisyros Page. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com |
|
Patmos is a quiet
island at night but a busy stop by day for
Cruise ships. With great
beaches and landscape this is where the
Apocalypse of John, or Revelation was
written. The main town of Skala caters to the
many people who arrive on cruise ships but is
still a comfortable enough place to base
yourself to see the rest of the island. A
place you have to visit is the monastery of
Saint John the Theologian, above Skala, and the
Monastery of the Apocalypse built around the
cave where John had his vision of the end of
times. A popular island with spiritually
minded people, there is no denying the feeling
of sacredness here. There are
daily ferries from Pireaus for the almost overnight
trip, continuing on to Kalymnos, Kos, leros
and Rhodes. There is a daily hydrofoil in the
summer to Ikaria, Samos and Fourni and another
small boat to the picturesque island of
Lipsi. For hotels on Patmos
see
Booking.com's Patmos Hotels Read Marc Dubin's Guide to Patmos |
|
Rhodes is one of the most cosmopolitan island in the Dodecanese and rivals both Santorini and Mykonos as one of the most popular islands in Greece. Rhodes town is more of a city but a nice one, in fact I could happily live here. The old town is something special, a medieval walled city and one of the most important historical sites in the world including a fantastic castle built by the Knights of Saint John. Lots of nightlife, and plenty of archaeology to get through the days if beaches packed with beautiful women (and men) bore you. Check out the rest of the island which is agricultural with great beaches and some fancy resorts, villages, mountains and the longest summer of any Greek island. Lindos is picturesque and packed during the season but go early or late and share it with the locals. Plenty of undiscovered spots but you will need a car to find them. Don't forget the Valley of the Butterflies. Well they are moths actually but nonetheless impressive. Several
boats a day during the summer from Pireaus do
the overnight journey and a cabin is
recommended. These boats stop in Patmos,
Kalymnos, Leros and Kos along the way. As the
hub of the Dodecanese islands, there are boats
to all the islands in the chain as well as
several a week to other islands in the
Cyclades and NE Aegean islands and
Thessaloniki, or at least there was before the economic crisis. There are daily boats to
Marmaris in Turkey, only an hour or so away so
you can go there for the day. There is an international airport
too. There are
daily boats as well as to the nearby islands
of Symi, Halki, Tilos and the other
Dodecanese. Many people do day trips to the
other islands. Rhodes is on the itinerary of just about every cruise so if you are going on a Greek-Island Cruise you will be stopping here. If not, you should probably find another Greek Island cruise. Check out Fantasy Travel's Greek Island Cruise Page for itineraries and timetables. I loved it here on Rhodes and actually shopped for a house here. I stayed at the
Hotel Mediterranean in town right on the
beach where the Aegean sea meets the
Mediterranean.
See my
Guide to Rhodes
(One of my better
pages) |
|
Besides having eon of the most beautiful harbor towns in Greece, Symi is also known for its beautiful bays and pebbled beaches, best reached by small boats that leave frequently. Daily boats between Symi and Rhodes and many people come for the day to eat in the restaurants and wander around the beautiful town. There are several ferries a week to Kalymnos, Kos, Kastellorizo, Rhodes and Tilos as well as a hydrofoil twice a week. There are a couple ferries a week to and from Pireaus. Symi has a thriving X-pat community and would not be a bad place to live if you are thinking about getting away from it all. You can find hotels for Symi on Booking.com's Symi Page. You can also finds hotel on Matt's Hotels of Greece Symi Page. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com |
|
Tilos is a great island for walking, with deserted villages, dramatic landscapes, a spectacular monastery, a medieval castle and uncrowded beaches. There are plenty of places to stay in Livadia and camping is permitted on the beaches.There are several ferries a week to Kalymnos, Kos, Kastellorizo, Rhodes and Simi as well as a hydrofoil twice a week. For the past 16 years, Tilos, has banned hunting and has as a result become a paradise for birds, some of them endangered. Animal protection groups and the Mayor of Tilos are attempting to create an official natural park in Tilos which will guarantee a long term hunting ban. However, local hunting clubs are putting pressure on the Greek Government and islanders to lift the ban and are thereby jeopardising efforts to shift the island economy to conservation uses of their natural resources. If I am not mistaken, Tilos was the first island to legalize same-sex marriage in Greece. For more about Tilos see J Kathleen Thompson's Guide to Tilos You can find hotels for Tilos on Booking.com's Tilos Page. For ferry schedules see Ferryhopper.com |
|
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Return to Greek Island Index
Join Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guides Group on Facebook for comments, photos and other fun stuff. If you enjoy this website please share it with your friends on Facebook or whatever social media you are currently addicted to. If you are appreciative of all the free information you get on my websites you can send a donation through Paypal or you can use Venmo
