'I went to Rhodes after wildfires - you can still have a brilliant holiday'
If ever you've dreamed of visiting a sun-drenched Greek island, now may be the time and Rhodes the one.
Three weeks after a wildfire spread across the southern edge of the landmass, the blaze is long since out and the holiday destination well up and running. The relatively small affected area is being rebuilt, shoots are growing through the ashes and the roads have been cleared.
The rest of Rhodes is as it was before - full of intriguing history, populated by some of the most hospitable people in the world, and well set up for families, couples and long travellers seeking a break from it all.
Now the fierce July heat is behind us along with the fires - which have caused demand to dip a little, bringing prices down with it - a last-minute trip to Rhodes doesn't need to be off the cards.
I went to Rhodes on a trip to see what's worth exploring if you've got a holiday booked this summer...
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Hotels
Rhodes is back to normal after the wildfires (Getty Images)Only two hotels of the 546 hotels on the island were burnt in the fire, with the majority many miles from the now extinguished flames. Even those that were close are back up and running and bustling again.
I was lucky enough to stay at the Aegean Park in Kolymbia, an all inclusive hotel with 189 rooms ranging from around £400 for a family of four. The most luxurious have swim up pools and Playstations, but all have access to a variety of swimming spots, flumes, an excellent buffet and bar run by cheerful tenders until 1am. The hotel is mostly populated by Brits and Swedes, with activities including a 7am run, silent movie night and pool aerobics laid on in both languages.
Kolymbia in the east of the island is crammed full of high end hotels (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The TUI Sensatori Atlantica Dreams in Gennadi is one of the hotels that found itself caught up in the wildfires, which mercifully stopped just metres short of its perimeter. Life has returned to normal in this cheerful family hotel that has an upbeat atmosphere, indoor and outdoor pools, and a full-sized cinema.
If you are celebrating something really special, then the Lindos Blu several miles down the road from the Sensatori may be perfect. It is the best rated TUI hotel in the world and for good reason. The food served on a terrace that has one of the best views of the coast in Rhodes is delicious, and the staff exceptional.
Abandoned buildings
The abandoned sanatorium had some creepy graffiti (Milo Boyd)If you have an adventurous spirit, an interest in history or simply want to secure some edgy album-cover worthy photos, then heading into the hills towards Rhodes' many abandoned buildings is a great way to spend an afternoon. While locals may rue a lack of investment which has left once grand buildings undeveloped and slowly crumbling, they can be particularly beautiful.
The Verlaten Hotel never managed to welcome in its first paying guest, instead attracting urban explorers with a skeleton of high ceilings, stone arches and long steps that give the half-finished project a cathedral like air. Nearby the doors are falling off an old sanitorium which offers stunning views of the hills from the roof for those brave enough to ignore the creepy graffiti scrawled on the walls.
It is not fair to say the Nikolaos Fountoukli Holy Orthodox Church is abandoned, but the small Byzantine church structure is open to the fresh air, its secluded location meaning you're likely to enjoy its fading elaborately frescoed walls in peace. Drive slowly through the hills and you'll find plenty more collapsing structures calling out to be explored.
Rhodes City
Hippocrates Square sits in the centre of the Old Town (Getty Images)The capital of Rhodes is a town by the same name in the north of the island, where the iconic statue once stood before it was destroyed by an earthquake and its pieces eventually stolen to be sold as scrap. Tour guides will show you where the ancient wonder once stood on Mandraki Harbour, which is now bustling with holidaymakers.
Today the biggest tourist spot is the city's fort which was built over hundreds of years and is full of historical treasures. The mosaics are particularly impressive, especially as they were brought to the island from overseas in one piece by digging around the artworks.
Walk through the fort walls and you'll get to the Old Town, which is made up of a network of cobbled-streets and quaint lanes that are lined with a mix of Turkish bazaar-esque shops, bistros and bars, as well as plenty of cats.
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Butterfly Valley
Thousands of butterflies emerge in the summer season (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Also known as Petaloudes Valley, the unusual nature park in northern Rhodes comes alive between June and September when thousands upon thousands of multi-coloured butterflies cling to the many Oriental Sweetgum trees. All of the insects are the same sub-species of Jersey tiger moth that is particular to the island.
The only sound visitors can hear is the chirping of the cicadas and the murmuring of the cool water as they wander down paved paths between ponds and small inexhaustible waterfalls.
The food
"We're not in Turkey, don't expect too much from the food," a Dutch woman told me on my first day in Rhodes. She went on to express some great views about bicycles, but on this she was wrong.
The island is famed for its honey, with a stretch of the hillsides towards the east supporting a population of bees that produce the wares for a festival celebrating the produce. It is drizzled on many of the delicious, baclava like pastries. Meatless moussaka, chopped Greek salads with locally produced feta, and plenty of hummus can be found if you're vegetarian. Most hotels run Rhodes' nights which add lamb skewers and stuffed peppers to the buffet.
There are no fast food restaurants on the island that I saw (beyond the airport Burger King), but the extremely generous, hours long dinners locals might treat you to means there'll be little room for anything like that. Leaving dishes half eaten or untouched seems to be a common way to get through eight or nine course meals, and is not considered rude.
Lindos
The acropolis sits atop the hill overlooking Lindos (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Lindos is arguably the jewel in Rhodes' crown. Sadly the Colossus has long since crumbled and (please excuse the fun myth spoiler) could not have stood astride the harbour despite being the tallest statue in the ancient world at 33m high. The acropolis that stands above Lindos is still exist and is stunning.
Built from the 10th century BC, visitors can walk through winding cobbled streets selling replica football shirts to the bottom of the multi-layered temple. Once pilgrims had to wait in the middle layer for 40 days eating no meat until they were considered pure enough to pay their respect at the second highest level. The top was reserved for priests.
Today a cheap ticket lets you ascend all the way there, diet and spiritual leanings no matter. The view from beneath the columns' remains is of the twinkling water in the Bay of St Paul, where the apostle is said to have first landing, bringing Christianity to Rhodes. From the other side you see the iconic white homes and restaurants of Lindos scattered up the hillside. If you want to rub shoulders with the best dressed people on the island and a fancy fish dinner, this is the place to go.
Beaches and wildlife
Given how southern it is and the recent wildfires, it is perhaps surprising to some first time visitors to find how green Rhodes is. Woodlands stretch across much of the hilly areas that are crisscrossed with hiking trails. The temperature is cooler up here, but is probably a bit hot for a walk in the midday sun.
If you do make it until the wilderness there's a high chance of seeing some of the dama-dama deer, whose population was reduced from 6,000 to 4,000 in the fires. They are delicate looking animals currently being helped by human residents of Rhodes keen to keep a species unique to the island thriving. Mother cats and their kittens are also adorably dotted across the place, as are thick trunked, 1,000 year old olive trees and branches heaving with figs, both free to pluck.
Rhodes has 157miles of coastline, and there's plenty of variety to choose from. Most hotels have private access to a short beach of their own with loungers and lifeguards. The west of the island is less built up and so offers wilder spots where you're more likely to find some privacy.
Wherever you are, the water is almost bath warm in the summer and clear enough to see through to the bottom.
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