Acropolis Lindos Rhodes

The charming Lindos village is located southeast of the Rhodes island about 55 kilometers from the capital. It is a characteristic Greek village with white houses once the homes of fishermen and captains, an intricate lane to explore without any itinerary planned with mosaic courtyards, with black and white stones where you can touch ancient Greece with your hand.

The development of Lindos began with the Doric era but its peak reached it in the 4th century BC under Cleobulus a statesman considered one of the seven wise men of antiquity.

The beautiful Acropolis built on a steep rock 116 meters high above the city, is like a large natural balcony with a magnificent view of the archipelago. The walls were fortified by the Knights in the fourteenth century by adding a large access staircase. Most of the Acropolis monuments were erected between 447 and 406 BC. from an artistic program of Pericles, the strategist who ruled Athens for thirty years.

The monuments in this place testify to the power and wealth of Lindos, we find the remains of the Minerva Lindia Temple from the 4th century BC, the propylaea (the entrance) and the great Hellenistic Stoà, a Byzantine church (Aghios Ioannis), the center administrative of the period of the Knights, a bell tower of the eleventh century. Going up the stairs to the Acropolis, after the first ramp on the left, the famous ship of Lindos carved in the rock on which rests the statue in honor of the admiral of Mikion. Lindos Castle which is located in ancient Acropolis is not part of the remains of the time, it was built during the domination of the Knights of Rhodes in the medieval period and then later restored between 1913 and 1947. Inside the castle a large courtyard with a church dedicated to Saint John from the Byzantine period, and the columns of the III century BC which in the Hellenistic period were part of the Stoà. Also worth visiting is the Amphitheater built on the western side of the Acropolis in the area of the small port of Saint Paul.

Founded more than 4000 years ago, this village still retains evidence of the dominations of the Byzantines, Franks and Turks, but the great tourist attraction in the center of Lindos made of cubic white houses with almost labyrinthine lanes, are its lively bars and delicious taverns typical.

We cannot imagine anything more romantic than a dinner for two in a restaurant on the roof of a traditional Greek house, admiring a suggestive view of the illuminated houses.

In the shadow of the splendid Acropolis do not miss the Saint Paul Bay, recognized by many as one of the most beautiful beaches on the Rhodes island. To distinguish it are several aspects: first of all its crystal clear water, secondly its shape which recalls the typical one of a swimming pool, being in fact inside a suggestive natural harbor. Its name is linked to that of Saint Paul, which according to legend would have landed in this place in 58 AD to evangelize the inhabitants of the island.

To get on the fortress during the summer, you can choose between two options that feature the Greek flavor which consists in climbing on the back of a donkey, or make it on foot. Personally we preferred to do it on foot, the animals are treated very well mind you, but we preferred to avoid the effort to the animal given the heat. If you decide to opt for the donkey, the cost is around € 5. In the other alternative, that is, on foot, we recommend that you have comfortable shoes, a hat to protect yourself from the sun and water even if at the top of the Acropolis there is a well-stocked kiosk.

The Acropolis of Lindos and its village are an unmissable stop in Rhodes, dedicate a day to it you will not regret it.