Oosterdam European Adventure, Rhodes, Greece...

I was up early for the beautiful sail into Rhodes. Aga our guide for the day picked us up at the ship. Aga explained that Rhodes is the crossroads of religions with four; Ancient Greece, Knights of St. John, Ottoman (Muslim) and Venetian…this mix is evident in the architecture throughout the island. Our first stop was Mandraki Harbor. This is located on the eastern coast of Rhodes, near the New Town and stands as a historic port that captivates visitors with its enduring charm. We stopped at the Marine Gate, the entrance to the Old Town then visited the gateway to this ancient port. Two bronze stags named Elefos and the doe, Elafina stand as silent sentinels watching over the entrance to the port. Next, we walked to an architectural gem, the Church of the Annunciation, or as it's locally known, Evangelismos Church…another stunning Greek Orthodox Church. From here we drove up to the highest area in the city, Monte Smith Hill, for some nice views of the city. On this also sits the Acropolis of Rhodes. It stands at the highest point above Rhodes Town. The ruins date back to the 3rd century BC Classical Greek period. Unfortunately, the overgrowth of foliage has blocked a good view of the Stadium and Theatre. As well, on our last visit to Rhodes in 2017, the Temple of Apollo was covered in scaffolding and remains the same today. Leaving Rhodes town, we stopped at Kalithea Beach to see the Italian monument…Back in the day the area was originally a Hot Springs Spa for Italian officers’ wives. Next, we stopped at Holy Lady Sebeco Church, the oldest Greek Orthodox Church on the island. Being the start of Easter, and Palm Sunday, the church was overflowing with parishioners. Before stopping in Lindros, we went to St. Paul’s Bay to the see the picturesque views of the bay and the Acropolis. The Lindos Acropolis, stands 116 meters above sea level, is a dominant feature of the area. Its grandeur and majestic fortress walls provide a breathtaking backdrop to the town below. Aga dropped us at Lindros town square and we meandered through the narrow alleyways of the charming town for an hour. Rhodes’ second largest town is Lindos, perhaps the most beautiful on the island. Built more than 4,000 years ago, Lindos was constructed around the base of the Acropolis. The village is quaint, bustling with tourists and full of history with narrow winding streets, leading down to the beach and up the steep hill to the fortress walls and ancient acropolis. The Cycladic-style homes, (a mix of cubic houses blue-domed churches, cobblestone streets and iconic windmills). Lindros was one of the poorest towns on the island till its rebirth after the filming site of The Guns of Navarone in 1961. On our return to Rhodes, we stopped for photos at Faliraki Beach and at Kalithea to see the beach views. Our last stop before returning to the ship was for a quick lunch of Greek snacks like Tzatziki, salad and Saganaki. We decided to pass on a tour of the old town as we needed finalize our packing for disembarking the ship in Athens and for our two-week overland to the Balkans. We had another great day and guide in Rhodes.