Villa Karisa

Villa Karisa enjoys a fabulous location close to the beach in Kolymbia. The village was originally built by the Italians, designed to be a model farm village. Kolymbia is located halfway between Rhodes Town and Lindos. There are some delightful bars and restaurants and a good selection of watersports on the Blue Flag beach which is a mix of sand and pebble and set in a horseshoe shape. The turquoise water is crystal clear and brilliant for swimming and snorkeling. The resort offers a range of boat trips where guests can explore the island’s coastline or take a trip to Symi, a picturesque island just offshore with towering churches and silent, ancient monasteries. You can hire a yacht to take you to Charaki Bay for some first class snorkeling. If you head inland from Kolymbia, you can wander through woodland along the Loutani River to Archipoli, a pretty farming village.

The villa is close to Tsambika Beach, a cracking beach that was named after the Monastery of the Virgin of Tsambika, a tiny monastery some 340 metres up the hill. The view from the top of the hill over the bay is breathtaking and worth the effort of climbing there.

Lindos is a coastal gem roughly forty minutes away from the villa. It is one of the island’s prettiest towns, all in dazzling white and hints of blue. The town is overlooked by the Acropolis. You can hitch a ride to the top on the back of a donkey! The gorgeous narrow streets of Lindos feature charming shops and bars plus an excellent dining scene. Lindos’ millennia-old temple to Athena with its Doric columns and breathtaking 360 degree views should not be missed!

Further north are the beautiful villages of Kallithea and Koskinou. The beach at Kallithea is famous for its hot medicinal springs which were built by the Italians. The village is beautiful, lined with palm and pine trees and sprinkled with beautifully renovated buildings and mosaics, all influenced by the Arabic architecture. The Kallithea Spa was built in 1920 by the Italians. Following its restoration, the spa is a top sight. Many guests visit the area for its crystal clear azure waters and magical scenery. Koskinou is incredibly picturesque. It is famous for its unique mosaic of colours. The facades, doors and windows of the 17th and 18th century neoclassical houses are bright and cheerful, many with carved or etched designs. Small patios and gardens complete the pretty picture. You won’t be able to resist peeking in! The village boasts charming narrow streets, beautiful churches and chapels and a wonderful array of traditional taverns and cafes. There are countless paths that lead from the newer, coastal part to the old village with its cobbled streets and whitewashed squares full of vibrant flowers. Visitors to Koskinou enjoy delicious traditional cuisine in the local tavernas as well as yummy local wines. Koskinou has enjoyed an interesting history since the 4th century AD. Its 13th century medieval castle and the chapels built in the 4th century are worth visiting.

Faliraki is buzzy and vibrant with many hotels, bars, restaurants and an enormous sandy beach. The beach starts at the small harbour and spreads for nearly 5km so it’s a great spot to head for if you want a day of watersports and lazing in the sun. There is even an inflatable park for the young ones. Just about every watersport imaginable is offered as well as bungee jumping. The nightlife is incredible with fabulous restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The Faliraki Water Park is fantastic fun and a very popular excursion for families.

The gorgeous Old Town of Rhodes is an intricate warren of busy commercial streets and delightful, quiet alleys. It is the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe and has UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status. It is easy to see why. The Old Town is full of Byzantine and Gothic churches, medieval buildings, mosques, traditional fountains, oriental motifs and many boutique shops and restaurants. The highlights of the Old Town are the Palace of the Grand Master, the Archaeological Museum housed in the Gothic building of the Great Hospital of the Knights, Knight’s Street and some of the mosques.

Read more about Rhodes

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese Islands of Greece. It’s got a lot of history as it’s been invaded a lot by the Persians, Carians, Ottomans, Italians, and Germans.

Average temperatures go from 20’c in April up to 30’c in July/ August and down to 20’c in November. With an average of 85 rainy days a year they get sunshine for around 280 days.

The island is 90km long with Rhodes town at the northern tip. The airport (Rhodes International Airport "Diagoras") is also in the North (15km from Rhodes Town). Charter flights and Easyjet operate direct from the UK all season and out of season (Nov-March) you’d need to fly via Athens.

The Acropolis – The Acropolis that sits high above the town of Lindos is absolutely amazing and is a must see if you’re looking for some of the best views in all of Rhodes. One thing I should mention is that the climb up to the acropolis requires you to be somewhat active and able to climb stairs, lots of them. The trail begins through town and slowly but surely starts to get steeper as you climb the hill towards the acropolis. Once there, you’re rewarded with historical buildings dating back to 300 BC. Our Villa Corteau sit just underneath the ruins.

Rhodes has over 40 beaches, here are a few: 

• Anthony Quinn’s Bay – Anthony Quinn’s bay is one of the most beautiful bays. The bay is located 17km (10 mi) south of Old Town Rhodes and offers some incredible photo opportunities to say the least.
• The beach at Anthony Quinn’s bay is one of the best beaches in Rhodes. Get there early if you want to snag a sunbed and umbrella and enjoy wading around the bright blue and green water. Amazing!
• For the best views of Anthony Quinn’s Bay from above, head on up to the windy road that leads up the hill just north of the bay and you’ll find a spot where you can sit and enjoy the virtually 180 degree views of Rhodes and its coastline.
• Tsambika Beach (or Tsampika) –  Tsampika beach is located 30km (18 mi) south of Old Town Rhodes and is a great place to spend the day in the sun.  Note: Beware there is a small section where nudists congregate on Tsampika beach 
• Lakido Beach – Just opposite Anthony Quinn’s Bay is Lakido beach. It’s literally 3 minutes walking distance from Anthony Quinn’s bay so visiting both beaches in a day is totally doable. As a matter of fact, I would highly recommend visiting both if you get the chance
• Faliraki Beach – One of the most popular tourist spots on the island of Rhodes. It was known for 18-30’s holiday in the 90-2000’s but I don’t think there is that market so much now. It is quite commercialised now there are water sports and a few diving schools.

How to reach Rhodes island 

There are two ways to reach Rhodes Island: either by flight or by ferry.

By plane: If you don’t want to lose time you can fly to Rhodes (RHO) from Athens. The flight lasts 1 hour. Many direct flights also operate from many European countries, so it will not be difficult to arrive there.

By ferry: If you choose to travel from Piraeus to Rhodes with a ferry, it will surely take you much longer but travelling with a ferry in the summer nights can be pretty enticing! The port of Rhodes is located in the southern part of the island and offers bus services to the town centre. You can easily book your ferry tickets using the link below or the booking engine.

Book your ferry tickets to Rhodes here >>