Lindos

Most tourists on Rhodes at least visit the charming Lindos, 29 miles (47km) from the island capital. Lindos was once the capital of the island but today is basically a holiday resort centred on a small medieval village, topped with a fortified ancient Acropolis. The village is quaint, with cobbled streets and white-stuccoed houses sloping down to the sea. Lindos has lots of character and a pleasant combination of ancient and modern attractions.The Acropolis is reached from Lindos through a series of steps, which can be ascended on donkeys or on foot. From the outside, the Acropolis does not betray its Hellenistic origins because the original complex was surrounded by a strong fortification in the Middle Ages by the Knights of St John, but inside are the Doric Stoa, propylaean ruins, the sanctuary of Athena and the Byzantine church of St John. Apart from these historic gems, Lindos boasts some of the few sand beaches on the island, and the town has a number of restaurants, bars, and clubs, all catering to the tourist crowd. Many celebrities have chosen to buy or build holiday homes in the Lindos vicinity and frequent the cafés and tavernas lining the beachfront.