Rhodes
Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese and one of Greece’s most visited islands, 1,401 square kilometres off the southwest coast of Turkey. Its history layers Minoan, Dorian, Roman, Byzantine, Knights Hospitaller, Ottoman and Italian, with the famous Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders, once standing at its harbour, and the medieval Old Town of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage site, still surrounded by massive 14th-century walls.
The island divides between the green, mountainous interior dominated by Attavyros at 1,215m, and the coastline with the resort towns of Faliraki, Lindos with its hilltop Acropolis above a sandy bay, and Ialysos for windsurfing. It has the Valley of the Butterflies, ancient Kamiros, and year-round mild weather that makes it one of the first islands to open the season, with a large permanent population of about 125,000.
The largest of the Dodecanese — island of the Sun shaped like a spearhead
Rhodes, also Rodos Greek Ρόδος, is the largest of Dodecanese islands and fourth largest in Greece next, biggest island in Greek Dodecanese chain in southeastern Aegean Sea, part of Dodecanese group lies few kilometres off southwestern coast Turkey. With an area of 1,398 km2, about 1,400 km2 or 540 sq mi 1,400 sq km, approximately 1,400 square kilometres 541 sq mi. The island is about 78 km from north to south, 38 east to west and 220 km coastline, also listed as 79.7 km long 49.5 mi and 38 km wide 24 mi, stretches roughly 77 km 48 miles northeast to southwest, shaped like spearhead. Terrain semi-mountainous and only few lanes fertile, limestone main bedrock, rugged island variety vegetation migratory birds resting place.
Coasts 220 km long, tour de l’ile circular coastal road 200 km, distance between Rhodes and Piraeus 250 nautical miles. Distances Rhodes to Lindos 49 km. Capital Rhodes Town located northern tip site ancient and modern commercial harbors. Population 1990 est 90,000, around 120,000 inhabitants as of 2025, capital and largest island Rhodes. Islands were under Ottoman control 1500-1912 before passing to Greece 1947.
FYI — why it matters, who it’s for, and what people get wrong
This is for you if you want big island with everything — medieval Old Town UNESCO, Lindos, sun, beaches on Aegean Sea northwest and Lycian Sea southeast, windsurf at Prassonissi south heading, Milianos west, Koumbournou port north. It is not a quiet tiny hideaway — it is largest Dodecanese with airport, ferries, resorts and 220km coastline. People think Rhodes is small Cycladic — it is huge Dodecanese spearhead near Turkey, fourth in Greece. Limestone bedrock, semi-mountainous, but fertile lanes inland.
Sources
- https://www.hri.org/MPA/GNTO/Greek_Islands/Rhodes/Rhodes.html | largest Dodecanese islands fourth largest Greece coasts 220 km long distance Rhodes Piraeus 250 n.m. terrain semi-mountainous few lanes fertile
- https://www.viagallica.com/grece/lang_en/country_greece/ile_rhodes/geographie_rhodes.htm | area 1398 km2 largest island Dodecanese 4th Greece island about 78 km north south 38 east west 220 km coastline circular coastal road 200 km Rhodes Lindos 49 km ribs cut north heading Koumbournou port Rhodes east Cape Lindos south heading Prassonissi west heading Milianos
- https://www.visit-rhodes.gr/en/where-is-rhodes-island/ | shaped like spearhead 79.7 km 49.5 mi long 38 km 24 mi wide total area approximately 1400 square kilometres 541 sq mi coastline approximately 220 km 137 mi limestone main bedrock City Rhodes northern tip ancient modern commercial harbors
- https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/78974/rhodes-greece | biggest island Greek Dodecanese chain southeastern Aegean Sea stretches roughly 77 kilometers 48 miles northeast southwest variety vegetation thrives rugged island migratory birds resting place
- https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/places/other/mediterranean-islands/rhodes | island 1990 est pop 90000 c540 sq mi 1400 sq km SE Greece Aegean Sea largest Dodecanese near Turkey
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Last Updated on September 1, 2026 by admin