Guided ISLAND TOUR WITH WINE TASTING EXPERIENCE (FD)

Full day bus tour with an Official English speaking guide – Different Stops discovering the TOP  highlights of Rhodes island: Castle of Kritinia – Winery tasting in Embona – Profitis Ilias – Fountouklis – Eleousa – Saint Nektarios – Kallithea Springs.                                                                                                                                                                                            

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXCURSION

This guided tour is your ideal opportunity to explore the local life & discover the beauty of the island. The tour passes through traditional villages & magnificent beaches. Discover the endless beauty of Rhodes in the luxury of our modern air conditioned coach with the expertise of our professional guide. 

The first stop (35 minutes stay) is the Castle of Kritinia, a Venetian Castle of 16^th century on a hill about 131 meters above the village of Kritinia. It’s a landscape of unspoiled beauty which offers a breath taking view of Aegean sea, the island of Halki and the islets of Strogyli, Makri, and Alimia. Due to its strategic location, which allowed complete monitoring of the sea and the thus, the activities of pirates and other enemies, the site was chosen by the Knights of the order of St. John to build the castle. Today, only the shell of the castle still survives but above the entrance of it lie the coats of arms of two Grand Masters (Grand Master D’Amboise & Grand Master Origny) of the Medieval Era. Within the walls, there are also remnants of a chapel devoted to Saint John, where you can see amazing 16th century wall paintings. 

We continue our tour joining the winery – olive oil tasting and local products in a Cava in Embona’s village (30 minutes stay) in one of the oldest Wineries in Rhodes island. The wines are produced by collecting grapes from the vineyards so you can choose from different kind of wines, all of them made in Embona. In addition, visitors can taste liqueurs, ouzo, souma with honey, masticha and pomegranate, combined with nuts and fresh fruits, at the bar for free. Olive oil is also produced and you can find honey from local producers and of course all kinds of cosmetics – herbs with olive oil too.

We will drive after to Profitis Ilias (40 minutes stay), a 798 meters high mountain with very interesting attractions. Its a small summer resort (called Elafos and Elafina) created fresh and relaxing by the Italians in 1929, in the heart of a forest of Aleppo pines, cedars and cypress trees populated by deer, an ideal stop for photos or coffee break. On our way to Profitis Ilias we will pass also in front a building that was the Cottage of the Italian dictator Musollini used in the period of around World War II.

Continuing, we reach Fountouklis area (20 minutes stay) where we will visit a Byzantine church of Saint Nikolaos. This church dates from the 14th to 15th century and is a central square building covered with a dome. What’s important in this church is the triple composition of the frescoes in the apse.

The lunch break of our tour follows after in Eleousa village, having 1 hour free time in a traditional taverna, inside the forest, where you are free to choose from a big variety of popular local dishes.

Moving on Eleousa village, we are passing from Saint Nektarios church (10 minutes stay) which is very famous because in front of the church stands an ancient, huge, famous plane tree, the trunk, which is hollow on the inside and can accommodate 3 adults! 

Driving East, inside the countryside and villages of Rhodes island, we arrive in Kallithea Springs (1 hour stay), a majestic place were known from the ancient times for the beneficial properties and of the waters gushing from the rocks around. Nowadays, completely restored and tastefully refurbished, the complex of Kallithea Springs welcomes hundred of visitors daily. It is worth seeing the facilities, swimming into the clear blue water of its coves, enjoy refreshments at the coffee shop in front of the sea or visit the Photo Gallery with older photos of the island! The incomparable monumental architecture and the magnificence of the place with its unique mosaics, the hall of the Rotunda where once thermal waters gushed, refer us, nostalgically, to another era. (The Entrance fee is 3,00 euros per person).