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 16th 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).
Kolymbia, Afandou, Faliraki, Kallithea, Rhodes City, Ixia, Ialyssos, Kremasti.
PROFESSIONAL GUIDE English speaking
Exploring the Castle of Kritinia.
Winery and Olive oil tasting in Embona’s village in one of the most traditional wineries.
Visiting Profitis Ilias where is built the first hotel in Rhodes!
Visiting a Byzantine Church of Saint Nikolaos in Fountouklis.
Photo stop to Saint Nektarios.
Tasting the local food in a traditional taverna, inside the forest in Eleousa village.
Swimming stop in Kallithea Springs for 1 hour or visiting the exhibition with old photos of Rhodes!
The easiest way to book is at our office. Come and meet our tour advisors, George & Maria and receive all the information, suggestions, tips, leaflets, maps… We like meeting our customers.
If you prefer to pre-book the tours but pick-up your tickets and arrange the payment upon your arrival, do not hesitate to get in touch with us by e-mail. We will make all the arrangements, and you can come to our office when you arrive in Rhodes.
If you prefer online booking, do check our Booking Engine (BOOK NOW). It offers real-time availability, an easy booking procedure, and instant booking confirmation to your email.
If you can not reach us out, you can always ask at your hotel front desk to give us a call and help you with your booking.
We also offer some of the tours through various Booking Channels, like Viator, Get Your Guide, Civitatis, Sunbonoo.
Booking early (shortly before your arrival to Rhodes or soon upon your arrival) is recommended for tours during peak season (July, August, September).
Travellers visiting Rhodes for one day or with a very limited time frame should consider booking their tour as far in advance as possible.
We gladly accept last-minute reservations. You can pop into our office until 22:00 (in peak season you will find us there even until 23:00).
Our Booking Engine has live availability for reservations up to 12 hours before the departure on most of our tours.
But surely, to avoid any disappointment, especially during the peak season, it is recommended to check the availability & book your tour at least 3 days in advance.
If your preferred date is blocked out or you do not find it in the calendar, do not hesitate to reach out to us, we may be able to offer you an alternative.
At the moment, we operate only during the Summer Season (April to October). Some tours are also available in November.(Private Tours).
We believe that nowadays travellers are very experienced and truly know what type of activities they prefer. All our tour descriptions are very informative and detailed so that it is easy to understand if the activity suites your taste and interests. You should check if the tour has a pick up from your resort, if the tour provides enough free time on sights, if the tour has a tour guide, if there are any additional expenses that are not included in the price of the tour (food, tickets), what language is the tour (mostly for non-English speakers), are there swimming stops, and so on. We want our customers to be well informed about the service/ product they are about to purchase.
If shared group tours seem not to suit any of your preferences, we also offer set and tailored private tours. Make sure to check them out!
Yes, of course! You can email or message us, and we will provide you with alternative booking/ payment options.
Your tour is booked only if you have received your Booking Confirmation. It is either a printed Voucher, a PDF Voucher or the Booking Confirmation e-mail for online bookings.