Island-hopping in the Greek Aegean Sea

DW (English)

Picturesque towns, isolated beaches and adventurous hikes are all part of the experience on the Greek islands Rhodes, Symni and Kalymnos.

Transcript

00:00I'm kind of obsessed with the Greek islands, so I'm really excited to show you some highlights today, starting here in Rhodes.

00:10My favorite place on the island is the Old Town.

00:14Ta-da!

00:15It's also one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe.

00:19The fortifications and the Grand Master's Palace were built by the Knights of St. John, or the Knights Hospitaller, in the 14th century.

00:28Sokratos is the Old Town's main street, and it can get crowded.

00:32And one of my top tips for any popular tourist destination, like Rhodes, is to get off the busy streets and explore the little side streets.

00:40Just make sure you do it quietly, because people live here.

00:43Rhodes was under Ottoman rule for around 400 years, and the architecture left from this period gives the Old Town a very special character.

00:57The colorful Mosque of Suleiman dates from the 16th century.

01:01Rhodes really has it all, from layers of history to incredible beaches.

01:07Beach lovers have lots of choices in Rhodes, especially on the island's east coast.

01:12I'm here right now at Sambika Beach.

01:16Greek law requires that every beach must have an area without sunbeds, so you'll always find space if you don't want to rent anything.

01:24Next up, the island of Simi.

01:26I'm loving Simi already.

01:28You can get here with a 60 to 90-minute boat ride from Rhodes.

01:33Here we go!

01:35We're here in the port town of Yalos, which is famous for these very, very beautiful, colorful, neoclassical buildings.

01:43These were the result of a wealthy period of shipbuilding and sponge diving.

01:50Simi is small, around 60 square kilometers.

01:53To get around, you can take a local bus or rent a car, like I have today.

01:57We're crossing the island.

02:01So we made it to the opposite end of the island, to Panoramitis Monastery, and really, it's very beautiful.

02:09The ornate buildings here now were constructed in the 18th century.

02:13Nowadays, it's an important pilgrimage site for Orthodox Christians, right here on this beautiful bay.

02:20Most beaches in Simi are only accessible via boat, but not Marathoda Beach.

02:25If you love a calm island that's full of beauty, Simi is the place for you.

02:31I hope you got a taste of what this island has to offer, and soon we have our next stop.

02:39The island of Kalymnos.

02:41This rugged island probably isn't on your radar, but it should be.

02:45It's a great place if you enjoy being in nature, and it's one of the world's top climbing destinations.

02:52The island's climbing routes are known for being easily accessible, so we get up close to take a better look.

02:58It's the second most popular rock climbing destination in the world, after Yosemite National Park in the United States.

03:07It only became a climbing destination a couple decades ago.

03:11One of the main landmarks is the Grande Grota cave.

03:20I also want to check out the port town of Pothia.

03:25This is the island's main town, and it's also where the ferries arrive.

03:30It's not your typical tourist town. Kalymnos is home to many locals who certainly have stories to tell.

03:37And there's one last place I'd like to see today.

03:40Quick stop here in Vathi, this very cute little port town.

03:44And these rock formations have caused this area to be referred to as a fjord.

03:48It's honestly really stunning.

03:54But my favorite view is from up here. That's amazing.

03:59And this is where we end our Greek island hopping adventure.

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