Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, lying close to the Turkish coast in the south-east Aegean, and one of the most rewarding multi-purpose islands in Greece. The island combines a UNESCO-listed medieval old town, the cliff-top village of Lindos with its acropolis above two perfect bays, long sandy beaches on the east coast, breezy windsurf beaches on the west, and a hilly inland of vineyards, monasteries and mountain villages. With direct flights from across Europe, a relaxed climate from April to November and accommodation ranging from family-friendly all-inclusive resorts to adults-only suites, boutique villas and apartments in the old town walls, Rhodes works equally well for couples, families and history-led travellers.

Rhodes Town, on the northern tip, is the cultural anchor: behind the medieval walls a maze of cobbled lanes opens onto the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master and Byzantine churches turned mosques and back again. Down the east coast, Faliraki, Kallithea, Afandou, Tsambika and Lindos provide beach holidays of every register, from large family resorts to romantic clifftop hotels. The west coast around Ixia and Ialyssos catches the meltemi wind and suits surfers and windsurfers. Inland, the wine villages of Embonas sit below Mount Attaviros, and the medieval monasteries of Tsambika and Filerimos crown rocky hills.

The eating is some of the most varied in Greece, with Italian, Turkish and Ottoman influences blending into Rhodian classics: pitaroudia chickpea fritters, melekouni honey-sesame cake, lamb cooked with quince. Souma, the local marc spirit, is poured in tavernas across the island. Rhodes is the rare Greek island with enough variety to keep visitors busy for a full week without ever feeling repetitive.