Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Dodecanese
Curving tightly against the Turkish coast, almost within hailing distance of
Anatolia, the Dodecanese (Dhodhekánisos) are the furthest island group
from the Greek mainland. They're hardly a homogeneous bunch. The two
largest, Rhodes (Ródhos) and Kos, are fertile giants where traditional
agriculture has almost entirely been displaced by a tourist industry focused
on beaches and nightlife. Kastellórizo, Sými, Hálki, Kássos and Kálymnos, on
the other hand, are essentially dry limestone outcrops that grew rich enough
from the sea - especially during the nineteenth century - to build attractive
port towns. Níssyros is a real anomaly, created by a still-steaming volcano
that cradles lush vegetation, while Kárpathos is more variegated, its forested
north grafted onto a rocky limestone south. Tílos, despite its lack of trees, has
ample water, Léros shelters soft contours and amenable terrain, and further-
flung Pátmos and Astypálea offer architecture and landscapes more
reminiscent of the Cyclades.
8
Major Dodecanese attractions include the beaches on Rhodes and Kos; the wonderful
medieval enclave of Rhodes Old Town; the gorgeous ensemble of Neoclassical
mansions that surrounds the harbour on Sými; the rugged landscapes of Kálymnos,
Kárpathos and Níssyros; the cave and monastery on Pátmos, where St John had his
vision of the Apocalypse; and the hilltop village of Hóra on Astypálea. Each island has
its own subtler pleasures, however; every visitor seems to find one where the pace of
life, and friendly ambience, strikes a particular chord.
Thanks to their position en route to the Middle East, the Dodecanese - too rich and
strategic to be ignored, but never powerful enough to rule themselves - have had a
turbulent history. The scene of ferocious battles between German and British forces in
1943-44, they only joined the modern Greek state in 1948 after centuries of rule by
Crusaders, Ottomans and Italians.
That historical legacy has given the islands a wonderful blend of
architectural styles
and
cultures
; almost all hold Classical remains, a Crusaders' castle, a clutch of
vernacular villages and whimsical or grandiose public buildings. For these last the
Italians, who held the Dodecanese from 1912 to 1943, are responsible. Determined to
turn them into a showplace for Fascism, they undertook ambitious public works,
excavations and reconstruction.
GETTING AROUND THE DODECANESE
The largest islands in the group are connected by regular ferries and catamarans, as well as flights; only Kastellórizo and
Tílos are relatively difficult to reach. Rhodes is the main transport hub, with connections for Crete, the northeastern
Aegean, the Cyclades and the mainland too. The fastest, most useful connections are provided by twin catamarans, the
Dodekanisos Express
and the
Dodekanisos Pride
, which follow a busy schedule between Rhodes and Pátmos; see
W
12ne.gr.
Windsurfing at Prassoníssi
p.528
Hiking in northern Kárpathos
p.543
Hiking on Sými
p.549
Hiking on Níssyros Island
p.559
Hippocrates
p.566
Sponges and sponge-diving
p.576
Italian architecture in
the Dodecanese
p.582
Saint John on Pátmos
p.588
