Rhodes Vacations, Greek Islands

Prior planning is always helpful in making a journey more relaxing and enjoyable.

Dress code in the Greek Islands is very casual, for men shorts and T-shirts is the norm, and for ladies, light summer dresses or similar to men. If you are coming in Spring or Autumn you should bring some warmer clothes just in case it gets a bit cold in the night. Even for those who want to dress formally, smart casual is the norm, which would be a pair of trousers and a shirt.

In restaurants. The island of Rhodes can satisfy every gourmet because it produces various products of excellent qualities and the local cuisine is a real delight for the senses. Fresh fishes and a big variety of seafood's, big choice of "mezes" (Mediterranean snacks), meat on grill, mousaka (the famous dish with potatoes, aubergines, cheese and béchamel) are some of the many Rhodian specialties.

The wines of Rhodes are famous for their great taste and quality since ancient times because the wineries and distilleries of the island produce delicious wines from the island’s vineyards which are beneficing from the fertility of the soil and the constant sun. The most famous wine labels of Rhodes are the dry wines “Ilios”, “2400”, “Villare”, and “Grand Maitre” and the dry red wine “Chevalier de Rhodes”.

Booking a Taxi There are strict regulations regarding the number of passengers per taxi. Up to 4 passengers are allowed per car so bear this in mind when making a booking for a taxi. Make sure your luggage fits into a regular-sized car trunk, otherwise you’ll have to hire a second taxi for any excessive luggage.When requesting a taxi make sure you are at the pick-up point without delay since a taxi will be there within minutes.

Internet Cafes. There is one right in the harbor, one in the Old Town, and several others in the New Town and the villages of Rhodes Island. There are also internet cafes open to the public at the most hotels.

Maps. There are a number of maps of the island on the market and most of them are provided free of charge by Hotels, and Travel Agents.

Newspapers and magazines. Most western European newspapers and magazines arrive in Rhodes on a daily basis and they are available everywhere.

Catholic Church. The Catholic church of Santa Maria, located at the corner of Kathopouli and Dragoumi Streets, holds Mass services from April to October at 7 a.m. on weekdays and at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays. The St. Francisco church located on Dimokratias Street, celebrates Mass from April to October at 8.30 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on Sundays. During the winter months, both churches hold Masses only on Sundays.

A Golf course is available at Afandou (17 kilometers south-east of Rhodes City) and Mini Golf courts can be found in all the large hotels and in all the touristy resorts.

Casino. As all cosmopolitan places Rhodes has its own casino. The dress code is strict for men but for the women a dress is enough.

Signs denoting post offices are usually bright yellow, as are post-boxes. If you need to send a letter there are stamp vending machines and post-boxes outside all central post offices. There is also a post-box right in the harbor few meters from the pier.

OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organization) offices are the cheapest way to make local or international calls. Rhodes is equipped with a very advanced telecommunications system. You can dial directly anywhere in the world without the involvement of the telephone operator. The blue telephone boxes found all over the island can be used either for local or for long distance calls. They all use phone cards that can easily be found in every kiosk or shops with the “Phone cards Sold Here” sign. You can get them also right in the harbor, or in the Airport.

Beaches. The big attraction of Rhodes is the beautiful beaches that surround the entire island. Entrance to all the beaches is free, but you will have to pay only if you rent a sun bed (about 6 euro). The beaches on the east coast are ideal for swimming since the sea is extremely calm, while on the west coast is generally windy and it is best offered for windsurfing and other water sports. This does not in any way means that you can not swim on the west coast. As a matter of fact, many people prefer the big waves of the west coast than the calm and smooth sea of the east coast...

Police. All the main resorts areas have branches of the Tourist Police, whose duties include the inspection of hotels, restaurants etc.. And service to make sure that services to tourists are of acceptable standards. Tourist Police officers who speak languages bear the flag of the country in which the language is spoken on their uniforms.

Health. Rhodes has plenty of doctors of all practices. The State Hospital is open 24 hours a day for emergency cases. There are also plenty of pharmacies and chemists.

Banks and ATM machines. There are many Greek and International banks that are licensed to do business in Rhodes. All of them offer exchange services within the town of Rhodes as well as in other popular resort areas. Banks are open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the period from April to October, some of them are open in the evenings as well (5 p.m., to 7.30 p.m.) and on Saturday mornings, but only for the exchange purposes. In order to exchange cash or traveler's checks, you need to have your passport with you. In addition, almost all hotels have exchange offices on their front desks. Visa, Master Card and other well known credit cards are also accepted by the majority of shops, and hotels. And you won't need your entire wallet only some cash, you may prefer to use ATM machines when you need cash. ATMs are everywhere. Cash sometimes gets you a better price than a charge card.

Shopping. Rhodes is an interesting place to shop. Rhodes has at least 2000 years of manufacturing unique and skilful handicraft gold jewellery. Many shops sell classic and modern gold and silver jewellery as well as antique reproduction jewellery, in 14k and 18k with diamonds and precious stones. Antique carpets and hand made silk on silk rugs, furniture, paintings and porcelain can also be found. Rhodes also famous for the leather and fur, bottles, leather coats, fur coats, and mink. Other kinds of goods such as souvenirs, sponges, clothes, shoes, books, and more can be found in the many shops of Rhodes Island. And the traditional art workshops for the world famous hand made Rhodian pottery's-ceramics.

In restaurants tipping is customary and on average is around 15% above the bill, in some establishments it is already added but not in all.

Holidays and Feasts. The following is a list of official holidays, during which all departments of public services are closed.

January 1- New Year's Day
January 6 - Epiphany.
First day of Lent (movable) - in Greek is known as 'Clean Monday'
March 7 - anniversary of the reunion of the Dodecanese Islands with the rest of Greece
March 25 - anniversary of the revolution for freedom against the Turkish invaders.
Good Friday (movable)
Easter Sunday, Easter Monday (movable)
May 1- May Day
Of the Holy Spirit (movable)
August 15 - Dormition of Virgin Mary
October 28 - anniversary of Greece's refusal to submit to the Italians in 1940
December 25 - Christmas Day
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About the Author:

Nick write about "Rhodes Island". Get more information on Rhodes

at http://www.rhodesprivatetours.com.

Things To Do and See in Rhodes

Water Park, Faliraki, Rhodes
Attraction type: Water park; Amusement/theme park

The Acropolis of Rhodes, Rhodes
Attraction type: Ancient ruins

Valley of the Butterflies (Peta Loudhes), Rhodes
From late July to late September, this planned valley fills up

with millions of multicolor butterflies.
Attraction type: Valley; Nature reserve

Ancient Kamiros, Rhodes
Built around the 7th century B.C., this ancient city of Rhodes contains

the remains of an advanced civilization that is dated nearly 3,000 years old.
Attraction type: Historic site

Medieval City, Rhodes
Surrounded by medieval walls, this old part of Rhodes is the location

of many interesting attractions of historical significance.
Attraction type: Historic walking area; Neighborhood