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We got up at 5 o'clock. By 5:30 we were in the departure hall. There were long queues for baggage drop-off—that was disappointing. We stood in line for nearly half an hour. Then we headed to security control. Fortunately we'd booked FastTrack and could walk past the queue there. After checking in, we had a sandwich in an overcrowded departure lounge. The Transavia flight departed on time at 7:30. The flight lasted 3.5 hours and went smoothly. Service was minimal (nothing comes free—you pay for everything). We paid 25 euros for an exit row seat and also paid 25 euros for cabin luggage.

We arrive at quarter to eleven local time (Greece is one hour ahead of the Netherlands). We waited at the wrong baggage carousel for a while (for a TUI flight from Eindhoven). The car rental is part of our package holiday from Eliza was Here. To get the car we had to walk to the Hertz counter (outside), where we were picked up by a Dollar shuttle bus. The local operator is Autohellas, which also works for Hertz. They gave us a Citroën C3 Aircross. It's about 1.5 hours' drive to the apartment. The route goes via Rhodes town and cuts straight through the city. Before heading to the apartment, we did some shopping at a nearby supermarket called Sklavinitis, near Lindos.

At Estrela Villas we were welcomed by Kostas, who showed us the duplex villa (semi-detached, two units under one roof). It looked fine and was nicely furnished—though we discovered a few defects a bit later. In the evening we ate at home. The dishwasher didn't work and sprayed large amounts of water into the room. The TV wouldn't work either. Kostas came to take a look but couldn't fix anything immediately. He said he'd call a technician. As a goodwill gesture, we received a beer.

Weather: 35 degrees and sunny.

Day trip to Lindos

We had breakfast indoors and then set off for Lindos. In Lindos we parked on the edge of the old town. Cost: €7 per day.

We walked down to the centre of the village, where a few hundred people still live today. Most of the houses are now shops or holiday apartments. When we arrived it was still quiet (10 a.m.). We drank coffee and followed the main street, lined with tourist shops and terraces (many on rooftops). While Erik looked for a terrace, I started the climb up to the Acropolis. It's a fairly strenuous climb, especially in this heat. It was already 30 degrees. Entry is €20. The Acropolis consists of a 14th-century fortress built by the Knights Hospitaller, and inside it the remains of temples (Athena Lindia). The columns you see today date from the 4th century BC. From the citadel there's a fine view over Lindos and over St Paul's Bay, where the apostle Paul is said to have landed on Rhodes in 58 AD. It's a popular tourist destination, judging by the sheer number of visitors — all in search of that beautiful view, or of Lindos as a backdrop for photographing each other. The temple complex is completely exposed to the sun, so it gets quite hot. I headed back down and found Erik on the square where taxis drop off their passengers.

We had lunch at the Mythos restaurant and enjoyed the lovely view. Afterwards I walked back to the car and picked Erik up at the big tree in the middle of the square. We drove back to our apartment.

In the afternoon we lazed around in our little house — it's too hot outside. In the evening we ate on our terrace. Fortunately a gentle breeze had picked up. At 7 p.m. we drove to Lardos for a drink at a cocktail bar. Lardos lies about 5 km inland and has a modest tourist scene with a handful of restaurants and cocktail bars.

Weather: sunny, 35 degrees.

We had coffee at the bakery nearby, with a cloyingly sweet cookie on the side. Afterward we drove to the Thari monastery—a twenty-five-minute drive. It's very remote in the mountains and reachable only via narrow roads. On the way we saw damage from the 2022 fires. Much vegetation has grown back, but dead trees are still highly visible. At the monastery we had to wear long trousers. The monastery church has beautiful frescoes dating from the 14th century. The monastery had been destroyed and closed, but was revived several decades ago by the metropolitan of Rhodes. Its history goes back to the 9th century, when it was built by order of a Byzantine princess. Some walls date from that period, but most are from the 12th century. The paintings in the church are from the 12th century; those in the choir from the 16th. The monastery is dedicated to St Michael, the most well-known of the archangels. It is still active, and there are living quarters for the monks behind the church.

After our visit we continued to Asklepion (Asklepios), a traditional village with a church dedicated to Michael. Frescoes here too. We had a drink at a taverna, then drove up the mountain to the castle ruins of the Knights Hospitaller order. Not much remains, but the view over the surrounding area is lovely.

We continued our route to Prassonisi—the southernmost point of Rhodes—where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. Here we had lunch at a beachside café, then drove back to Estrela Villas.

In the evening we ate in Lindos at Restaurant Akres. It's a fine-dining establishment with a beautiful rooftop terrace. The five-course dinner with wine pairing was delicious; the service excellent. Erik chose the vegetarian menu, I had the fish menu.

Weather: 35 degrees and sunny

We drank coffee in our house before driving to Rhodes Town. It's about an hour's drive. We had to search briefly for a parking spot. Once found, we had a cappuccino at Cafe Centrale, then walked a few minutes to the Amboise Gate, which gives access to the Old Town.

Rhodes Town was expanded by the Knights Hospitaller after the Order was expelled from Jerusalem. They relocated their base to Rhodes and established a hospital and various fortifications here. The Old Town is rather touristic and very crowded. We head straight for the Palace of the Grand Master. This palace—comparable to the one in Malta, where the knights moved in 1306 before being driven out by the Ottomans in 1522—is located just beyond the Amboise Gate. In the palace, the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller lived and administered the island. After its conquest during a six-month siege, the palace fell into neglect under Ottoman rule and was even partially burnt down. In 1912, the Italians took control of Rhodes following the Italo-Turkish War. Under Mussolini's fascist regime, the palace was reconstructed and embellished. For this, mosaics from other islands under Italian administration were brought in and reconstructed in the building. The palace was intended as a summer residence for Italian King Vittorio Emanuele III and for Mussolini himself, though neither ever visited Rhodes. Much marble was used in the renovated palace, and the furniture was either collected or specially commissioned. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful building.

We walked to Socrates Street. This is a busy shopping street with nothing but tourist shops. We found a passage to an inner courtyard where we had lunch at a taverna. After lunch, we walked to Hippocrates Square. There's a fountain there, and the Castelliana Palace stands on it, now housing the library. We walked along the Water Gate to the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, then past the Knights' Auvergne Hotel to the Freedom Gate. I walked back via the Knights' Street to the Amboise Gate.

Along Knights' Street stand the "hotels" of the various nations (langues) within the Knights Hospitaller Order. The French "hotel" now houses a French honorary consulate. I walked back to the car and picked Erik up. We drove back to Lardos.

In the afternoon, we dipped briefly in our own pool before driving to Lardos around half past five to eat at L'Artos. We ate well outdoors, cooled by a fan. Friendly service and good food.

Weather: sunny, max 37°C.

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