The Dodecanese, "twelve islands", lie in the south-east Aegean, a few kilometres off Turkey. In fact more than twelve are inhabited. Mild and sunny, they have a rich history: ancient sanctuaries, Byzantine rule, the Knights of St John (1309-1522), who built the great fortresses of Rhodes and Kos, then the Ottomans, and from 1912 to 1947 Italy, which left buildings, roads and public works. The islands joined Greece in 1948.
The islands
| Island | Character | Don't miss |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodes | The largest, history and beaches | Old Town of the Knights, Lindos |
| Kos | Beaches, bikes, archaeology | Asklepieion, Knights' castle |
| Patmos | The island of the Apocalypse | Monastery of St John, the cave |
| Symi | Picture-postcard harbour of neoclassical houses | Gialos, Panormitis monastery |
| Kalymnos | Sponge divers and rock climbing | Pothia, Telendos |
| Leros | Deep bays and Italian architecture | Lakki, Platanos castle |
| Karpathos | Nature and living traditions | Olympos, east-coast beaches |
| Nisyros | A volcano you can walk into | Stefanos crater |
| Tilos | Eco-island, peaceful | Megalo Chorio, trails |
| Astypalea | Butterfly-shaped, between Cyclades and Dodecanese | Chora and its castle |
| Kastellorizo | Greece's easternmost island | Colourful harbour, blue cave |
| Kasos and Halki | Small and authentic | Villages, secluded beaches |
Getting there and around
Rhodes and Kos have international airports with direct summer flights. Ships from Piraeus call at many islands, but the trip to Rhodes takes 13-17 hours. Local ferries and catamarans run between the islands, especially the Rhodes-Symi-Tilos-Nisyros-Kos-Kalymnos-Leros-Patmos line. From the Turkish coast (Bodrum, Marmaris) boats sail to Kos and Rhodes.
When to go
The season is long, from April-May to October. Rhodes and Kos are lively and sometimes crowded in August; the smaller islands stay quiet.
See also all the islands.