The Dodecanese Islands
The Dodecanese Islands are a chain of 12 islands along the Turkish coast. This archipelago has long radiated by its cultural richness and its proximity to the sources of raw materials of Anatolia. The most famous islands are the island of Rhodes, beautifully preserved over the centuries and of incredible beauty, as well as the picturesque Patmos, Symi, Leros, Kalymnos, Astypalea and Kos! Do not miss the opportunity to walk through the old town of Rhodes, visit the Monastery of St. John in Patmos and stroll through the ancient Agora of the island of Kos! You will also find stunning bays with turquoise waters, for ultimate relaxation and fun with your family and friends! Do not miss a visit to the small preserved islands of Halki and Lipsi.
Monastery of St. John in Patmos
Patmos
Patmos belongs to the Dodecanese group and is also known as the Island of the Apocalypse !!! History says that St. John the Divine inspired the Book of Revelation in a cave in Patmos. Nowadays, you can find the monastery of St. John, located just above Chora (the capital of the island). Patmos is a quiet island with amazing beachfront hotels. Walking through the pleasant streets of the island is a must! You can also enjoy delicious Greek mezzes and drink tsipouro right next to the sea, with the waves a few meters from your feet. The best beaches for swimming are Petra and Agrio Livadi with transparent crystal clear waters and small pebbles.
Leros
Leros is known from Greek mythology as the island of Artemis, the goddess of forests and hunting. The island stands out for its peaceful and relaxing character, as well as for its beautiful landscapes with hills, hidden bays, clean coasts, pine forests and olive groves. Some of the best beaches are the popular Alinda Beach and the azure Agia Marina Beach. Don’t miss a visit to Pandeli, the fishing village with the ancient castle and windmills. You will be fascinated by the many churches, many of which are built on rocks right next to the sea. From Leros you can sail to the island of Archangelos with its beautiful sandy beaches.
Leros, the island of Artemis
Anchorage at Livadia on Astypalea
Astypalea
Astypalea is a butterfly-shaped island, meeting point between the Dodecanese and the Cyclades. The Venetian castle located at the top of the island differentiates Astypalea from the rest of the Dodecanese islands, as it reminds visitors of an island that could have belonged to the Cyclades complex. Walking along the path leading to the castle, you will see windmills that overlook the deep blue of the Aegean Sea. Some of the best beaches on the island are Livadia, Agios Konstantinos and Pera Gialos. Astypalea is a quiet island and most of the beaches are unspoilt! If you cross the south side of the island, do not miss a stop at the Dragon Cave, a beautiful natural attraction with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of different colors, due to the mineral content of the water.
Kos
The island of Kos is one of the largest in the Dodecanese complex and is known as the birthplace of Hippocrates, the “father of medicine”. The city is a mix of Venetian and Ottoman architecture with interesting tours! On the island you can find many castles that will remind you of medieval times. Kefalos and Paradise Beach are two beautiful coves in the southern part of the island, where visitors can enjoy swimming! From Kos you can sail to Pserimos, a small island with charming landscapes, to Kalymnos with the long tradition of sponge making and to Gyali, a small volcanic island.
The small island of Kastri in Kos
Small port of Symi
Symi
Symi is a small island that has one of the most impressive ports, as the houses of the islands are built amphitheatrically on a hill. These colorful mansions will certainly catch your attention and entice you to stroll between the small streets and alleys. It is famous for the sea sponge and shipbuilding industry. The island has clean beaches and is also famous for the Monastery of Panormitis (on the south side), one of its most iconic monuments! In fact, you can combine a visit to the monastery with a swim at the beach of Panormitis, a sandy coast with turquoise waters. Symi is ideal for couples and families!
Rhodes
Rhodes is the largest island in the Dodecanese, featuring a magnificent Venetian castle and incredible beaches for relaxation and water sports! Visitors should not miss a stroll through the island’s old town and visit the marine aquarium! Some of the best beaches on the island are Faliraki, ideal for water sports, Kallithea with its medicinal springs and Prasonisi, a small peninsula, which creates two sandy beaches. Do not miss the opportunity to visit Lindos, a small village with the Acropolis on top of a hill, ideal for stunning views and next to a beautiful swimming spot. From Rhodes you can also sail to Halki, a small picturesque island with secluded bays.
Lindos to Rhodes
Chora in Astypalea
Wind and sailing conditions
The Meltem blows mainly from the NW sector tipping west in the afternoon near Turkey. The trend reverses at night with a switch to the NE. Overall it is towards the Turkish coasts that the thermal influence is the most important. Be careful, do not lose sight of the fact that the Meltem blows very hard to the west of the large islands and more particularly in the Rhodes-Karpathos and Samos-lkaria channel (to the north). In the spring and autumn, the approach of a depression in the Balkans will cause SE winds that will tend to accelerate sharply between the islands and the mainland.
On a cruise, the great difficulty is to go up from Rhodes to Kos, the journey being in the axis of the wind. The solution will be to sail in the morning to the West, when the wind is to the North and in the afternoon to favor the edge to the North, when the wind is rather to the West.
Routes
The great attraction of the Dodecanese is its international airports close to the Turkish coast with its marinas and countless sheltered anchorages. Keep in mind, however, that with the Schengen agreements, the Greek islands are an EU border with a non-member country and zigzagging on either side of this border without proper papers is hardly legally possible. In practice, when you rent a boat in one of the Greek bases you stay in Greece and by renting a sailboat on a Turkish base, you stay in Turkey. Only deviation from the rule: Symi and Kastellorizon in Greece, Datca in Turkey where 2 nights ‘in transit’ are tolerated.
View of Lindos Bay in Rhodes
