We were invited one night to dine at Gu7, one of the three a la carte restaurants in the hotel. The difference was that only this night they were offering a new menu, all based around Lobster. The ambience of the restaurant is lovely; the windowed wall is removed bringing a summer breeze in, blending …
Thinking of Greece the only word that comes to mind is Paradise. Crystal clear water, amazing weather and an island full of possibilities.
Rhodes is a Greek island, very close to Turkey, so the temperatures even at the end of September are amazing, 30 degrees and fully sunny days! There is nothing that can stop you from having the best time of your life!
On this occasion, I had the chance to stay in the Ixian Grand Suites, having a private pool in our suite really make this trip a bit unbelievable, scratch that, it was amazing! The location of the hotel is ideal, only 20 min from the airport and 10 min from Rhodes. The hotel has a “private” beach, and as we have been dreaming of a proper break, our main plan was to rest. So we didn’t do much apart from sunbathing, reading and swimming, either in the sea or in the pool.
Rhodes is a lovely place, where the old town and the new town crosses each other, reminding everyone of the great ancient Greek civilization. Just to walk by the harbour where once the Colossus of Rhodes stood gives you and idea of the amazing accomplishments of this civilization. The old town is huge, and very easy to get lost in, if you are like me that I just like to walk around, not knowing what I will find in the next corner. There are many restaurants, mostly attracting tourists, but as a good traveller, I tend to stay away from this places, as they are normally overprized and not the best quality. The trick is to eat where the locals eat. Greek food is simple, and don’t take simple as lacking flavour, I mean that when the flavours are there, you don’t need to complicate the dish. This is what happens with Greek food. It’s all about the seasoning, and showcasing flavours, like Tzatziki, that tangy fresh flavour that enlightens any dish.
For one of the days, we rented a car and drove down the east coast to Lindos, a small archaeological site that sets on the coast of Rhodes. When you are approaching, the first sight you get of the acropolis is breath taken. To access the sight you need to pay, luckily the day we visit the entrance was free, so no idea how much it is, but whatever you have to pay, it is totally worth it. The view from the top gives you a great idea of why, so many years ago, the greeks set their acropolis here. Lindos village its charming, with its white walls, narrow paths and little shops, where the flow is dictated by which direction are the donkeys walking.
On our drive back to the hotel, we stopped in Tsampika Beach, one of the few sand beaches in Rhodes. We ate late lunch; an amazing chicken Gyros with fries and Tzatziki in one of the tavernas, and it kills me not to remember the name, as the owner was so nice to us! Anyway, the beach is lovely, wide, with plenty of sun beds for everyone but most important for me, is the sand. Coming from a country where each and every single beach has white sand, it’s difficult to cope with the whole pebbles situation.
It is incredible how quick a week passes by when you are having fun. Luckily, Greece has many more paradise places to visit, so for the moment I will just tick Rhodes from my list and start saving for my next trip!
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