Date of Holiday

22nd - 29th September 2005

The Island

Our first trip to Rhodes and we arrived at night so the trip down to Lardos was uneventful and nothing to see. Wakening in Rhodes the first thing you notice is how dry it is. As this was just a quick week away to recharge the batteries it would be unfair to comment on the island as a whole. Apart from one day out on the bus to Lindos we only travelled to nearby Pefkos for a meal and into Lardos village a few times. We will return to Rhodes in the future and stay on the north of the island.

Lindos

We found Lindos very very busy. As we arrived on the local bus at 11am we saw the coach park with about 30 coaches if not more. The castle looked truly amazing set high above the town. Entering the town you are struck by the sheer amount of people all squeezing past each other. The streets are a mass of tourist shops and it was great to get through them and start the assent to the castle. You can travel up to the castle by donkey if you wish but it doesnt take you all the way and we are not people who like to see animals used in this way, carrying tourists who are too lazy to walk.

The assent to the castle was crowded with tourists, and the rocks underfoot were worn smooth and very slippery, with lace sellers all the way. There is a charge to get into the castle but everybody was allowed in free on this occasion, someone said it was because they had reached a quota that everyone else could go in free. There is a long stairway into the castle itself with no handrail, but once inside the castle the views are truly awesome. You can see the town of Lindos below with its meandering streets, Lindos Bay and miles along the coast. From the other side of the castle you looked down over St Pauls Bay which seemed to be encircled by rocks. As the time had moved on we noticed the crowds had dropped and looking across the valley to the coach park noticed it was empty. The castle became a different place, being able to see the architecture, artifacts and read the information panels without being jostled. The Castle is under a state of renovation but the feeling of history is amazing.

Our recommendation would be to visit the castle after lunch when the coaches have gone. It seems they go there in the morning as it gets so hot. We'd say it is better to endure the heat and enjoy the castle than endure the crowds.

The Resort

Lardos:

We actually stayed just outside Lardos although all the descriptions label it as Lardos. It was a 30 minute walk into Lardos. We only went there in the evenings and it was very pleasant with a good choice of restaurants. One of the nights there was a festival in the vilage square, and it seemed like the whole village was there, the place was packed. There was singing, dancing, music, and a brilliant atmosphere. Another evening Greece were playing in the final of a major Basketball competition and the bars were full of locals watching the game. When they won the whole village went wild with cars and bikes congregating in the village square, with horns sounding and flags flying and singing and dancing, giving a truly greek feel.

The Accomodation

Cosmos Maris:

The Cosmos Maris is comfortable and clean with 31 studios on 3 floors. The owners George & Georgina are very friendly and very hard working. One thing that was instantly noticable were the amount of returning guests, which is always a good recommendation. There were also people regularly calling to the bar and the pool who normally stay at the Cosmos Maris but were unable to get in.

The rooms were the standard studio but very clean with a nice balcony overlooking the pool. Air Conditioning is available, payable at the bar, and there is also a safe in the room. There are two blocks and a third block was under construction with all the concreting done and other guests told us it had been like that for a couple of years and it would be another 3 years before there would be any work on completing them. They were fenced off so were seperate and did not interfere. On the first floor of the main building was a huge reception area that was never used but we were informed it will be when the other block is complete.

The bar is where all the activity is, acting as a bar, snack bar and reception. It is located next to the pool so we never had to go far during the day. There is a Greek evening and Karaoke evening on alternating weeks, and although we didn't attend, other guests told us how much fun they were. The meals served were very enjoyable and well presented but for evening meals there are a choice of restuarants/taverners only 200 yards away. The beach is about a 5 minute leisurely walk away. 200 yards away is the bus stop where you can catch the bus to Rhodes, calling at Pefkos and Lindos on the way and runs on a regular basis and is not very expensive.

In conclusion, we will return to Rhodes in the future, but there are so many islands to explore, never mind the mainland, we don't know when that will be. We didn't see much of the island so as I said before would be wrong to comment. The airport was Jam Packed on the return home with what seemed like half the holidaymakers on the island leaving within the same few hours, and with some flights with over 5 hours delay it was unbearable. The Cosmos Maris is clean, comfortable and very friendly and is excellent for a nice relaxing holiday.