Nov 16 – Rhodes Acropolis

We discovered today that Rhodes on a Monday in November can be a very quiet place indeed. Unlike 2 weeks ago, there weren't any other cruise ships in port, and many of the museums shut on Mondays for the winter season. Fortunately no-one had told the weather that it was winter, and it was a beautifully clear, sunny day.

We trekked up Monte Smith, the hill behind Rhodes Town to visit the ancient Acropolis. This is pretty much all that remains of the classical city, which once would have been home to an Ancient Wonder of the World, the long-disappeared Colossus of Rhodes, and 100,000 people (only 60,000 live there now).

We visited the old hippodrome, a heavily reconstructed Odeon, and the remains of the Temple of Apollo, then we enjoyed the spectacular views along the coast from the top of the hill, before stopping for a delicious lunch in locals-only (apart from us) cafe.

If only the place could be as quiet and tourist-free as this for the rest of the year.