Dodecanese Overview

Closer to Turkey than to Athens, the Dodecanese are slightly less touristed than other island clusters, yet they still have the stunning views and beachy fun of more mainstream destinations plus a tumultuous history of piracy and warfare. Home to Hippocrates, father of medicine, and the exile asylum of St. John, author of the Bible’s book of Revelation, the Dodecanese are marked by the footsteps of every major invader throughout Greek history. The islanders experienced the cultural flourish of the Hellenistic period, then did as the Romans did during the Pax Romana, and were soon struck with the religious fervor that marked the advent of Byzantine Christianity. During the 14th century, Christian crusaders built medieval fortresses to ward off the Muslim invaders, but despite their best efforts the Ottomans invaded in 1523 and stayed until 1912, leaving a distinct Islamic architectural presence. Mussolini and the Italian fascists took over in 1912 and developed the islands as naval bases during WWII, although islanders pride themselves on being the first of the Greek islands to expel the Italian occupiers. After millennia of foreign conquest, the Dodecanese finally joined the Greek nation in 1948. Eclectic architecture is the most visible legacy of all these comings and goings: Greek and Roman ruins, knight’s castles, Ottoman mosques, and stark Italian architecture are sprinkled among the bright blue-and-white homes that characterize the island’s traditional look. The islands themselves are just as diverse as their conquerors have been. From Rhodes’s imposing Old Town to Symi’s charming pastel houses, and Kos’s nightlife to Kalymnos’s mountains, the Dodecanese offer a thorough mix of traditional villages, stunning beaches, ruined temples, and young metropolises.