Page 174 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

4
LÍNDOS

ΛΊΝΔΟΣ

⌂ 50 km (31 miles) S of Rhodes Old Town @ g From Rhodes
EXPERIENCE The Dodecanese rich naval power. Now a National Historic Landmark,
n Platia Eleftherias; 22440 31900
Líndos was first inhabited in 3000 BC, and became a
Líndos’s pretty white village, Crusader castle and
acropolis attracts visitors in large numbers.

The charming, pedestrianized village of Líndos is mainly visited
for its historic sites, but it also has a wide stretch of beach,
which curves around Líndos bay. Best visited in autumn or
spring, when the streets aren’t as crowded with visitors, the
most pleasant way to arrive is by boat from Rhodes.
The village’s winding lanes are fronted by imposing doorways
which lead into the flower-filled courtyards of the unique
Líndian houses, mainly arhontiká (mansions) built by rich sea
captains between the 15th and 18th centuries; older houses
mix Byzantine and Arabic styles. A few of these houses are
open to the public for viewing. In the centre of the village lies
the Byzantine church of the Panagía, complete with graceful
bell tower and excellent frescoes by Gregory of Sými in 1779.
The Acropolis
Perched on a sheer precipice 125 m (410 ft) above the village,
the spectacular acropolis here is a sign of Líndos’s early wealth.
The complex is crowned by the 4th-century-BC Temple of
Líndian Athena, its remaining columns etched against the sky.
The temple was among the most sacred sites in the ancient
world, visited by Alexander the Great and supposedly by
Herakles and Helen of Troy. This temple was joined
by the Roman temple of Diocletian in the 3rd
century AD. In the 13th century, the
Knights of St John fortified the
acropolis with much higher walls,
still looming over the town today.
The acropolis is open daily
throughout summer, and closed
on Mondays in winter.

INSIDER TIP
Líndos Lace
On the path up to the
acropolis are women
selling the lace for
which Líndos is well
known. Líndian
stitchwork is sought
after by museums
worldwide; it is said
that Alexander the
Great wore a cloak made Tourists at the spectacular
by Líndian women.
acropolis, which overlooks
the town and sea beyond
174

174-175_EW_Greek_Islands.indd 174 28/11/2018 09:53

EW Must-see template v2 – 12th July 2018
Fonts: Aptifer Sans LT Pro, Posterama Text, Soho Gothic
Pro, Soho Pro, ITC Caslon 224