The Dodecanese List

So apparently Greece is the Summer 2021 destination (for those traveling internationally). Besides hearing this from my friend group and the Yolo IG community, I’ve heard it from multiple travel advisors. Maybe it’s because they opened first in the EU (mid-May), so it was easier to plan…but I’m telling myself it’s because of last summer’s Yolo Journal Greece issue!

What better place than here to have all the Greek travel intel in a list? I’ll start with our favorite island group, the Dodecanese, just off the coast of Turkey, because I know it the best (I went to school in tiny Kalymnos, the sponge diving capital of the world)—plus it’s a bit more off-the-beaten-path, so there will likely be more availability than some of the more obvious islands. This list comes from our and our friends’ personal experiences, so it is by no means comprehensive. If you think we’ve missed something please leave your suggestions in the comments. We’ve also organized it by how we usually enter the islands, flying into Rhodes.

RHODES

We have only ever spent one night in Rhodes—mostly because we have to get to a rental somewhere else, and the way the planes and ferries line up, we need to overnight. We know we’re missing out on a beautiful island—as the locals who have become fast friends have told us. It just has a lot of mass commercialism and is so large that we just haven’t taken the opportunity to explore it deeper. We’re not going into restaurants here because we suggest just asking your hotel owners, who will have much more current intel. (Update as of August 2021—adding in a couple of our favorite food and day trip experiences.)

STAY

Melenos Lindos We stayed here the first time we overnighted in Rhodes. It’s in Lindos, the beautiful historic whitewashed village, with an epic acropolis. The hotel is incredibly special—was lovingly restored by its owner—and the food is great too. Plus you can walk down to the beach for a swim, and up to the acropolis at 8am so you get there before anyone else, and before it’s too hot. The only downside is that it’s about an hour from the airport and then back to the port, and that it is quite touristy. But for a first trip and if you’re here just a night, I’d recommend it.

Kokkini Porta Rossa Nikos and Angela are sweet and enthusiastic hosts in their beautifully restored former knight’s residence, just inside the old city’s walls. They have great recs, and will become your fast friends, as they became ours. Angela makes an insanely thoughtful coursed breakfast–so try to not miss out on that. Hopefully their son Paris is around as he is a masterful pianist—nothing like drinking a gin and tonic in their garden while listening to him play.

Marco Polo Mansion “While it’s in the center of a touristy destination (it’s in the Old Town), you feel totally immersed in a medieval bubble…and transported to another life.” Sofia Sanchez de Betak

AND…

We just came back from Greece, and on this stop in Rhodes had two nights, which we spent at Kokkini Porta Rossa. As we had a whole day to explore, we rented a car and followed the suggestions of Nikos, the hotel owner. He sent us to the Mount Profitis Elias area, about an hour’s drive. We started in the abandoned village of Eleousa, built by Italians in the 20s—for anyone who loves that period of architecture, and seeing its patina, this is a must. Just two minutes up the road is the Koskinisti spring, which is so pretty, and apparently, the water is delicious. Further down the road another 5 minutes or so is Agios Nikolaos Fountoukli, a tiny Byzantine chapel that was built by parents who lost their children to the plague—it’s a beautiful spot and we had it all to ourselves. The grand finale is lunch at Paraga, a small nondescript restaurant in Apollona, in the foothills. The food is outstanding—everything comes from their garden or the island. The chef has a cookbook as well, in English, which we bought, and are cooking from already.

If you have a pair of sandals you want copied, or you want the best handmade sandals at a fantastic price (around $40), visit Apokorastos Handmade in the Old Town.

If you have only one afternoon, do yourself a favor and visit the Archaeological Museum. It’s breathtakingly beautiful.

SYMI

We spent a couple of nights here in 2018, and loved this island. It’s probably the prettiest port you’ll ever see, and it has the most lovely beaches that you take water taxis to. It attracts a French crowd—Francois Halard, one of my favorite photographers, has a house there. And apparently Cy Twombly spent some time here as well.

STAY

Emporio: “New generation hotel—beautiful, quiet, and cool” Jacopo from Talea, my favorite store here that closed during the pandemic.

1900 Hotel just opened in August 2021 and it looks lovely.

Old Markets: “Our favorite hotel in Greece” Arturo Bamboo

Aliki We stayed here—loved the location, and how caught-in-time it is. What it lacks in luxury it makes up with in character.

Anchor House (on the sea, designed by one of our favorite architects Dimitris Zographos)

La Sirena Villa

Pitini Villa

EAT/DRINK

Tholos

Yachta

Tsati Cocktail Bar 

KASTELLORIZO

This is an island we haven’t personally been to, but are dying to get to. You can get there by plane or ferry from Rhodes. Several of our Greek friends gave us their favorites below. It’s where they shot Mediterraneo.

STAY

Mediterraneo

Poseidon

EAT/DRINK

Faros: “The place to be for morning coffee, ouzo, beers, early or late drinks—always in your swimsuit” Panagiotis Sopiades

Alexandra’s Restaurant

Lazarakis

Ta Platania

AND…

Boat: Kazzie Cruises Kastellorizo

Hike up to Paliokastro

Bukla Store

LEROS

We’ve stayed here several times because it’s such a lovely stop on the Rhodes to Patmos journey (sometimes ferry and flight schedules don’t align with the timing of rental check-ins). It’s also the closest island to Patmos with an airport, so it’s a place you may end up having a half a day between your ferry and your flight. If that’s your case, stop at the bakery for morning coffee and the best pastries, then taxi to Alinda for lunch. It’s about a 10 min ride to the airport from there.

STAY

Casa Leros a 2 bedroom 2 bath rental, with lovely details.

Archontiko Angelou is a historic family home turned inn, with all the details intact, delicious vegetarian food (and this from someone who isn’t vegetarian at all, plus they also do vegan and GF), and it’s a 10 minute walk to our favorite beach and restaurant, Prima Plora.

Villa Clara a beautifully restored historic home in the main town, run by the most lovely French and Lebanese couple (he’s also an amazing chef and prepares the most beautiful meals).

EAT/DRINK

To Paradosiako is a family-owned bakery that is right at the port. It’s so good that we have taken a boat from Patmos just to get their black vanilla ice cream and orange cake.

Harris Bar is a new spot owned by Haris, whose family owns the above bakery.

Prima Aneplora is a feet in sand restaurant in Alinda that is as great as it is charming. It’s seriously some of the best food we’ve had in Greece. Everyone talks about Milos as the great restaurant in Leros—and it’s good—but this place is very special. It’s run by a husband/wife team, the wife is the chef—and she’s Korean, and brings some of those flavor profiles into traditional Greek dishes. Don’t miss her carrot salad.

PATMOS

The island that brings us to the Dodecanese—this is the place we meet up with our friends every August. It isn’t that Patmos is the best, it just happens to be the one that we’ve all ended up at, so it’s a bit like reunion island. I definitely don’t recommend coming in August—but that’s something I would say for most islands in Greece. Too hot, too crowded, and the locals are annoyed. Unfortunately all of our friends can only meet in that month, so we are stuck with it. If you’re creating your own tradition, I would do it in June, July, or September! As for where to stay—there are two types of visitors—you either want to stay in Chora, the ancient town on the top of the island, which is where everyone goes at night, or you want to be closer to the beaches. This year will be our first year staying in Chora, so I’ll report back in September—I thought we were beach/pool people, but maybe I’ll make the switch.

STAY

Most people who visit Patmos decide they want to come back and stay longer the next time, especially after they see how complicated it is to get here.

Onar Patmos is a lovely boutique hotel with an equally lovely owner, and a perfect location right on the beach.

Archontariki is the place to stay if you want to be in Chora.

Patmos 360 is a collection of three historical properties in Chora, owned and restored by architect Katerina Tsigarida, that are available for rent. Beautifully styled.

White Key Villas

EAT/DRINK

Ktima Petra is a short walk from Petra Beach, and is one of our favorite places for lunch.

Benetos is an elegant spot on the sea, which also happens to have a working farm that supplies the restaurant.

Thalami in Chora is our favorite tiny bar—it has the best music, and is the place we always start the evening.

Pantelis on the island of Marathi is a must, but requires a boat. They also have accommodations, which we have heard good things about. We’ve had many a long lunch there with a large group of friends—and we’re always shocked by how inexpensive the bill is at the end.

Note: this an island that requires a car if you want to explore all the different beaches and restaurants.

AND…

Best boat Maria P and Captain Corinne: Patmosailing and most charming caique 9s tue Diasozouda Venetia via Holly Lueders

IKARIA

This is the island that is calling us, but we haven’t made it there yet. Many of my Greek friends say the same—want to go—but it’s not an easy island. You have to want its rhythm, as Ilaria says below.

Agriolykos Pension “In the village of Therma, a laid-back pensione in the most relaxed of places. The island has beautiful beaches and plenty of nature, but it’s really special because of the way the locals live in their own universe—they don’t like being stressed or pressured. The pharmacist opens his shop any time he wishes, sometimes not at all, sometimes around midnight. The tavernas have their own rhythm when serving food. You might be seated at a table for an hour before someone comes to take your order, and if you complain because you are in a hurry, they ask you to find another place to eat. People on Ikaria have one of the highest life expectancies in the world, I guess, because stress is not part of their culture!” —Ileana Makri

Also worth mentioning that we are longing to get to Astypalaia, and return to Karpathos which we haven’t been to since 1987!