4 Best Sights in Monolithos to Kameiros, Rhodes and the Dodecanese

The medieval fortress of Monolithos—so named for the jutting, 750-foot monolith on which it is constructed—was built by the Knights of St. John in 1480 and rises above a fairy-tale landscape of deep-green forests and sharp cliffs plunging into the sea. Inside the stronghold (accessible only by a steep path and series of stone steps) there is a chapel, and the ramparts provide magnificent views of Rhodes's emerald inland and the island of Halki. The small pebble beach of Fourni beneath the castle is a delightful place for a swim.

This is one of the three ancient cities of Rhodes, along with Lindos and Ialysos. Kameiros was for a time the most powerful of them all, and the first to cut its own currency, until earthquakes in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC sapped the city's might. After that, its citizens just ebbed away. It was excavated by the Italians in 1929 and lies on three levels on a slope above the sea. Most of the city—apparently never fortified—that is visible today dates to the classical period and later, and includes an acropolis, a large reservoir, a gridlike pattern of streets lined with houses and shops, and several temples. The hill hides many more ruins, yet to be unearthed.

This ruined-yet-still impressive fortress, built by the Knights of St. John in the late 15th century, rises high above the sea on the coast just north of Mt. Avrios, with good views in every direction. Above its entrance you can still make out the engraved coats of arms of two Grand Masters.

This small town perches on the wooded slopes of Mt. Acramitis above a vast, fertile valley. A popular stop on the tourist trail, Siana is known for its fragrant honey and for souma (a very strong, sweet wine that resembles a grape-flavor schnapps); look for stands selling both.