Rhodes Hotels

Rhodes thanks its lucky stars for 300 days of sunshine and golden sands lapped by the Aegean. But it doesn't stop there. Scratch the surface to find the Old Town's medieval maze, Lindos' hilltop Acropolis and join Faliraki's 24-hour party.

Lindos' chalk-white, bougainvillea-clad houses tumble down to a crescent-shaped beach – climb a rocky path to the 5th-century BC Acropolis for bay views. Join a scantily clad crowd on Faliraki's five-km sands, or seek solace in remote pebble coves at pine-flanked Fourni, Glyfada and Anthony Quinn.

A jumble of twisting alleyways, medieval Rhodes Town is a UNESCO world-heritage site enclosed by fortified walls. Glimpse the Acropolis' Doric columns and Turkish-era Suleiman Mosque's slender minaret. Unravel Ialysos' Minoan roots at the columned Temple of Athena Polias or pretty Koskinou's candy-coloured houses and mosaic courtyards. Discover the secrets of winemaking, with tasting included, at the Emery Winery in Embona.

Stroll Petaloudes' pine forests to spot hundreds of butterflies by the stream in summer and picnic in Kalopetra Monastery's shady courtyard. Go north to soak in Rhodes Town's domed Turkish Baths or retreat to the pine-clad slopes of Mount Ataviros, rising 1,215 metres in the west. Forsake Faliraki's throngs for the peace of neighbouring island, Symi.

Daredevils dangle upside down with a bungee jump or shoot high in the sky rocket in Faliraki. For more white-knuckles, try parasailing or banana flying over the bay. The windswept west coast beckons surfers and kite surfers with almighty waves. Practise your stroke on Afandou's 18-hole golf course or scuba dive in Kalithea's crystal waters.

In Rhodes Town's tavernas, savour tasty moussaka (eggplant, potato and béchamel sauce), rice-stuffed peppers and slow-cooked lamb kleftiko , washed down with ruby-red Chevalier de Rhodes wine. Afandou's waterfront restaurants specialise in pitaroudia (chick-pea balls) and hearty casseroles. Feast on grilled octopus beneath Mavrikos' arches, Lindos.

Faliraki comes first for after-dark fun, with all-night foam parties, kitsch karaoke bars and Bed, where 2,000 clubbers share floor space. Try a goldfish-bowl cocktail – it'll knock your socks (or sandals) off! Smart locals spill out onto cobbled, lantern-lit squares in Rhodes Old Town, then live it up in the New Town's cool Paradiso Beach Club. Relax with cocktails on Lindos' hilltop terraces.

Buy silver bracelets and gold bangles, jewel-coloured kaftans and designer leather handbags from Rhodes Town's stone-walled boutiques lining Sokratous, once the Turkish bazaar area. Search for hand-woven carpets in Archangelos' east-coast workshops, natural sea sponges from Symi, Siana honey and velvety red wines from the Emery Winery in Embona.