Rhodes

The largest inhabited medieval town in Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a walled city of cobbled lanes, Gothic and Ottoman buildings, hidden courtyards and a moat you can walk. Lose an afternoon in its lanes, then again at night when the day crowds go and it turns floodlit and magical; the reason to come to Rhodes.

The island's showstopper — a dazzling white village of car-free lanes below a clifftop acropolis of ancient temples and crusader walls, looking down on the perfect blue horseshoe of St Paul's Bay. Climb up (or take a donkey) for one of the great views in Greece; go early or stay overnight to beat the crowds.

The mighty fortress-palace crowning the Old Town, built by the crusader Knights of St John and rebuilt grandly under Italian rule — vaulted halls, Roman mosaic floors and a museum of the medieval city. The single grandest building on Rhodes; combine it with a walk down the Street of the Knights below.

One of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe — a cobbled climb lined with the honey-stone 'inns' of the Knights of St John, each carved with the coats of arms of their nation. Walk it up to the Grand Master's palace; atmospheric and beautifully intact, it's the Old Town at its most storybook.

The old harbour where the Colossus of Rhodes — one of the Seven Wonders — is said to have stood, its entrance now flanked by bronze deer and guarded by windmills and a fort. Stroll the quay past the yachts and the grand Italian-era buildings; a pleasant, history-soaked wander between the Old Town and the beach.

The New Town's own beach — a long stretch of sand and shingle wrapping the northern tip of the island, with sunbeds, diving platforms and cafés, and the Old Town walls a stroll away. Handy rather than idyllic, but the joy is doing the medieval city in the morning and swimming in the afternoon.

A tiny, dazzling cove of turquoise water over rocks, ringed by pines — named after the Hollywood star who fell for it while filming 'The Guns of Navarone' here. Snorkel the clear shallows off the rocks; small and popular, so come early, but one of the prettiest swims on the island.

A cool, green ravine of streams, waterfalls and wooden bridges that fills each summer with millions of Jersey tiger moths, clustered on the tree trunks. A lovely, shady walk uphill through the woods and a change from the beach — best from June to September when the 'butterflies' are in; tread quietly, they're easily disturbed.

An almost-enclosed circle of clear turquoise water below the Lindos acropolis, reached down a path from the village — sheltered, scenic and perfect for a swim, with a tiny chapel where St Paul is said to have landed. The dreamy swim to pair with the acropolis climb; the water is calm and warm.

Rhodes' party central — Faliraki's bar street is a loud, cheap-drinks, young-crowd strip of clubs and bars that runs till dawn in high summer. Not for everyone, but if you want a big, boozy night out on the island, this is the place; the town's own New Town bars are a tamer alternative.

A long crescent of fine golden sand and shallow, warm water backed by a headland topped with a little monastery — one of the island's best family beaches. Climb the 300 steps to the clifftop Tsambika monastery for a huge coastal view, then reward yourself with a swim; a lovely day on the east coast.

A beautifully restored 1920s art-deco thermal spa on the coast — domes, colonnades and mosaic courtyards stepping down to a rocky swimming cove of clear water. Wander the elegant grounds and snorkel off the rocks (it featured in 'The Guns of Navarone'); a stylish, unusual stop between town and Faliraki.

The island's wild southern tip, where a sandbar joins a rocky islet with the sea on both sides — flat, shallow water one side and waves the other, making it a world-class windsurfing and kitesurfing spot. A long but spectacular drive down; come to ride the wind, or just to stand where two seas meet.

Eating in Rhodes means long, lazy tables of Greek meze — grilled octopus, tzatziki, fried cheese, stuffed vine leaves and fresh fish, washed down with ouzo or local wine. Skip the touristy squares for the quieter Old Town back lanes and the Jewish Quarter; that's where the good, honest tavernas hide.

The evocative ruins of an ancient Doric city on a west-coast hillside — a whole town of house foundations, streets, a temple and a reservoir stepping down to the sea, often called the 'Pompeii of Rhodes'. Quiet and uncrowded, with a lovely sea view; a rewarding stop on a drive down the west coast.

The quiet south-east corner of the Old Town — the Kahal Shalom synagogue (the oldest in Greece), a moving Holocaust memorial in the Square of the Martyrs, and lanes of quieter tavernas and craft shops. A poignant, atmospheric wander away from the main drag, and a reminder of the city's layered, tragic history.

A shady inland oasis near Kolymbia — seven natural springs feeding streams and a lake through pine woods, with a narrow, pitch-dark water tunnel you can wade through to reach it. A cool, green escape from the beach heat and a fun one with kids; there's a taverna by the water for lunch under the planes.