Dodecanese Islands

DODECANESE ISLANDS (Dodecanese means twelve islands) form an archipelago of over 163 islands and islets, of which only 26 are inhabited, situated at the most eastern part of Greece, at the borders of Europe and off the southwest coast of Turkey. The archipelago has an area of 2.714 km² and a population of 200.452. The capital of the group is Rhodes. The rest of the 11 islands are: Kos, Patmos, Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Leros, Nisyros, Simi, Tilos and Kastelorizo.

The islands have rich cultural and natural heritage. Several islands of the Dodecanese, especially Rhodes, were settled by the ancient Greeks and figured prominently in Hellenic civilisation for many centuries. The islands eventually became Roman dominions. Following the division of the Roman Empire, Dodecanese became a part of the Byzantine Empire. In 1522 the Dodecanese were seized by the Ottoman Turks, who retained control until the successful invasion of Rhodes in 1912 by Italian armed forces. During the Second World War, in 1943, German troops occupied the Dodecanese, and in May of 1945, the islands were handed over to British forces. The Dodecanese formally became a part of Greece in 1948.

Agriculture is the chief occupation of the Dodecanese, the leading crops being olives, grapes, oranges, and other fruits and vegetables. Sponge fishing is important especially in Kalymnos, however tourism is of the economic significance to the islands which flourishes during the summer months.

Nowadays Rhodes and Kos are among the most popular and cosmopolitan tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. Kalymnos is the island of the sponge divers, while Halki, Nissiros, Kassos, Tilos and Pserimos are still kept away from the massive tourism, retaining their traditional character. Symi is a picturesque small island which becomes popular, wild and mountainous Karpathos is dramatically beautiful, Agathonisi and Kassos are hilly and difficult to reach. Patmos is the island where Saint John the Divine wrote the prophetic Revelations while the visitor has to make an excursion to the nearby islets of Fourni, Lipsi, and Agathonissi where he will find his own private beach. Leros is relatively quite, while Astipalea has a magnificent geographical location and the architecture matches Cyclades. Last but not least Kastellorizo or Megisti is the destination at the "edge" of Greece.

Direct charter flights are available from European cities to Rhodes, Kos and Karpathos.

Daily flights operate from Athens to Astypalea, Leros, Kos, Rhodes and Karpathos, while inter-island flight service operate between Karpathos and Crete, Kos and Leros, Rhodes, Karpathos, Kastellorizo, Crete, Santorini and Mykonos. There are several ferry and ship lines connecting the islands with Athens.