THE DODECANESE ISLANDS OF GREECE
The first thing to notice about this far-eastern Greek archipelago is that the Dodecanese -the 12- is in fact comprised of 32 islands: 14 inhabited and 18 uninhabited. They have been known collectively as the Dodecanese since 1908, when 12 of them joined forces to resist the recent revocation of the special status that they had long enjoyed under the sultans. The Dodecanese are far-flung from the Greek mainland and mostly hug the coast of Asia Minor. As frontier or borderline territories, their struggles to remain free and Greek have been intense and prolonged. Although they have been recognizably Greek for millennia, only in 1948 were the Dodecanese reunited with the Greek nation.
Long accustomed to watching the seas for invaders, these islands now spend their time awaiting tourists - who, like migrating birds, show up each spring and stay until October. The coming of the tourist season awakens a pattern of activity largely created and contrived for the sake of drawing and entertaining outsiders. Such is the reality of island life today. As in the past, however, the islanders proudly retain their own character even as they accommodate the onslaught of foreigners. Dodecanense islands we feature represent a considered selection from the 12. In high season, you can travel easily from one to the other. The principal islands, south to north, are Rhodes, Kos, and Patmos. North of Rhodes lies the lesser yet exquisite island of Simi. Patmos and Simi are quite barren in summer, while the interiors of Rhodes and Kos remain fertile and forested. The spectacular historical sights, from ancient ruins to medieval fortresses, are concentrated on Patmos, Kos, and Rhodes, so are the tourists. Simi is the not-quite-secret getaway you will not soon forget.
STRATEGIES FOR SEEING THE DODECANESE ISLANDS
In planning your excursion to the Dodecanese, keep in mind that the longest tourist season is on Rhodes. So, if you’re pushing the season in April, begin in Rhodes, or, if you’re stretching the season into October, end up in Rhodes. In general, avoid the Dodecanese from late July through August, when they are so glutted with tourists that they nearly sink. The three islands most worth visiting— both for their own sake and as bases to explore other nearby islands - are Rhodes, Kos, and Patmos. From the mainland, all are best reached by air. Rhodes and Kos have airports, Patmos is a short jaunt by hydrofoil from Samos, which also has an airport. From Kos and Rhodes, you can get just about anywhere in the eastern Aegean, including nearby Turkey, which is worth at least a day’s excursion. Simi can be reached by ferry from Piraeus but most people will approach it by boat as an excursion from Rhodes.