What makes the Dodecanese a special destination?
The Dodecanese combines medieval knightly architecture on Rhodes, the medical history of Hippocrates on Kos, and a dense network of small ferry-hop islands reaching almost to the Turkish coast. Rhodes Town and Kos Town are the usual gateways, from which Symi, Patmos or Kalymnos can be added as a day trip or stopover.
Unlike the rest of Greece, the Dodecanese was under Italian administration until 1947, and for centuries before that under the Knights Hospitaller and then the Ottomans; these layers still shape the architecture, streetscape and even individual administrative buildings in Italian colonial style today. This page covers Rhodes and Kos in detail, as well as the island group's own ferry connections, including to Turkey.
Entry requirements and time zone follow the same rules as the rest of Greece; details are on the Greece page.
Sources: visitgreece.gr, Greek National Tourism Organisation
What kind of destination is the Dodecanese?
The Dodecanese is the easternmost Greek island group, geographically closer to Turkey than to Athens: Kastellorizo lies only about 2 km off the Turkish coast. The islands' history is shaped by Byzantine, Hospitaller, Ottoman and Italian rule, quite different from the history of the Greek mainland.
Rhodes already flourished in the 4th century BC, when the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, stood at its harbor. From 1309, the Knights Hospitaller built their fortified headquarters on Rhodes; in 1522 the Ottomans conquered the island; from 1912 to 1943 Italy ruled the entire Dodecanese, before the island group, after a brief period of British military administration, was united with Greece in 1947.
This late unification explains why the Dodecanese feels different from other Greek islands: broad Italian administrative buildings in Rhodes Town and Kos Town, paved squares in the Fascist architectural style of the 1920s and 1930s, alongside medieval knights' castles and Ottoman minarets. Kos rounds out the picture with its connection to Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," who was born on the island around 460 BC.
Sources: visitgreece.gr, Greek National Tourism Organisation
Which places are worth visiting in the Dodecanese?
Rhodes Town, with the Street of the Knights and the Palace of the Grand Master, is the biggest draw, complemented by the Acropolis of Lindos on the east coast. Kos Town scores with the ancient Asklepieion and the Tree of Hippocrates; smaller islands such as Symi, Patmos and Kastellorizo can be worked in as a day trip or stopover.
Rhodes Town
The medieval old town of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, is one of the best-preserved fortified cities in Europe, with its Street of the Knights (Ippoton) and the Palace of the Grand Master. At the Mandraki harbor, where legend says the Colossus of Rhodes once stood, windmills and the Fortress of Agios Nikolaos stand today.
Lindos
About 50 km southeast of Rhodes Town, the Acropolis of Lindos rises above the bay, with a temple of Athena Lindia and a knights' castle on the same rock. The "new town" below preserves captains' houses from the 17th to early 20th century.
Kos Town and the Asklepieion
Kos Town is built around a Knights Hospitaller fortress at the harbor and an extensive network of bike paths that make the island easy to explore by bicycle. About 4 km outside town lies the ancient Asklepieion, a three-tiered sanctuary with temples, baths and a medical school; according to tradition, Hippocrates, born on Kos around 460 BC, taught here. In the town itself stands the protected plane tree known as the Tree of Hippocrates, with a trunk circumference of about 12 m, though current assessment considers it more likely a descendant of the original tree.
Kastellorizo
At the far eastern edge, about 125 km from Rhodes and only around 2 km from the Turkish coast, lies Kastellorizo (Megisti), with around 590 residents, all in the main town of the same name. The island is reachable by ferry from Rhodes or by small aircraft and is considered one of the quietest destinations in the Dodecanese because of its remoteness.
Symi and Patmos
Symi, a good two hours from Rhodes, is known for its harbor lined with colorful 19th-century neoclassical captains' houses. Patmos, in the north of the island group, is considered a holy island: according to tradition, the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation here, and the Monastery of Saint John above the Chora remains a destination for religious pilgrimages to this day.
Sources: visitgreece.gr, Greek National Tourism Organisation · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Wikipedia
When is the best time to visit the Dodecanese?
May/June and September/October offer warm swimming weather without the July heat, along with a still-good, if thinner, ferry network to the small islands. Between June and September most ferries run, but Rhodes and Kos are also at their busiest.
Climatically, the Dodecanese lies in the dry, hot south of the Aegean; rain falls mainly in the winter half of the year, and summers are long and sunny. On Rhodes and Kos, many hotels and ferry connections stay open year-round, but on smaller islands such as Symi or Kastellorizo the offering shrinks noticeably outside the season.
Travelers wanting to combine several small islands are best off planning between June and September, when local ferry frequency is highest. Outside that period, connections to remote islands such as Kastellorizo, Tilos or Kasos drop off significantly, and waits of several days between two ferries are possible.
On the smallest islands, such as Kasos, Tilos or Kastellorizo, infrastructure stays minimal year-round; travelers arriving outside summer should check accommodation and restaurant opening hours directly beforehand, since many businesses close entirely from November to March.
Wildfire risk exists, according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA, in large parts of Greece from spring to autumn, including on Rhodes and Kos in the hot, dry summer (as of September 2026).
Sources: visitgreece.gr, Greek National Tourism Organisation
What applies for entering the Dodecanese?
The Dodecanese is part of Greece, so the same rules apply as for the rest of the country: Swiss, German and Austrian nationals enter with a passport or national ID card, without a visa and without a fixed stay limit thanks to Schengen or freedom of movement. Anyone continuing on from Rhodes or Kos to Turkey thereby leaves the Schengen area and needs a separate entry permit.
Details on visas, length of stay and special rules for Greece are on the Greece page; this page covers only Dodecanese-specific points. Important for day trips to Bodrum (from Kos) or Marmaris and Fethiye (from Rhodes): Turkey lies outside the Schengen area, and depending on nationality, a separate visa or electronic authorization is needed to enter.
The current information from Switzerland's FDFA, Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA at the time of travel is always authoritative, both for Greece and for a side trip to Turkey.
Sources: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA, Austria)
What health precautions does the Dodecanese require?
The same recommendations apply to the Dodecanese as to all of Greece: no vaccination is mandatory, but healthytravel.ch and the CDC advise most travelers to get hepatitis A and keep routine vaccinations up to date. Medical care is good on Rhodes and Kos, which have hospitals, but very limited on small islands such as Symi or Kastellorizo.
Healthytravel.ch generally recommends for Greece the routine vaccinations per the Swiss immunization schedule, as well as hepatitis A for travel to rural areas; a malaria risk exists, according to the site, only in rare, sporadic individual cases. Mosquito protection against West Nile virus is worthwhile from May to October.
On small islands without their own hospital, such as Symi, Tilos or Kastellorizo, more serious cases are usually transferred to Rhodes or Kos; supplementary travel insurance with medical repatriation is worthwhile, especially for trips to remote islands.
Sources: healthytravel.ch, Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine
How safe is the Dodecanese for travelers?
Like all of Greece, the Dodecanese is considered a fundamentally safe destination with no elevated crime. Practical risks are mainly wildfires in summer and, because of the proximity to Turkey, possible political tensions, which have not so far affected travel safety for tourists, according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA.
Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA generally name pickpocketing in crowds and seasonal wildfire risk for Greece; on Rhodes, larger summer fires with temporary evacuations in tourist towns have occurred repeatedly in recent years.
Anyone crossing by boat to small islands should take weather warnings seriously: in strong Meltemi winds during high summer, ferries between the smaller Dodecanese islands can be canceled on short notice.
Sources: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA, Austria)
How do you get to the Dodecanese and between the islands?
Rhodes "Diagoras" (RHO), with around 137 nonstop destinations in 32 countries, is the island group's largest airport; Kos "Ippokratis" (KGS) serves around 61 to 65 destinations in 16 countries. By sea, overnight ferries run from Piraeus, alongside a dense network of local ferries between the Dodecanese islands and, for day trips, short connections to Turkey.
| Route | Mode of transport | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Piraeus – Rhodes | Overnight ferry | about 11 to 18 h, depending on the ship and stops |
| Piraeus – Kos | Overnight ferry | about 9.5 to 13 h |
| Athens – Rhodes | Domestic flight | about 55 min |
| Rhodes – Kos | Local ferry | about 2 h 5 min to 3.5 h, depending on the ship |
| Rhodes – Symi | Local ferry | about 1 to 2 h |
| Kos – Bodrum (Turkey) | Short ferry | about 20 to 45 min |
| Rhodes – Marmaris (Turkey) | Short ferry | about 1 h |
According to current flight data, Rhodes "Diagoras" (RHO) serves around 137 nonstop destinations in 32 countries with around 131 flights a day, mostly within Europe as well as charter destinations in the Middle East; the largest carrier is Ryanair. Kos "Ippokratis" (KGS) is smaller, with around 61 to 65 destinations in 16 countries; the main source markets are Germany and the United Kingdom.
By sea, Blue Star Ferries and other shipping companies run several times a week between Piraeus and Rhodes or Kos, with journey times of around 10 to 18 hours depending on the ship and stops at other Cyclades or Dodecanese islands. Within the island group, local ferries and catamarans, such as those of Dodekanisos Seaways, connect Rhodes, Kos, Symi, Kalymnos, Leros, Patmos and the smaller islands several times a day in high season.
From Kos to Bodrum on the Turkish coast, the short ferry takes only about 20 to 45 minutes; from Rhodes to Marmaris or Fethiye, about 1 hour to 1 hour 40 minutes. Such day trips are popular but require a separate entry into Turkey.
Sources: AeroCorner · Kos International Airport (KGS) · ferries.gr · Direct Ferries
What money do you need in the Dodecanese?
The national currency is the euro, as throughout Greece. Card payment is widespread in Rhodes Town and Kos Town, but cash is often needed on small islands and for local ferry tickets.
In the two major towns and coastal tourist resorts, most hotels and restaurants accept cards. On smaller islands such as Symi, Tilos or Kastellorizo, ATMs are rare, so cash for tavernas and ferry tickets should be brought along in advance.
Travelers crossing to Bodrum, Marmaris or Fethiye usually pay there in Turkish lira or euros; the exact terms and exchange rates should be checked before the crossing, since euros are not accepted everywhere. Tipping, as in the rest of Greece, is not mandatory; 5 to 10 percent in restaurants is customary.
Sources: Direct Ferries
Where is the best place to stay in the Dodecanese?
In Rhodes Town, most travelers stay in or near the medieval old town, or alternatively in the large resort towns of Ixia and Faliraki on the coast. Kos Town offers similar options on a smaller scale; on Symi and Patmos, small, often family-run guesthouses in historic harbor houses dominate.
The old town of Rhodes has numerous boutique hotels in restored knights' and Ottoman houses, but is correspondingly in demand during high season. Travelers seeking beach proximity will find large hotel complexes with direct sea access on the east coast around Faliraki and Ixia.
On Kos, accommodation concentrates in the town and the coastal resorts of Kardamena and Marmari; on small islands such as Symi or Patmos, it's best to book early, since capacity is limited and many properties have only a few rooms.
What do you eat in the Dodecanese?
The cuisine is shaped by proximity to Turkey and the Italian past: fish and seafood, pilafi rice dishes, and on Kos, "pitaridia," thin pasta sheets used for soups. On Symi, the small local shrimp is a specialty; on Rhodes, inland vineyards shape the cuisine further.
Rhodes produces its own wine, including in the wine region around Embonas at the foot of Mount Attavyros; this comes with mezedes such as stuffed vine leaves and local honey. On Kos, the cuisine is simpler and more rustic, with plenty of fresh vegetables from the island's fertile plains.
Symi is known for its tiny, slightly sweet shrimp, served fried; Patmos for simple monastery cuisine with plenty of legumes. As in the rest of Greece, souvlaki, horiatiki salad and ouzo with mezedes are part of everyday life everywhere.
What culture shapes the Dodecanese?
The Dodecanese bears the traces of foreign rule more visibly than other Greek islands: knights' castles, Ottoman minarets and Italian administrative buildings stand side by side. On Patmos, religious significance as the site of John's Revelation additionally shapes the island's cultural calendar.
The Knights Hospitaller, officially the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, had their order's headquarters on Rhodes from 1309 until the Ottoman conquest of 1522; their castles and churches still shape the old town today. Italian administration from 1912 to 1943 left behind broad squares, administrative buildings in the Fascist architectural style and infrastructure still in use today, such as Rhodes Town's water system.
Patmos is considered one of the holy sites of Orthodoxy: the Monastery of Saint John above the Chora, inhabited since the 11th century, and the Cave of the Apocalypse draw pilgrims year-round. Kos holds Hippocrates festivals in summer with music and theater in memory of the island's most famous son.
What experiences are worth having in the Dodecanese?
Highlights include the old town and Street of the Knights in Rhodes, the Acropolis of Lindos, the Asklepieion and bike paths on Kos, and day trips to small islands such as Symi. Active travelers will find a dense network of bike paths on Kos and hiking trails in the hill country around Mount Attavyros on Rhodes.
Experiencing history
- Street of the Knights and Palace of the Grand Master, Rhodes: UNESCO World Heritage Site, center of the Knights Hospitaller order.
- Acropolis of Lindos: a temple and a knights' castle on the same rock above the bay.
- Asklepieion, Kos: an ancient sanctuary and medical school associated with Hippocrates.
Active and outdoors
With its network of bike paths, Kos is the most bike-friendly island in the region; many routes run flat between town, beach and villages. On Rhodes, hiking trails lead into the hill country around Mount Attavyros and through the "Valley of the Butterflies," a shaded stream valley where thousands of moths gather in summer.
Experiencing the islands
A day trip from Rhodes to Symi shows off the colorful harbor and the Panormitis Monastery; from Kos, Nisyros with its still-active volcanic crater is a popular excursion. Travelers with more time combine Patmos or remote Kastellorizo with a multi-day ferry route through the Dodecanese.
Sources: visitgreece.gr, Greek National Tourism Organisation · kos.gr
How do you travel considerately in the Dodecanese?
Visiting small islands such as Symi or Patmos outside high season eases pressure on water supply and infrastructure, which are often scarce on these islands. The Valley of the Butterflies on Rhodes calls for particular consideration, since noise and flash photography disturb the moths.
- Stay on the marked paths in the Valley of the Butterflies, make no noise and don't use flash, to avoid disturbing the moth colony.
- Use water mindfully on small islands, since Symi, Patmos and Kastellorizo partly rely on tanker ships for supply.
- Travel outside high season (May, June, September, October) to ease pressure on the old town of Rhodes and Lindos.
Sources: visitgreece.gr, Greek National Tourism Organisation
What can the Dodecanese be combined with?
The Dodecanese can be combined by local ferry with the southern Cyclades, for instance via Kalymnos or directly with Santorini on certain summer routes. Short ferries to Bodrum, Marmaris or Fethiye also allow a day trip to Turkey.
Travelers with more time combine Rhodes or Kos with a ferry route through several Dodecanese islands as far as Patmos or further into the Cyclades; such routes run mainly in the high season from June to September. A side trip to Turkey from Kos or Rhodes is popular as a day trip but requires a separate entry outside the Schengen area.
Sources: Direct Ferries
Who is the Dodecanese suited for, and who is it less suited for?
The Dodecanese suits travelers who want to combine history from several eras, beach time and the possibility of a side trip to Turkey. It is less suited to anyone wanting to see several remote small islands on a very short trip, since local ferries run rarely outside high season.
The Dodecanese works well for history enthusiasts, cyclists on Kos, and anyone wanting to fit in a day trip to Turkey. It is less ideal for spontaneous short trips to small islands such as Kastellorizo or Kasos, since these are rarely served outside the summer months.