Below is a list of the tavernas and bars
that I've written about here on Rhodes, to enable the reader to read a
brief review of each establishment and click a link to their website (if
they have one) or other posts on the blog where they're mentioned or
reviewed in more detail. This list is ever-expanding, since whenever I visit a new taverna
or bar it'll be added here as soon as I can do it.
Also further down there are ideas regarding other islands (those more far flung and not near enough for a day trip from Rhodes. For these, see the Nearby islands page) and parts of Greece that I've visited over the years, along with live links so that the reader may find out more, possibly with a view to visiting these islands or areas in the future. So far the list is quite short, but it will lengthen with time.
Finally, at the bottom there's a little info for those considering moving out here to live.
Tavernas & Bars on Rhodes
• Agapitos Taverna, Asklipio
When I mentioned this taverna on the blog it was quite some time ago and that post is now deleted as it's found its way into the fourth book, "A Plethora of Posts". It's the taverna where my wife and I go to collect our mail. Athanasia and her hubby Agapitos (slight clue as to where the taverna got its name there) are very welcoming and very "down home Greek". No airs and graces here, but a really cheap traditional lunch on a terrace with a great view, whilst often surrounded by backgammon or domino-playing locals is a definite possibility.
• Angelaki Taverna, Kiotari
Traditional family-run taverna on the main road toward Gennadi toward the south of Kiotari. Appears in the post "A Tale of Two Tavernas".
• Taverna Anthoula, Kolumbia
We visited Anthoula's last winter and I wrote about it in the post "Leaving Anthoula's". It's just a few metres up the road toward Epta Piges from the main crossroads at Kolumbia.
• The Bandit's Lair (Το Λημέρι του Ληστή) Profilia
A superb little taverna up in the hills between Gennadi and Apollakia. It's run by Konstantina and her husband Savvas. A really good menu of home-cooked recipes. Not a bad view either. A detailed report can be found in the post "The Bandit's Lair".
• Bottoms Up Cafe-Bar, Haraki
• Elafos Hotel, Profitis Ilias
This place is simply amazing. It's also the setting for opening scene of Robert Goddard's superb thriller "Into the Blue". There's info in the post "On Old Italian Buildings and Stuff". The reference to the Elafos is right down the bottom. There isn't much text there, but there is a link to a nice snippet of video about the place on YouTube.
• Igkos Taverna, Laerma
In the post "Why Not Take a Drive-2" we ate a light lunch at this taverna. You'll have to scroll down a fair way, but it's down there somewhere, I promise! It's a very nice basic village family taverna with friendly and welcoming staff.
• Il Gelso, Ristorante and Pizzeria, Lardos
Il Gelso occupies the premises that used to be Taverna Lukas, just over the road from Valantina's near Lardos Square. Although it's now Italian, it's still very traditional-looking, with a front terrace on flagstones under trees by the roadside. The building too is very old and photogenic. The food and service is excellent and very authentic. It's run by Paola, a slim, attractive Italian woman who sadly lost her husband Claudio in very sudden and tragic circumstances a couple of years ago. She has long frizzy blonde hair and a gift for the cuisine of her country of origin. Her teenage children often help out too. Great atmosphere.
• Maria's Taverna, road to Tsambika Beach
This delightful, family-run traditional taverna is reviewed in the post "Ice Cream on the Lawn".
• Odyssey Taverna, Rhodes Old Town
• Palestra Beach restaurant, Lindos Beach
We had lunch here during late summer 2012. A better location or view would be hard to imagine. They have a website, here. The only mention the place gets on the blog so far is in the second comment on this post. Read the comment from Georgie Wood, who had been on the Lazy Day Cruise [onboard the Magellanos] with me whilst on her honeymoon and I'd suggested they go there for lunch. Her words will no doubt give you an idea of how good the place is.
• The Pelican's Nest, Kiotari
(Although on the new sign that's just gone up it says "Pelecan's")
George runs this excellent eatery and I wrote an extensive review of it in the post imaginatively entitled "The Pelican's Nest" back in March 2012. Highly recommended. The easiest way to reach this most unspoilt and essentially Greek stretch of seafront, is to drive south through Kiotari, past the hotels, the last of which will be the Rodos Princess on your left. Then a further kilometre or so brings you to the crossroads, where the right turn goes up to the village of Asklipio and the left runs just a few hundred metres down to the beach. At the beach turn left. To the right you'll see the Paralia Taverna, but by turning left you'll have a choice of three more: the La Strada, Stefano's and then the Pelican's Nest. Next is the rather excellent "To Steki" snack bar run by a lady called Anastacia.
• People and People Bar, Mandraki
This is a small cafe in a small corner, but it's right across the road from the harbourfront and tucked in beneath Starbucks. It's smashing!! I mention a brief interlude there in the post "Business As Usual".
• The Pilona Arms (Though they spell it Pylona!)
We're not usually ones for British-themed bars. In all honesty I don't like the whole idea of trying to bring Britishness to a Greek island, but here I go contradicting myself! The reason? We met the landlord and his wife, Jim and Carol at some mutual friends' place over the Xmas period and were surprised and delighted at how they were not at all the kinds of people we'd have expected them to be. A huge plus-point in their favour too, was the fact that the two of them are as crazy about music as I am. Thus we eventually attended a music quiz here a few weeks back. Yes, the place was packed with ex-pats, most of whom all seem to be at every event like this that's going; which is OK, it's their choice, but I nevertheless decided that my readers, especially Brits taking a holiday on the island, may well enjoy a drink here if they're passing the quiet village of Pilona any time.
The Pilona Arms is at the upper end of the main street (there's only one) that runs through the village. It's the last business on the left before you exit the village at the junction with the Kalathos-Lardos road, the first on the right as you come in from that end. Jim and Carol are lovely people. they open at 12 noon daily and close when the last customers decide to leave at night. Tell them how you heard about them if you do drop in won't you, thanks.
• Plateia Taverna, Psinthos
This taverna is situated in the main square of the pretty village of Psinthos. It also appears in the post "A Tale of Two Tavernas". We were impressed by the service and by the quality of the food.
• Porto Antico Taverna, Near Ancient Kamiros
The setting for this taverna is superb and we had a very nice meal there toward the end of the 2011 season. The account about our visit is some way down the post entitled "The Tourist Trail". They also have a website, it's here.
• Savvas Grill, Lardos
Check out this post for a piece about Savvas. Highly recommended for true Grecophiles.
• To Spitaki (Little House) Haraki
There is a taverna by this name in Pefkos, where we ate during the summer of 2011 and were well pleased. The other one, and the one which this listing concerns is the one on the front at Haraki. It's described in the post "Something Fishy". It's also mentioned on Tripadvisor, where the first review is from yours truly! There are only two reviews so far because the place only reopened for business under this name during this past season, 2012.
• Stavros Bar, Old Rhodes Town
For a report about my visit to this bar, check out the post "That Comfy Old Pair of Slippers".
• Top Three Pub, Rhodes Town
Spiros and Maria, along with their son Dimitri, run the Top Three. It's a few metres up the street from the bus depot and the Sound and Light show car park, close to the taxi rank at the south end of Mandraki Harbour. Kostas, their other son usually drops by during the afternoon, after he's finished work. I'm not usually a fan of British-type establishments abroad, after all, what do we come away for? It doesn't make sense to me to bring the UK with us. But Spiros and Maria are such a lovely, kind cheery couple that I make an exception with the Top Three. Yes there are football scarves around the place and no it doesn't feel much like a Greek Kafeneion, but the welcome is very warm indeed and the prices good too. When I'm doing my Rhodes excursion I while away quite a bit of time in the top three and can't think of another couple who are more friendly, kind and generous than Spiros and Maria. The Top Three gets a mention in a number of posts. These are:
Books and Covers
Pounding the Pavement
Overtime at the Office
The Pegasus
• The Tramonto Bar, Arhangelos
This bar hasn't been open long and has a spectacular view from the ridge high above the seaside resort of Stegna. It's run by a lovely couple called Stefanos and Anthoula. I wrote about it in the post "All in the Interests of Research-1". There's also a bit of video taken at the bar in that post. You have to follow the piece down a little way before I get to the visit we made to the Tramonto. Stefanos also has a Facebook page for the Tramonto too. I put this video clip on Facebook too. He's open every Sunday (weather permitting) throughout the winter and I've little doubt that we'll be going there!!
• Yianni's Taverna, Old Rhodes Town
There's a brief mention of Yianni's in the post "Overtime at the Office", down towards the bottom. It's a small, family-run traditional taverna which isn't too expensive. It's just a few metres up a side street from Socratous St. in the Old Town.
ISLAND IDEAS
1. Poros, Saronic Gulf
Also further down there are ideas regarding other islands (those more far flung and not near enough for a day trip from Rhodes. For these, see the Nearby islands page) and parts of Greece that I've visited over the years, along with live links so that the reader may find out more, possibly with a view to visiting these islands or areas in the future. So far the list is quite short, but it will lengthen with time.
Finally, at the bottom there's a little info for those considering moving out here to live.
Regarding ways to purchase my books, the info is now all down at the bottom of the "About the Books" page.
Tavernas & Bars on Rhodes
• Agapitos Taverna, Asklipio
When I mentioned this taverna on the blog it was quite some time ago and that post is now deleted as it's found its way into the fourth book, "A Plethora of Posts". It's the taverna where my wife and I go to collect our mail. Athanasia and her hubby Agapitos (slight clue as to where the taverna got its name there) are very welcoming and very "down home Greek". No airs and graces here, but a really cheap traditional lunch on a terrace with a great view, whilst often surrounded by backgammon or domino-playing locals is a definite possibility.
• Angelaki Taverna, Kiotari
Traditional family-run taverna on the main road toward Gennadi toward the south of Kiotari. Appears in the post "A Tale of Two Tavernas".
• Taverna Anthoula, Kolumbia
We visited Anthoula's last winter and I wrote about it in the post "Leaving Anthoula's". It's just a few metres up the road toward Epta Piges from the main crossroads at Kolumbia.
• The Bandit's Lair (Το Λημέρι του Ληστή) Profilia
A superb little taverna up in the hills between Gennadi and Apollakia. It's run by Konstantina and her husband Savvas. A really good menu of home-cooked recipes. Not a bad view either. A detailed report can be found in the post "The Bandit's Lair".
• Bottoms Up Cafe-Bar, Haraki
Despina and Vasili run Bottoms Up, a bar on Haraki sea front for which I run out of superlatives. It crops up in the post "Crisis? What Crisis?", plus there's a forum about it on Tripadvisor. I can't recommend this place enough. There's a photo taken whilst sitting in this bar in the post "Odd n Shots" too. "Bottoms Up" also gets a mention in the novel "The View From Kleoboulos".
• Elafos Hotel, Profitis Ilias
This place is simply amazing. It's also the setting for opening scene of Robert Goddard's superb thriller "Into the Blue". There's info in the post "On Old Italian Buildings and Stuff". The reference to the Elafos is right down the bottom. There isn't much text there, but there is a link to a nice snippet of video about the place on YouTube.
• Igkos Taverna, Laerma
In the post "Why Not Take a Drive-2" we ate a light lunch at this taverna. You'll have to scroll down a fair way, but it's down there somewhere, I promise! It's a very nice basic village family taverna with friendly and welcoming staff.
• Il Gelso, Ristorante and Pizzeria, Lardos
Il Gelso occupies the premises that used to be Taverna Lukas, just over the road from Valantina's near Lardos Square. Although it's now Italian, it's still very traditional-looking, with a front terrace on flagstones under trees by the roadside. The building too is very old and photogenic. The food and service is excellent and very authentic. It's run by Paola, a slim, attractive Italian woman who sadly lost her husband Claudio in very sudden and tragic circumstances a couple of years ago. She has long frizzy blonde hair and a gift for the cuisine of her country of origin. Her teenage children often help out too. Great atmosphere.
• Maria's Taverna, road to Tsambika Beach
This delightful, family-run traditional taverna is reviewed in the post "Ice Cream on the Lawn".
• Odyssey Taverna, Rhodes Old Town
I love this taverna. It's
in Menekleous Street, just off of Socratous Street. The Odyssey has a
basic web site, where you will find among other things the rudimentary
map which appears on the back of their business cards. There's also a post about the Odyssey on the blog, it's called "A Very Good Lunch".
• Palestra Beach restaurant, Lindos Beach
We had lunch here during late summer 2012. A better location or view would be hard to imagine. They have a website, here. The only mention the place gets on the blog so far is in the second comment on this post. Read the comment from Georgie Wood, who had been on the Lazy Day Cruise [onboard the Magellanos] with me whilst on her honeymoon and I'd suggested they go there for lunch. Her words will no doubt give you an idea of how good the place is.
• The Pelican's Nest, Kiotari
(Although on the new sign that's just gone up it says "Pelecan's")
George runs this excellent eatery and I wrote an extensive review of it in the post imaginatively entitled "The Pelican's Nest" back in March 2012. Highly recommended. The easiest way to reach this most unspoilt and essentially Greek stretch of seafront, is to drive south through Kiotari, past the hotels, the last of which will be the Rodos Princess on your left. Then a further kilometre or so brings you to the crossroads, where the right turn goes up to the village of Asklipio and the left runs just a few hundred metres down to the beach. At the beach turn left. To the right you'll see the Paralia Taverna, but by turning left you'll have a choice of three more: the La Strada, Stefano's and then the Pelican's Nest. Next is the rather excellent "To Steki" snack bar run by a lady called Anastacia.
• People and People Bar, Mandraki
This is a small cafe in a small corner, but it's right across the road from the harbourfront and tucked in beneath Starbucks. It's smashing!! I mention a brief interlude there in the post "Business As Usual".
• The Pilona Arms (Though they spell it Pylona!)
We're not usually ones for British-themed bars. In all honesty I don't like the whole idea of trying to bring Britishness to a Greek island, but here I go contradicting myself! The reason? We met the landlord and his wife, Jim and Carol at some mutual friends' place over the Xmas period and were surprised and delighted at how they were not at all the kinds of people we'd have expected them to be. A huge plus-point in their favour too, was the fact that the two of them are as crazy about music as I am. Thus we eventually attended a music quiz here a few weeks back. Yes, the place was packed with ex-pats, most of whom all seem to be at every event like this that's going; which is OK, it's their choice, but I nevertheless decided that my readers, especially Brits taking a holiday on the island, may well enjoy a drink here if they're passing the quiet village of Pilona any time.
The Pilona Arms is at the upper end of the main street (there's only one) that runs through the village. It's the last business on the left before you exit the village at the junction with the Kalathos-Lardos road, the first on the right as you come in from that end. Jim and Carol are lovely people. they open at 12 noon daily and close when the last customers decide to leave at night. Tell them how you heard about them if you do drop in won't you, thanks.
• Plateia Taverna, Psinthos
• Porto Antico Taverna, Near Ancient Kamiros
The setting for this taverna is superb and we had a very nice meal there toward the end of the 2011 season. The account about our visit is some way down the post entitled "The Tourist Trail". They also have a website, it's here.
• Savvas Grill, Lardos
Check out this post for a piece about Savvas. Highly recommended for true Grecophiles.
• To Spitaki (Little House) Haraki
There is a taverna by this name in Pefkos, where we ate during the summer of 2011 and were well pleased. The other one, and the one which this listing concerns is the one on the front at Haraki. It's described in the post "Something Fishy". It's also mentioned on Tripadvisor, where the first review is from yours truly! There are only two reviews so far because the place only reopened for business under this name during this past season, 2012.
• Stavros Bar, Old Rhodes Town
For a report about my visit to this bar, check out the post "That Comfy Old Pair of Slippers".
• Top Three Pub, Rhodes Town
Spiros and Maria, along with their son Dimitri, run the Top Three. It's a few metres up the street from the bus depot and the Sound and Light show car park, close to the taxi rank at the south end of Mandraki Harbour. Kostas, their other son usually drops by during the afternoon, after he's finished work. I'm not usually a fan of British-type establishments abroad, after all, what do we come away for? It doesn't make sense to me to bring the UK with us. But Spiros and Maria are such a lovely, kind cheery couple that I make an exception with the Top Three. Yes there are football scarves around the place and no it doesn't feel much like a Greek Kafeneion, but the welcome is very warm indeed and the prices good too. When I'm doing my Rhodes excursion I while away quite a bit of time in the top three and can't think of another couple who are more friendly, kind and generous than Spiros and Maria. The Top Three gets a mention in a number of posts. These are:
Books and Covers
Pounding the Pavement
Overtime at the Office
The Pegasus
• The Tramonto Bar, Arhangelos
This bar hasn't been open long and has a spectacular view from the ridge high above the seaside resort of Stegna. It's run by a lovely couple called Stefanos and Anthoula. I wrote about it in the post "All in the Interests of Research-1". There's also a bit of video taken at the bar in that post. You have to follow the piece down a little way before I get to the visit we made to the Tramonto. Stefanos also has a Facebook page for the Tramonto too. I put this video clip on Facebook too. He's open every Sunday (weather permitting) throughout the winter and I've little doubt that we'll be going there!!
• Yianni's Taverna, Old Rhodes Town
There's a brief mention of Yianni's in the post "Overtime at the Office", down towards the bottom. It's a small, family-run traditional taverna which isn't too expensive. It's just a few metres up a side street from Socratous St. in the Old Town.
ISLAND IDEAS
1. Poros, Saronic Gulf
Poros was my first ever Greek island. it doesn't get a huge flow of visitors from the UK even now, owing to the fact that it's a little more difficult to get to than many islands, not being situated close to any particular airport. Still the best way to get there is to fly to Athens, take the electriko to Pireaus and then a ferry to Poros, often stopping along the way at Aegina and Methana en route.
I was delighted to discover quite recently, that the rooms in which we always used to stay from 1977 until 1982 (the last time we actually went there) are still going and still the ideal place to stay in this delightful island's main "town". Poros "town" which is little larger really than a village, is a sparkling iced cake of sugar-cube houses rising out of a bay between Methana and the furthest eastern tip of the north-easterly peninsula of the Peloponnese, around which one comes to Hydra. These rooms are called Georgia Mellou, after the lovely lady, Mrs Mellou herself, who runs them. Mrs. Mellou was widowed when quite young and converted her modest home in the narrow streets of Poros Town into rooms in order to make ends meet. Now in her sixties (we think!) she still runs them and, although modest, they are spotless and afford beautiful views to the guests who stay in them. Check this out (both photos are links)...
 | ||
| This is the very room in which my wife and I stayed many times between 1977 and 1982. And the view from the modest balcony? See below... |
We fully intend to go back there some day, hopefully soon.
2. Thassos, Northern Aegean
Thassos is found way up north of the Aegean to the East of the three fingers of Halkidiki. To reach Thassos you fly into Kavala on the Greek mainland and then it's a half-hour crossing by ferry to the island.
Thassos town (Limenas) is very "low-key", not too big and only has one main "tourist" street to speak of, which does bear a casual stroll in the early evening before choosing somewhere to eat later. The town beach is reached by a short stroll around what's known as the Old Harbour, but that epithet tends to conjure up a more picturesque idea than is the reality. Don't let that put you off though, this island is still very much the real Greece.
Having walked around the Old Harbour from the town itself, the town beach is very acceptable. It's only a couple of hundred metres long, but it's backed by a more than adequate supply of bars and tavernas, one or two of which have tables actually on the back of the beach. A small road runs along behind the beach, but it's not busy and the waiters cross it to serve those seated at their tables. It was at a taverna on this very beach that I once sang "Hotel California" as the final encore of the evening with a small band which had entertained the diners and the embarrassing account of this memorable musical event is recorded in "Tzatziki For You to Say" chapter 25, "Diving for Jellies".
Recommendations:
Stay in or near Thassos Town, which is sometimes called Limenas.
Visit the village of Theologos, way up in the hills, magical.
Nice coastal resort in the South: Limenaria.
Really nice beaches: Makryammos, and Chrissi Amoudia on the east coast.
3. Crete
"Crete?" You say, "Isn't that a bit mainstream?" Not if you go where we did, to the south coast, about 20k east of Iera'petra (not "Ierapet'ra" as Brits usually pronounce it), to a tiny coastal village called Makri'gialos [sometimes spelt Makry Gialos. The "g" is soft, like a "y" in English]. To get there takes a couple of hours from Irakleion airport, during which you drive past Hani, Gouves and Agios Nikolaos. Once you get to Ierapetra you go left and follow the coast, through a region reminiscent of the west coast of Rhodes, peppered as it is with huge hothouses where they grow vegetables. The village is a delight, with a tiny harbour of rough stones, piled into the sea at the western end of the open bay, from which leads a small promenade (pedestrian only) sprinkled with a few eateries and bars, some of which have their tables and chairs spilling out on to the sand of the beach.
Thassos is found way up north of the Aegean to the East of the three fingers of Halkidiki. To reach Thassos you fly into Kavala on the Greek mainland and then it's a half-hour crossing by ferry to the island.
Thassos town (Limenas) is very "low-key", not too big and only has one main "tourist" street to speak of, which does bear a casual stroll in the early evening before choosing somewhere to eat later. The town beach is reached by a short stroll around what's known as the Old Harbour, but that epithet tends to conjure up a more picturesque idea than is the reality. Don't let that put you off though, this island is still very much the real Greece.
Having walked around the Old Harbour from the town itself, the town beach is very acceptable. It's only a couple of hundred metres long, but it's backed by a more than adequate supply of bars and tavernas, one or two of which have tables actually on the back of the beach. A small road runs along behind the beach, but it's not busy and the waiters cross it to serve those seated at their tables. It was at a taverna on this very beach that I once sang "Hotel California" as the final encore of the evening with a small band which had entertained the diners and the embarrassing account of this memorable musical event is recorded in "Tzatziki For You to Say" chapter 25, "Diving for Jellies".
Recommendations:
Stay in or near Thassos Town, which is sometimes called Limenas.
Visit the village of Theologos, way up in the hills, magical.
Nice coastal resort in the South: Limenaria.
Really nice beaches: Makryammos, and Chrissi Amoudia on the east coast.
3. Crete
"Crete?" You say, "Isn't that a bit mainstream?" Not if you go where we did, to the south coast, about 20k east of Iera'petra (not "Ierapet'ra" as Brits usually pronounce it), to a tiny coastal village called Makri'gialos [sometimes spelt Makry Gialos. The "g" is soft, like a "y" in English]. To get there takes a couple of hours from Irakleion airport, during which you drive past Hani, Gouves and Agios Nikolaos. Once you get to Ierapetra you go left and follow the coast, through a region reminiscent of the west coast of Rhodes, peppered as it is with huge hothouses where they grow vegetables. The village is a delight, with a tiny harbour of rough stones, piled into the sea at the western end of the open bay, from which leads a small promenade (pedestrian only) sprinkled with a few eateries and bars, some of which have their tables and chairs spilling out on to the sand of the beach.
We stayed at the Helios Studios, run by a very warm and friendly lady called Despoina and her husband Manoli. Each evening she would come out on to the terrance behind the modest pool area (which was sublimely peaceful and had a great view) with some small delight for her guests to sample. It may have been something she'd just baked, or some seasonal fruit, but she always came out with something and would sit with her guests awhile. She would hug everyone and say continually, "people who stay here aren't strangers, they're family" and she'd treat you just as though you were. Check out their own modest website, which does have some excellent photos on it, here.
While staying there, which we did on two occasions, we met people who'd been coming back to enjoy Despoina's hospitality time and again. The essential Greece, folks, you just found it.
4. Kefallonia
I'll expand this bit as and when I have time. But wanted to place this link to a really nice photo that Nigel Sparks (who provided the front cover photo for "Tzatziki For You to Say") had just posted on Facebook. It's a large island and thus, like Rhodes, has some beautiful quiet spots, like Assos and Fiskardo. Nigel's photo is of Assos, a really wonderful tiny village straddling an isthmus of land which joins a huge rock to the main island. It's the perfect place to unwind, snorkel and take lunch where the expression "laid back" seems almost too energetic a description!!
Check back soon to see both of the above lists as they grow.
Thinking of making the move?
For some time now I've been meaning to add this bit and kept not getting around to it. The fact is, where we live on Rhodes is described by many Rhodeans themselves as the "fillet" of the island, ie: the best part of the island in which to live. This holds true in a number of ways...• We most certainly enjoy a mini-climate here. It rains considerably less during the winter months than other parts of the island.
• Most of the new builds here have a decent area of garden around them, thus giving everyone space to breathe.
• It's quite a lot greener than some other areas where new building has taken place. There are some developments not all that far from here (a little further north), where we'd describe the experience as "living on a grill", since they are quite barren, rocky and thus much hotter during the summer, whereas here the greenery helps to keep the temperatures down a little, plus we enjoy slightly more breeze.
• By and large, once you get a few metres past the few low-rise hotels, here you'll find the real Greece.
So, why am I telling you all this? The answer is because if you're half attracted by the ways in which I've described life here in Kiotari and half-serious about perhaps taking the plunge, my close friend and landlord John (sorry about the confusion, but we're both Johns, as it happens) has a number of plots for sale quite near our home. The views are quite wonderful and the peace simply TDF. If you're worried about possible rip-offs or cowboy builders, you'd have a head-start coming in this direction because my wife and I, plus John & Wendy, now have many years of experience which we are happy to pass on to anyone buying from John. I have a number of good contacts with reputable builders, decent lawyers and reliable accountants, which can spare anyone buying from John many of the disasters that have afflicted some who've bought out here without knowing the way things "work" here, as it were. You could even simply purchase the plot with a view to developing it at a later time.
Plus, if you read chapter 5 of my 3rd book, Tzatziki For You to Say, you'll find an indispensible checklist for all potential buyers, which I compiled with huge input from a close friend out here, who did buy from a criminal (there's no other way of describing him) and learnt the hard way.
Finally, what about the economic crisis? If you're retiring out here it won't affect you hardly at all. The islands in general are doing OK, much better than the mainland, due to tourism. Notwithstanding the fact that some ex-pats have returned to the UK recently, by far the majority wouldn't leave their lives here on Rhodes for all the tea in China. The only possible drawback would be if you had some ongoing medical condition that meant you needed a regular supply of drugs or therapy. In that case a lot more research would be in order before making your decision.
So, if you are seriously interested in making the move and would like more information about John's plots of land, in the first instance send me an e-mail. My e-mail address can be accessed by clicking in the left hand column under the heading "The Culprit", where it says "View My Complete Profile".
In conclusion, come on in, the water's lovely.
