Rhodes

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in the eastern Aegean, and the old town inside the medieval walls is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The port puts you within a few minutes' walk of the Gate of the Sea, one of several entrances through the fortifications. The Street of the Knights, lined with the stone lodges of the Crusader orders, leads uphill to the Palace of the Grand Master, which was rebuilt by the Italians in the 1930s and houses Roman mosaics on the ground floor. Mandraki Harbour, where the Colossus of Rhodes supposedly stood, has four medieval windmills at the entrance and is a short walk from the cruise berth. Lindos, about an hour south by bus, has a clifftop acropolis with ancient ruins and a wide view of the coast. The old town's tavernas serve grilled octopus, stuffed vine leaves, and pitaroudia (chickpea fritters). The euro is the currency, and most restaurants add a small cover charge per person.