Island Hopping in the Dodecanese (Rhodes - Tilos - Halki - Alimia - Rhodes)

Get the most out of the Dodecanese islands with this idyllic island-hopping tour. Indulge yourselves in cosmopolitan Rhodes, enjoy magnificent views, and explore the more untouched and undeveloped islands of Tilos, Halki, and Alimia.

Our Island Hopping in the Dodecanese tour starts and ends on the cosmopolitan island of Rhodes. From here we embark on a short voyage with a small local ferry to the tiny island of Tilos. Based in the charming hotel Ilidirock, we visit remote “ghost” villages, monasteries, and medieval castles. We hike along the coastline which boasts spectacular sea views and we enjoy great swims at wonderful secluded beaches. Our next destination is the colorful and laid-back Halki, the smallest inhabited island of the Dodecanese listed by UNESCO as the island of Peace and Friendship. Having explored the trails of Halki and enjoyed amazing views of the surrounding islands we set off to discover the uninhabited island of Alimia before heading back to Rhodes.

Day 1: Arrival in Rhodes

Island Hopping the Dodecanese sees your arrival in Rhodes and transfer to the port. After meeting your Guide, we embark on the boat to Tilos! We christen the beginning of our exciting adventure by enjoying a delicious welcome dinner. Overnight stay in Tilos.

Day 2: Hike Livadia - Lethra Beach - Mikro Chorio - Livadia

Today’s part of our Hiking Tour is a hike that combines all you have ever dreamed of when thinking about Greece. We start from the beautiful seaside village of Livadia and the trail leads us along the coastline to lovely beaches, including a red beach – due to the color of its sand. Thereafter, having reached Lethra Beach, a green tree-lined paradise, we begin the ascent towards Mikro Chorio (meaning small village in Greek). Once a highly populated village, it is now deserted. Houses have been abandoned and they remain along with the narrow alleys, green courtyards, and its few present inhabitants – goats. During the summer months, a bar operates here from which customers can stroll around this unique “ghost” village. Picturesque as it may be, we are forced to leave it behind, to start our descent back towards our starting point, Livadia.

• Distance: 7 Km
• Actual Hiking Duration: 3 hours
• Overnight stay in Tilos

Day 3: Hike Livadia - Gera - Livadia

Today we start our Island Hopping the Dodecanese tour from the village of Livadia, and again follow the coastline, walking along the beach, towards the end of the gulf, to the main port of Tilos.

The trail was once built on the ridge of a mountain slope and connected the port with the now-abandoned village of Gera. Here, only a few houses and some threshing floors remain, overlooking the Aegean Sea which stretches as far as the eye can see. We continue our walk and start our climb up through a riverbed full of trees to reach the highest point of our hike. With great views of the nearby islands, we then descend again towards Livadia.

• Distance: 8.5Km
• Actual Hiking Duration: 4 hours
• Overnight stay in Tilos

Day 4: Hike Ag. Panteleimonas - Agios Antonios - Megalo Chorio

Today our Hiking Tour takes us to Agios Panteleimonas, a monastery built in 1531 AD by a sailor, who survived a shipwreck and had a vision of Saint Panteleimon in his dreams. As a result, he decided to build the monastery to honor the saint who had saved him. And, as the myth goes, he discovered a natural spring at the spot where he decided to build the monastery! Nowadays, Agios Panteleimonas stands imposingly on top of a mountain slope, surrounded by maple trees, a juxtaposition to its harsh surroundings and a rare sight for an island. The trail starts on the outskirts of the Monastery and leads to Agios Antonios – the second harbor of the island, offering fantastic views of the nearby island of Nisiros.

We arrive at Agios Antonios and then ascend to Megalo Chorio (which means Big Village in Greek). Megalo Chorio is now the capital of Tilos. Built under the protection of a medieval castle, Megalo Chorio stands proudly overlooking Eristos, the biggest and most famous beach on the island.

• Distance: 7.5Km
• Actual Hiking Duration: 3 hours.
• We take a boat to Halki in the afternoon and enjoy some sightseeing in the main town.
• Overnight stay in Halki

Day 5: Hike Nimporios - Chorio - Pondamos Beach - Nimporios

Day 5 of Island Hopping the Dodecanese starts from the capital of Halki, Nimporios which is also the main village and port of the island. From here we gradually walk uphill through a fertile valley that leads up to the Medieval Castle of Chorio. The village of Chorio, in the west of Halki, was once the only settlement on the island. It is built around the hill upon which the fort stands, with its traditional style of stone houses. The village of Chorio was slowly abandoned and today is deserted. The views from the Castle are magnificent, and on a clear day, Rhodes, Nisiros, Karpathos, and Tilos are all visible, all happily surrounded by the endless blue of the Aegean Sea. On the way back, we stopped at Pondamos Beach for a refreshing swim and a nutritious homemade lunch at a seaside taverna.

• Distance: 6.5 Km
• Actual Hiking Duration: 3 hours
• Overnight stay in Halki

Day 6: Half-day excursion and hike to Alimia

Today our Hiking tour let us explore a deserted island, called Alimia. We set off from the port of Halki, and sail till we reach its first wide bay, where the main town once stood. This village was declared a protected settlement in 1978. There, we disembark to hike among its untouched treasures. We find ourselves wandering along forgotten trails as the island has been uninhabited since the Second World War. In Hellenistic times, Alimia was used as a point of anchorage and an observation point for the Rhodian fleet. At the time, a tower was constructed on the highest peak of the island, on its eastern side, and still survives to this day. Part of this Hellenistic tower was used for the construction of a Medieval Castle in 1475 by the Knights of Saint John, who had conquered The Dodecanese Islands in that era. Once we arrive at the second significant bay of the island, we have the chance to swim in its crystal-clear blue waters, and then enjoy a BBQ on the beach. In the early afternoon, we sail back to Halki.

• Distance: 6 Km
• Actual Hiking Duration: 2.5 hours
• Overnight stay in Halki

Day 7: Halki - Rhodes

On day 7 of Island Hopping in the Dodecanese, we leave picturesque Halki and take the boat back to Rhodes, the biggest of the Dodecanese islands. Here is the end of the unforgettable trip over the charming Dodecanese Islands.

Highlights

• Four hikes (including two coastal hikes on Tilos and Alimia)
• Medieval castles
• Deserted villages
• Excursion to an uninhabited island