Acropolis of Lindos

The ancient acropolis of Lindos crowns a 116-metre cliff above the village, accessible by a long staircase (or by donkey, if you prefer). The site has been continuously fortified since at least the 4th century BC, and the layers are visible as you climb: Doric Greek foundations, Hellenistic additions, a Byzantine church of St John, and the medieval fortifications of the Knights of St John laid over and around all of it.

At the top, the Doric Temple of Athena Lindia stands partially reconstructed from its collapsed state, with 42 columns in total, 20 of them restored. The stoa immediately below the temple, dating to 200 BC, is one of the most impressive pieces of Hellenistic architecture in the Aegean. The views from the summit — south to St Paul's Bay, north along the coast toward Rhodes City — are exceptional on clear days, which are most days. Arrive early (the site opens at 8am) to beat the cruise ship crowds, which arrive mid-morning and transform the staircase into a slow-moving queue.

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A story
The relief carved into the cliff face below the Acropolis entrance shows the stern of a Hellenistic trireme — a warship — with remarkable precision: the oar ports, the ram, and the deck fittings are all clearly depicted. It was carved to commemorate a naval victory in the 2nd century BC and is one of only a handful of representations of ancient warships carved at full scale. The admiral Hagesandros dedicated it after a victory somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean.