Our second day and first full day in Rhodes was a great one. It was filled with so many different things, and even though there were some unexpected changes to the itinerary, it couldn’t have gone better.
Best of all, almost everything we did that day was free. Other than our first stop at Jumbo, we didn’t spend a cent on attractions.
Jumbo is a large Greek store, with branches in other countries as well, and I was told that if I was near a Jumbo, I needed to check it out, since I could get things at a steal there. As someone who loves finding bargains while traveling, I couldn’t resist checking it out. My travel companion and I decided that Jumbo would be the first stop of the day, on the way to Lindos, where we would be staying that night.
Jumbo is an enormous warehouse-style discount store packed with everything from toys and home décor to kitchenware, beach gear, craft supplies, travel gear, and seasonal items. The shopping area is so large and maze-like that it’s easy to spend an hour or more wandering the aisles.
We ended up buying things that were anyhow things that we needed, like a bluetooth mouse for my kid, a cell phone holder for a bike, a waterproof bag for water trips, etc… They were all being sold at dirt cheap prices, a few Euros each at most. While people can spend hours in Jumbo, we made sure not to spend too long there because we had many things we wanted to accomplish in our day.
After Jumbo, it was time for our first official stop.
We drove 23 kilometers via ATV to Seven Springs, known in Greek as Epta Piges. I heard about this place from a friend who had been to Rhodes with her kids on a cruise and this was the one activity they did and they really enjoyed themselves.
Seven Springs is a small but beautiful water attraction named after 7 small springs that feed into a river. The springs themselves are actually quite small, so if you’re expecting dramatic waterfalls you may be disappointed. The appeal is really the peaceful setting, cool water, and shady forest.
The attraction starts through a restaurant (that you can pass through without buying anything). There is a spring there with crystal-clear water that’s fresh enough to drink. In fact, it’s the water the restaurant uses.
We wandered a little way upstream, but there wasn’t much to see beyond the stream.
We had a nice time sitting on the rocks at the edge of the water, dipping our feet in the cool and refreshing water, watching the peacocks walk around. Yes, I said peacocks. Peacocks roam freely around the area. They aren’t native to Greece, but they certainly add charm and beauty to the place. (Though the peacock’s squawking was a bit startling. For such a pretty bird, the noise they make is pretty unpleasant sounding.)
When we had our fill of chilling in the water near the restaurant, we moved on to the more dramatic part of the stop.
To the right of the restaurant is a water-filled tunnel that passes under the mountain. The tunnel is about 200 meters long, with cold water covering about ankle height when we visited, though it can be deeper depending on the season. It’s fairly narrow, so someone with a larger frame may find it uncomfortable, and it’s not especially tall. At 5’9 1/2″, I didn’t need to duck, but someone a little taller probably would.
You walk through the pitch-black tunnel single file, using a flashlight or your phone’s light to find your way. It takes only a few minutes to get through, though it can take longer if the people ahead of you are moving slowly. It takes only a few minutes to get through, though it can take longer if the people ahead of you are moving slowly. There is a a wider area half way through the tunnel if people are desperate to pass each other. (Someone behind us seemed in a bit of a rush, so it was nice to let her pass us so we could then take our time to enjoy it.)
It can feel really dramatic, like you really understand the “light at the end of the tunnel” metaphor.
The tunnel opens up to a charming man made lake.
You can also reach the lake without going through the tunnel by taking a short walk through the nearby forest. In fact, that’s how you return, since the tunnel is one-way.
Walking along the edge of the lake (or pond, if you ask me), there are several beautiful spots to stop for photos. The water looked a gorgeous blue in places, especially near this small waterfall.
We then headed down a flight of stairs to the bottom of the man-made waterfall, where we took a few more pictures and played in the water. Somehow I only took pictures of my friend and forgot to get any of myself!
We then walked back through the forest to where the ATV was parked.
We noticed a trail leading from the parking lot into the woods, and since we had seen a few jeeps coming from that direction, we decided to take the ATV for a spin to see where it led.
The trail took us through the woods and past olive groves for a few kilometers. It was a fun little off-road adventure at first, but after a while the scenery started to feel repetitive. Since we still had several places left on our itinerary, we decided to turn around and head back.
We lost internet along the way, so when we got back to Seven Springs, after stopping to refresh ourselves and refill water bottles, we looked at the next stop on our itinerary and realized that we had made a mistake when planning our day.
The next stop was supposed to be snorkeling at Anthony Quinn Bay, but when we plugged it in to Google Maps, we saw that going there would require backtracking quite a bit in the direction of Rhodes Town, instead of heading in the direction of Lindos, where we would be spending the night.
It was time for problem solving mode, and fortunately we were able to figure out a solution easily enough. OWe had originally planned to visit Agathi Beach on Day 4 while driving back from Lindos to Rhodes Town.
Since Agathi Beach is only 19 kilometers south of Seven Springs, in the direction of Lindos, swapping the two stops worked out perfectly.
Snorkeling, now that I was back in Greece, was just as amazing as I remembered. There were barely any waves and the water was, as promised, crystal clear.
I snorkeled near the rocks at the side of the beach because that is where you can find the most fish. When I first got into the water I already found a shell with mother of pearl visible, which I kept as a souvenir.
I saw many different types of fish. I even saw a pufferfish. I saw a few different schools of fish, with hundreds or thousands swimming together in unison. Most were silver, black, or white, but a few were brightly colored.
While I was snorkeling, my friend stayed on the beach, enjoying the water. I offered them the option to snorkel as well but they said they weren’t interested. Oh well, to each their own.
As it started to get late, it was time to head to Lindos where we’d be spending the night. The 15 kilometer ride was mostly smooth but the last kilometer or so the road was really rough, with lots of potholes, making it challenging to drive.
We arrived at Lindos Athena, our beautiful hotel in Krana, the area just outside Lindos, and immediately fell in love with it. Despite being the cheapest hotel I found with a kitchen, it certainly didn’t feel like it. There was a beautiful pool, though unfortunately it had already closed for the evening by the time we arrived. The staff was super friendly and helpful, and the beds were really comfortable. There even was a small supermarket right at the entrance to the hotel, but it was too small to have what we needed for dinner, so we headed to town.
We tried driving the ATV into Lindos proper, only to discover that the historic center is pedestrian only. Fortunately, it was easy to find parking with a small ATV. The whitewashed streets were lined with restaurants, cafés, and countless souvenir shops. We found the supermarket easily enough, bought what we needed for supper, and lugged it back to the ATV.
Back at the hotel, we made supper and then crashed. It had been a wonderful first full day in Rhodes, and we couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.
