Fantastic beaches are what most people expect to find when they travel to a holiday island like Rhodes and they will not be disappointed.

The island is located in the Mediterranean, 11 miles off the coast of Turkey and is actually closer to the Turkish mainland than it is to Greece. Rhodes is an island roughly twice the size as the Isle of Wight and so there is plenty to explore and experience around its coastline.

Rhodes City is situated on the northern tip of the island and is where two thirds of the native population live. The airport is located here and sandy beaches stretch down the western coastline from the top of the island. Down the eastern side the beaches are rockier until you leave the northern part of the island behind and reach beaches like Faliraki. In the north there are some smaller coves that have sandy areas and it is still an area popular with tourists. If you don't have young children and don't mind a few pebbles Afandou beach is huge and offers so much room that everyone gets as much space as they need.

Tsambika beach, on the east coast, is a favourite among visitors. The gently sloping beach has soft sand, plenty of room and rarely becomes crowed. There is a small car park close to the beach and the shallow waters make it a great spot for young children to play and enjoy their days. High above the beach is the monastery which offers spectacular views in all directions. There are plenty of steps to navigate and on a hot day it can seem a bit of toil but arrival at the small Byzantine Chapel at the top makes it all worthwhile.

A small island off the coast of Rhodes is home to another selection of fine beaches. Chalki (or Halki) is only a tiny island, stretching less than 5 miles east to west, but apparently has over 350 small chapels to explore.

Although mass tourism has yet to invade the charm of this idyllic place, it will be the beaches that many people come here to enjoy. A larger beach at Pondamos, a ten minute walk behind the main town, attracts plenty of people but is still quiet enough to afford a relaxing atmosphere. There are very few roads on the island so you'll need to favour serious walking if you want to explore everywhere and the island has no airport, so is only reachable by boat from Rhodes.(picture by Francesco Sgroi)