Rhodes: Lindos

Dramatically situated on a promontory high over the sea, beautiful Líndos is Rhodes’ second most visited town, with a year-round population of 800 who receive nearly 3 million visitors every year.

With its old captains’ houses wrapped around the fortified acropolis, it has kept its integrity only because the whole town was classified early as an archaeological site, unique in Greece; even painting the shutters a new colour requires permission, and no hotels are allowed to be built within sight of the windows.

Líndos was a magnet for artists and beautiful people back in the 1960s, when, they say, you could hear the clink of cocktail glasses as far away as Rhodes Town; famous Brits (Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour among them), Italians, Germans and Saudi princes and diplomats – who have snapped up the lovely houses.

Incredibly beautiful as Líndos is, there’s little left of village life apart from locals selling vegetables in the early morning. In July and August there are so many daytrippers that you can literally be swept along by the crowds. By 6pm the town regains its sanity. But if you can’t take the heat, be warned: Líndos is the frying pan of Rhodes.