Mandraki Harbor, Rhodes

Mandraki harbor was the military port of ancient Rhodes, and its mouth could be shut off by chains. Now the mouth is adorned by statues of a male and female deer ( Elafos and Elafina) symbols of the island - which stand on columns. The harbor with its millionaires' yachts, moored alongside quaint, old fishing boats is an unspoilt place, lined by seaside Cafes. Mandraki is used by boats which leave here every day for short cruises to nearby islands and to bathing places on Rhodes. On the long breakwater front at Mandraki stand the three medieval windmills which ground the grain unloaded from merchant vessels in the harbor.

In the New Town you'll find the Rhodes Aquarium, which was founded by the Italians in 1924. Today it operates both as scientific institute and as a tourist attraction and has hundreds of thousands visitors a year. An other attraction is the New Market (Nea Agora) opposite Mandraki Harbor. The building, with its multitude of ground floor shops surrounding an open area where fruit, vegetable, meat and fish merchants may be found and where there are plenty of coffee shops and snack bars.