The Dodecanese: A dozen island beauties on the edge of the Aegean

Well, in the case of the Dodecanese, just hopping out to the edge of the Aegean Sea is all it takes. Here, East meets West in a cluster of island beauties and a guaranteed revitalising sun and beach experience will be your reward.

Start your adventure on Rhodes, like the crusading knights of the Middle Ages, or on Kos, where Hippocrates laid down a marker for modern medicine. From one or both of these legendary destinations, you can set out on your journey around islands immersed in history and culture, justly proud of their breathtaking scenery and whose architecture never fails to grab the attention.

Castles, citadels, monasteries, villages where time stands still await. There are windmills, fjords, lunar landscapes, and even islets inundated with butterflies and sea sponges. You can search high and low for your thrills and you’ll find them on the mountainside and at sea… and at all altitudes in between.

But perhaps the last word should go to the myriad beaches which leave you with the luxury of impossible choices. Like a metaphor for the islands themselves, they range from tranquil and secluded to action-packed and cosmopolitan. Their charm and beauty endure all year round. Oh and something else when you’re planning your trip: Someone, somewhere got their maths wrong. The Dodecanese have to be the most generous dozen this side of Pythagoras!