Day 4: Rhodes, Greece

We arrived at Rhodes, Greece on day 4 of our European cruise with Carnival Freedom. Rhodes is situated between mainland Greece and the island country of Cyprus. And as some of you may know, it was once home to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The Colossus was a giant statue overseeing Rhodes’ main harbor. It was roughly 75% of the size of the Statue of Liberty, which in itself was an engineering feat back in ancient times. It took about 12 years to build, spanning from 292-280 B.C. The statue was dedicated to the Greek (false) god Helios. At 224 B.C., it was destroyed by an earthquake.

An artist depiction of what the statue looked like can be seen below. I’ve also included a picture of what the harbor looks like now.


A dutch artist named Heemskerck made this drawing based on ancient descriptions.

You can see from my harbor picture why tourists flock to Rhodes, Greece. This was taken on the highest deck.

Acropolis
One of the biggest attractions in Rhodes is the acropolis. The acropolis sits at an intimidating height overlooking the small town of Lindos. The first structure built on the acropolis was the Doric Temple of Athena Lindia, dated around 300 B.C. In the 14th century, it was fortified by the Knights of St John.



So Much History…
Rhodes is a spectacular place for historical reasons. Because of its geographical advantages, the island was an important commercial and military center of the Greek and Byzantine empires. It was repeatedly attacked by the Romans, the Persians, the Egyptians, the Ottomans, and even the Italians over the eons…and each time, Rhodes was able to rebuild itself as an important player in the Mediterranean.


No surprise attacks here! The acropolis, on one of the highest points of the island, has an excellent view of the beautiful harbor. Defenders had the first hand against oncoming attackers.

Christianity
In the Roman period, the Apostle Paul went to Rhodes. According to the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 21, it was one of the places he stopped by while he was in Greece. While there were no other details added in the Bible on what happened with that trip, we can see the fruits of his work by the fact that the majority of the inhabitants are Christians, tracing their religious heritage all the way back to the Roman period. This is despite the fact that the Ottoman Turks ruled Rhodes for almost four centuries.

Before Paul’s trip, Rhodes used to worship pagan false gods. This temple was the Temple of Athena Lindia, one of the oldest structures on the acropolis.

Day 3: Day At Sea

We departed from Naples, Italy and moved forward to Rhodes, Greece, which is one of the largest of the Greek Isles and home to one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes. Due to the distance between Naples and Rhodes, we had a full day of relaxation with no shore excursions. But don’t be fooled, a cruise ship at sea doesn’t mean idleness. The Freedom offers a variety of fun-filled activities while at sea. Photos below!



A beautiful chandelier found at the Victorian Lounge.


On deck 3, you can sit and relax or you can dance to the leisurely beat of romantic music. It seems to be always manned at night with an eloquent singer and instruments. During the day, someone is usually playing the piano.



On several decks, primarily on 3, 4, and 9, you can find a plethora of restaurants and cafes. I was quite happy with the fact that the ship had chocolate-covered strawberries and the internationally sought after dish called “chicken adobo” (ask for it when you get on a cruise ship, they’ll know what you mean).




The ship offers a variety of shops on deck 5. If you didn’t finish your souvenir shopping in one of your shore excursions, you can purchase some souvenirs in the ship’s shops for a set amount of time.

<


One of the best services on board is Carnival Freedom's European spa service. Run by a company based in London, they offer comfortable massages, a beauty salon, a gym, and other luxuries. One note of caution, if you are interested in some of the products they sell, make sure you ask for the prices ahead of time; otherwise, you are in for a surprise!



Several swimming pools, spas, a big screen TV, and jogging areas are available for people that want fun in the sun. Just remember to put on your sun block or you’ll have to pay your dermatologist a visit in a few years regarding skin cancer.



Every day at the Victorian Lounge, there are nightly shows and games. From song and dance to magic shows to Bingo nights…none of which really interested me. But to each his own!



If you let the stewards clean your room, you’ll get a surprise every night after dinner. These towel animals are a favorite for everyone, especially for my eight month old.

There are other things to do aside from what’s listed above. There are casinos, bars and clubs, but these to me are a waste of time and energy. Stick to the free food (not really free, its included in your ticket)...and go off to those excursions!