TRAVEL .sx A HOLIDAY ON ANCIENT RHODES .sx By GORDON COOPER .sx Rhodes , as far as I am concerned , is the perfect holiday island :sx it has wonderful beaches and scenery , lush vegetation , a number of archaeological and historic remains and good hotels .sx It is full of that usually rather overvaunted quality " character .sx " Recently , I flew out by B.E.A. Comet 4B , now operating on a direct London-Athens service via Geneva .sx This route over the Alps , Florence , Brindisi , the Adriatic , Corfu and the Gulf of Corinth is rich in its rewards , and the service was , as usual , impeccable on this swift , smooth airliner .sx The tourist return fare is +100 16s .sx ( day ) , +84 12s .sx ( night ) , and the five-hour day flight links up at Athens with an Olympic Airways' schedule , taking just over an hour to Rhodes ( through fare from London , +94 10s .sx to +108) .sx An alternative route is by sea from Piraeus , taking twenty-two hours .sx The approach to Rhodes by day is perfect .sx It is , according to legend , the island which rose in beauty from the foam , promised to Apollo by Zeus after he had divided the world amongst the gods , and overlooked the sun lord .sx Apollo named the island " Bride of the Sun .sx " Certainly the sun has blessed it .sx The seven springs , which feed Rhodes from the central mountains , have made it a garden of olive , lemon and orange groves , mulberry , oleander , pine and the slim pure cypress .sx Hibiscus and wistaria glow against white walls ; the grassland is carpeted with wild flowers of every description and poppies drip blood red where Rhodians once met by ancient temple or market place .sx After the original settlers came the Phoenicians , followed at varying intervals and amongst others by the Dorians , the Romans , the Byzantines , the Crusaders , the Turks , and the Italians .sx Rhodes , capital of the Dodecanese , was finally reunited with Greece fourteen years ago , but the marks of 3,500 years of passing civilisations remain to enchant the visitor .sx The city of Rhodes itself is a gem .sx Huge medieval ramparts rise from the edge of one of her two harbours to enclose the old town , including the Castello , the magnificent palace of the Grand Masters of the Knights of St. John- later the Knights of Malta- who ruled the island for 216 years .sx Here , for the first time , Son et Lumie@3re performances are being held this year .sx The Street of the Knights , rising steeply up to the Castello , is a medieval painting brought to life .sx Nearby , the Museum of Rhodes is housed in a lovely fifteenth-century building .sx You should walk round the ramparts of the old city , too , with superb views at each turn , and allow time to wander in the old commercial quarter , with its oriental influence , its minarets and clutter of wares , and the buzz of activity which increases proportionately as the day ends .sx Outside the ramparts the spacious modern city , largely in Venetian-Gothic style , owes much to Italian occupation .sx Above Rhodes , with glorious views in every direction , you should visit the Acropolis , with remains of the Temple of Apollo and the stadium and the completely restored theatre at its feet .sx Though Rhodes was founded in 408 B.C. , three other cities had been thriving already 1,000 years , reaching their peak from 660 B.C. Of these , Lindos , about 35 miles south of Rhodes , was the most important , with a population of some 100,000 .sx To-day , it is a stark white village of 750 inhabitants , clustered at the southern end of a beautiful bay and overlooked by the medieval fortress built by the Knights of St. John , in turn enclosing the remains of the Doric temple of Athena Lindia , on the Acropolis .sx This is reached on foot or by donkey , and from the top there are breath-taking views over this dramatic coastline , including the tiny natural harbour where St. Paul is said to have landed .sx The village itself is fascinating to explore and has an early Byzantine church , its interior lavishly covered with later frescoes .sx On the opposite coast , about 20 miles south-west of Rhodes , the reconstructed ruins of Kamiros have one of the most perfect situations of any archaeological remains I know .sx Here , on a steep hillside , amongst pines and clumps of wild rose , you can walk up the " main street " of ancient Kamiros between the low ruins of shops and villas to the high plateau topped by six columns , all that remain of the ancient Stoa .sx Behind you , the coastal hills plunge to the incredibly blue sea , backed by the Turkish mountains .sx Of the third ancient city , Ialyssos , about 10 miles south-west of Rhodes , little that is visible remains .sx But its former Acropolis , 800-ft .sx Mount Philerimos , whose summit is reached by an Alpine-like series of hairpin bends , is topped by the restored medieval church built , partially over Byzantine remains , by the Knights of St. John .sx Before the church entrance are the ruins of the Temple of Athena .sx Once again the views on all sides , framed between cypress trees , are lovely beyond description .sx Then there is the Valley of the Butterflies , about 15 miles south of Rhodes , so-called because of the clouds of butterflies which populate its wild scenery during the summer .sx Organised excursions are arranged to all these centres , or if you prefer to wander alone , you can hire a car , motor scooter or use local bus services .sx A weekly steamer service will also take you over to Turkey , returning the same day .sx Rhodes itself offers a good and growing selection of hotel accommodation- including the Hotel des Roses ( Luxury ) , the Belvedere ( 1st class B ) , both with private beaches , and the Pindos ( 2nd class) .sx A new 1st-class hotel , the Hibiscus , with private beach , opens this summer .sx Most interesting of the hotel developments , however , is the Miramare-Beach hotel , recently taken over by Swiss management .sx About three miles out of town , it is a private paradise situated on the curve of a broad bay , looking out to the Turkish coast , 18 miles away .sx Accommodation is in self-contained bungalow units with private toilet and shower or bath , each with its own sun terrace from some of which you can step straight down on to the extensive private beach .sx Full pension rates range from +3 a day , including the hotel's many facilities , such as swimming-pool , miniature golf , dancing , tennis and transport into town .sx The perfect time to visit the island is in spring or autumn .sx Summer can be very hot , and intermittent rainy spells usually occur any time between November and late February .sx SABENA CARAVELLES TO GREECE .sx Early in April , Sabena Belgian World Airlines brought their Caravelle =6's into service on the Brussels-Athens run , via Vienna or Frankfurt .sx This links with the company's Caravelle schedules London-Brussels and onwards from Athens to various points in the Middle East .sx As usual , I found the Caravelle extremely comfortable and the flight virtually noiseless .sx The triangular windows offer a particularly fine view .sx Good hotels in Athens are the Grande Bretagne ( 6de luxe ) , on the main square , the Ambassadeurs ( A ) , and the Alice ( B) .sx The King George =2 ( 6de luxe ) , next door to the Grande Bretagne , should also be mentioned for its fine art gallery- a private collection covering Greek art of the nineteenth century and including some delightful works .sx TRAVEL .sx MINORCA .sx By GORDON COOPER .sx Minorca , second largest of the Balearic Islands , is also their Cinderella .sx While this " White and Blue " - so called because of the remarkable blue of the Mediterranean sea and sky broken by the brilliant white of the houses- may not offer much in the way of organised entertainments , it has considerable appeal for those prepared to make their own discoveries .sx Not least , it still retains an unspoilt atmosphere .sx The island is not difficult to reach , for there are air links between it and Barcelona and Palma , while there are thrice weekly sailings during the summer months between Barcelona and Port Mahon , as well as sea communications with Palma and Ibiza .sx It is even possible to make a long day-excursion to Minorca from Palma , travelling both ways by the night steamer .sx In Mahon there is the first-class Hotel Mahon , and there is simple hotel accommodation available at Alcaufer Creek ( Hotel Xuroy ) , Fornells ( Fonda Burdo ) and near Ciudadela ( Hotel Bahia) .sx Internal communications are by bus and taxi .sx There is a Tourist Information Office in Mahon , and Horizon Holidays ( 17 , Hanover Street , W.1 ) offer inclusive travel arrangements .sx As every schoolboy knows , Minorca was a British possession during most of the eighteenth century , for it was vital to our naval operations in the Mediterranean .sx It was the scene , too , of that scandalous episode in our history :sx the events which led to the shooting of Admiral Byng .sx You can still visit the Golden Farm , close to Mahon , which was the temporary home of Nelson and Lady Hamilton in 1798 .sx Our occupation , however , is not marked as in some other lands by a passion for cricket , but in reminders of our habits , such as the sash windows to be seen in many houses and the names given to various articles in constant use which indicate a survival of the English language .sx Among table accessories the following indicate their origin :sx kitil ( kettle ) ; botil ( bottle ) ; mok ( mug ) ; saydbord ( sideboard ) ; and tibord ( tea-tray) .sx Barracks are still called beriks , a haversack is aversack , and a naval guard is midzamen ( midshipman) .sx The inquiring visitor will discover many more of these curious survivals in language .sx At Villa Carlos , known in the eighteenth century as Georgetown , the architecture and planning all belong to Portsmouth , with even , to-day , a George Street , a Stuart Street , and even a Victory Street .sx One of the many forts we built at the entrance to the harbour preserves the name of " Marlborough , " while in the large square , once used for ceremonial parades , I watched Spanish soldiers playing football and called up " a vision of serried lines of Redcoats , resplendent in their pipe-clayed accoutrements and thickly-powdered pigtails , of Highlanders in their curious blend of barbaric and formal uniforms , and of the tall Hessians in blue and gold braid " ( Eric Whelpton) .sx Incidentally , on public holidays the girls dance a local version of the Highland Fling and wear on these occasions a kind of kilt with a tartan pattern .sx In addition to this historical appeal , there is also considerable archaeological interest , for the island is dotted with the work of prehistoric man , even though much of this record in stone is hard to read .sx The most interesting are the megalithic monuments called talayots ; tower-like structures of unmortared blocks of stone which bear a certain resemblance to the nuraghe of Sardinia , but are not actually linked in any way .sx There are also the altar-like taulas and the boat-shaped navetas , all offering appeal to those with historical imagination .sx Why should these relics be unique of their kind ?sx They certainly provide a mystery for us to-day .sx Ciudadela , the only other town of size , is some 30 miles distant from Mahon , and lies on the north-western portion of Minorca .sx Prior to the British occupation , it was the capital of the island , and it still retains some interesting buildings , including a number of palaces .sx Generally rather sleepy , it comes to life on St. John's Day ( June 24 ) , when there is a parade of mounted men in period dress , jousting , and , most exciting of all , the horsemen urging their steeds up staircases into the living-rooms of the people , who pelt them with nuts and lighted fireworks .sx The hinterland of Minorca is flat , except for Monte Toro ( 1,150 ft .sx ) , a conical mountain on whose summit there is a pilgrimage church .sx The view over the countryside is rewarding , for it shows the number of mortarless stone walls which separate every patch of ground .sx There are even walls around individual trees .sx The land , by the way , is extremely stony , and high winds often prevail .sx But the most striking impression one gets is the dazzling white of the houses , and every building looks as though it had just been whitewashed , while the interior of even the humblest home is spotlessly clean .sx ( Were the English of the nineteenth century non-litter-bugs ?sx ) The people on this Spanish island are most hospitable , and you can still see occasionally in their homes family heirlooms of Georgian furniture .sx