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Best for: History buffs
While many of the Greek Isles are rife with historical intrigue, Rhodes is one of the most fascinating. Beyond being the location of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the island features Europe's largest inhabited medieval city (also called Rhodes), the whole of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The remains of the island's various masters -- Byzantines, the Knights of St. John, Ottomans, Turks -- are on full display. While the telltale signs of tourism run wild here (think "snack" shops and Zeus paraphernalia), you'll find plenty of gems beyond the kitsch -- like a 14th-century hospital now housing an archeological museum, the 16th-century Mosque of Suleyman, and the Byzantine Museum, housed in an 11th-century church. Also not to be missed are the ruins of the partially excavated Rhodian acropolis, located 35 miles away in the town of Lindos. Sitting some 300 feet above the water, the site includes the remains of a Temple of Athena dating back to the fourth B.C.