Pefkos

Pefkos (Pefki), on the island of Rhodes in Greece, began developing into a purpose-built resort in the late 1980s as a satellite of the exclusive destination of Lindos, 3km (2 miles) away, which is not allowed to construct new hotels and apartments due to its status as a National Heritage Site. In Greek pefko means pine tree, and indeed this low-key seaside resort is scented by the pines that back its lovely, sandy beaches and overlook the sleepy bay. Built along a single street, running parallel to the beach, Pefkos is made up of modern, low-rise, concrete hotels and self-catering apartment complexes set in gardens with pools. As most buildings are no higher than three storeys, a village atmosphere has been retained in this small but expanding resort. Pefkos offers holidaymakers decent beaches and relaxation, while those in search of cultural attractions might visit nearby Lindos with its romantic acropolis and the island's capital, Rhodes Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From Easter to late October, Pefkos receives a steady stream of British holidaymakers, at whom the resort is almost exclusively aimed. It appeals to couples and families with children in search of a low-key, sea, sand and sunshine vacation. Many visitors opt for self-catering apartments, and return here year after year.

Pefkos lies on the east coast of the Greek island of Rhodes, on the Aegean Sea. It is located 50km (31 miles) south of Rhodes Town, the capital. Rhodes Town has an airport and is the island's main ferry port, lying 250km (135 nautical miles) east of the mainland port of Piraeus, Athens.

Pefkos is built along a single road on a hill above a sheltered bay with several sand beaches.

Overlooking a sleepy bay, Pefkos has several beaches of soft, golden sand, backed by pine trees. The main beach is wide enough to allow two rows of sunbeds and umbrellas, and also offers several beach bars for snacks, and watersports facilities such as pedalos. Some other stretches of beach are rather narrow, and are lined with single rows of sunbeds and umbrellas.

Just 3km (2 miles) northeast of Pefkos lies the stunningly beautiful hillside village of Lindos, made up of a cluster of whitewashed houses and churches. Above the village, perched up a 116m (380ft) hill, stands the Lindos acropolis. Ancient Greek monuments, including a fourth-century BC Temple of Athina Lindia, are enclosed within the walls of an imposing 14th-century fortress, built by the Knights of St John to protect the island against the Turks. For many visitors, one of the most enjoyable features of their stay in Pefkos is an excursion to Lindos by a glass-bottom boat.

Pefkos is a low-key, family resort. The beach is great for kids, being of soft sand and safely isolated from traffic. The village offers very limited activities aimed specifically at children, but the back-to-nature atmosphere should appeal to most kids up to the age of 10. Lying 36km (22 miles) north of Pefkos is the infamous party resort of Faliraki, home to Faliraki Water Park (Faliraki Road) (website: www.water-park.gr), a vast complex of pools, giant Jacuzzi and slides, said to be one of the biggest water parks in Europe.

Pefkos has limited shopping, just a handful of small supermarkets for self-catering visitors plus a few souvenir shops selling the usual tourist tat. For more sophisticated shopping, make a trip to nearby Lindos where upmarket stores aimed at moneyed visitors stock local ceramics (notably coloured plates bearing a deer, the symbol of Rhodes), Turkish-inspired carpets and kilims, as well as gold and silver jewellery.

With just eight or nine bars, Pefkos' nightlife is low-key, though there are several English-style pubs offering big-screen TV and karaoke, plus a handful of open-air bars serving cocktails. However, all in all, it tends to be pretty quiet by midnight. For a slightly more glamorous scene, head for nearby Lindos, where the romantic rooftop cocktail bars of the old town afford stunning sea views, and two open-air nightclubs near the beach offer late-night dancing.

Pefkos is home to a dozen or so eateries. Most are down-to-earth traditional Greek tavernas and restaurants, though some menus include Italian-inspired pizza and pasta, and as Pefkos is aimed at British holidaymakers, several also lay on bacon-and-egg breakfasts.

The island is well served by bus. Regular buses run the short distance between Pefkos and Lindos, and from Lindos there are six buses per day to Rhodes Town. It is possible to hire cars, scooters and bicycles in Pefkos. Taxis are cheap by European standards, though as Pefkos is slightly off-the-beaten-track, you may have to call one. An amusing form of transport that appeals to many visitors is the glass-bottom boat that runs along the coast from Pefkos to Lindos.

Set in pinewoods, just 15km (9 miles) inland from Pefkos, Tharri Monastery with a church decorated with 14th-century frescoes makes a pleasant short excursion. For a day trip, visit the island's elegant capital, Rhodes Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site contained within impressive medieval fortifications. The cobbled streets of the atmospheric old town lead through a labyrinth of souvenir shops and tavernas, across leafy squares overlooked by mosques with proud minarets, and up to the monumental 14th-century Palace of the Grand Masters. There are also organised one-day boat trips departing from Rhodes Town. These take visitors to either the unspoilt Greek island of Symi, northwest of Rhodes, or to Marmaris in Turkey to explore the bustling bazaar and the Marmaris Castle Museum above the harbour.

For a glamorous night out, take a taxi to nearby Lindos to dine at one of the upmarket seafood restaurants with a fine rooftop terrace in the old town, then walk down towards the beach and call at Nama open-air nightclub for cocktails and dancing.

Rhodes Airport (RHO)