The Greek island of Rhodes is a very popular tourist destination, offering its visitors a number of lively tourist resorts, peaceful resorts and almost isolated traditional villages. Here you will find an explanation of the origins of the most famous and interesting names of Rhodes towns and villages:

• Afandou - the village got its name from its location between three hills, which made it "invisible" to pirates or other enemies
• Agios Isidoros - the name of the village is linked to the beautiful local church of Agios Isidoros
• Apolakkia - named after its location, it lies in a flat area between two hills, according to some even "in a pit"
• Apollona - the name of the village was derived from the local temple built in honour of the god Apollo
• Archangelos - the village takes its name from its patron Archangel Michael
• Archipolis - according to an old legend, Prince Archepolis came from Crete to Rhodes to recover from a serious illness, and the new settlement took his name
• Asklipio - the village was named in honour of the god of healing, Asklepios, to whom a temple was built here in ancient times
• Damatria - the village was named in honour of the ancient goddess Dimitra
• Eleousa - the village was named in honour of the Virgin Mary (in Greece the Virgin Mary is sometimes referred to by the surname Eleousa)
• Embonas - the name of the village comes from the ancient word "ambon", translated as "mountain slope"
• Faliraki - the name of the resort is derived from the only tavern that used to stand here; until the 1950s the area was known as Pachynammos
• Fanes - the name of the village refers either to a lighthouse or lamp in the area, or the village was named after the temple of Fanaios Apollo
• Gennadi - the village is said to have been named after a local landowner
• Ialyssos - one of the first three ancient cities of Rhodes was named after Ialyssos, the grandson of the sun god Helios
• Kalathos - the name of the village evolved from the ancient name "Klasioi"
• Kalithies - the village got its name from the plant Kolytea, which was abundant in the area
• Kattavia - according to one legend, the village was founded by Kattavos and named after himself; according to another version, the present village evolved from the original ancient settlement "Kattaveon"
• Kritinia - its name means "Little Crete" (or "New Crete") and refers to the Cretan origin of the village, when families from Crete arrived in Rhodes and founded a new settlement (according to Greek mythology, the village was founded by Althaimenis, grandson of the Cretan king Minos)
• Laerma - the name of the village was derived from the ancient name of the town "Ladarma"
• Lachania - was named after its surroundings, which consist of rich vegetation, and the tradition of growing cabbage
• Lardos - the village takes its name from the black granite that is abundant in the area and is a typical building material for Rhodes
• Lindos - the ancient village (now a protected monument) was named after Lindos, the grandson of the sun god
• Malona - the name of the village comes from the old Doric word "Malon" (translated as "apple") or from the ancient word "Mileon" (translated as "place of fruit") and refers to the fact that the area is rich in fruit trees
• Maritsa - the village was named after a local soldier who built an estate here and bore the military title "Maritzas"
• Massari - the name of the village translates as "village in the mountains" or "village in the middle of the island"
• Mesanagros - the village got its name from its location in the middle of the fields
• Monolithos - the village takes its name from the huge monolithic rock that dominates the area
• Paradisi - the name refers to the "heavenly beauty" of the village; it was also called "Villanova" after the fortress built here by the great magician Elion Villanova
• Pastida - the name of the village comes from the Latin word "Bastida", meaning "tower", which protected the neighbouring fortress of Ialyssos
• Platania - the name of the village refers to the large number of plane trees that used to grow abundantly in the area
• Profilia - the name of the village was derived from the word "propylaea" (translated as "propylaea")
• Psinthos - the current name evolved from the ancient village name Sivynthia (Sivinthos)
• Rhodes - the capital is named the same as the whole island; the origin of Rhodes is most often associated with the legend of Zeus, the sun god Helios and the division of the world, and according to Greek mythology, the nymph Rhoda was the inspiration for the island's name; according to other claims, the island's name is derived from the Phoenician word "rhod", meaning "serpent"
• Siana - the name of the village either evolved from the name of the original, ancient village of Vrasiana or refers to the local church of Osia Anna
• Soroni - the name of the village comes from the word "soron" ("oak forest") and refers to the abundance of oak trees in the area
• Vati - according to one version, the village was named on the basis that it was located in an area full of marshes; according to another legend, it owes its name to the fact that the inscription "Vation Haire" was found in this place