You are by the pool relaxing in Rodos Park, looking forward to your Easter break, the breeze infused with the scent of spring flowers from the garden, a soothing air of serenity and mystique all around. The QR code says ‘True Essence of Easter’. Scan and experience. Yes, even in the 21st century, the spirituality of Holy Week here is palpable and the sheer joy after bells ring out and fireworks soar to mark the Resurrection is simply unmissable.

Of course, Rhodes ticks all the boxes for a Greek island break whatever the time of year. Yet mild weather, the full spectrum of spring colours and fewer crowds means an opportunity to live and breathe rich experiences with all the optimism and open-heartedness of this unique moment in the calendar.

Start with the idyllic villages. There is something for everyone. Lose yourself in the twisty-turny maze of alleyways wrapped around the multi-coloured houses of Koskinou. Unravel ancient paths up to the castle in white-washed Lindos, boosted by a local lemon soda from VAP. If you prefer something a little stronger, your village tour will inevitably chance upon a wine producer or three tucked into the glorious countryside, most family-owned and all of a very fine vintage! Koukani Wines, Estate Anastasia Triantafillou, Ebonas Winecellar, and the Emery, Alexandris and Merkouris Wineries are among the most renowned of a truly dazzling array.

Don’t forget also that, if the spring is in your step as well as the month, the end of April and start of May present the ideal time and temperature for a plethora of outdoor activities: Organised tours, excursions, windsurfing, diving, hiking to secluded beaches and countless sightseeing opportunities; this is the time of year when the urge for adventure is at its strongest and the call of the great outdoors its loudest. In Archangelos, a climb to the monastery of Panagia Tsambika will take your breath away twice; first there’s the climb itself and then your stunned reaction to its awe-inspiring rock formations. A stud of miniature horses adds a little more spectacle.

So, while it’s safe to say that the spring muse will be with you when you visit Rhodes, what of those special elements that make the days of Easter particularly wondrous on the island. It begins with the story of Christ and his followers that over the centuries has been woven with customs, legends, histories and the undeniable mystique of medieval Rhodes.

There is much to experience on a Rhodian Easter. As with all Orthodox Christians, the locals hold the solemnity of Holy Week as sacrosanct.  Witness church chandeliers and icon screens being diligently adorned with black and purple ribbons signifying the mourning for the coming crucifixion of Jesus. Then, on Maundy Thursday there is the customary dyeing of hen’s eggs with a vibrant red, symbolizing not only the blood of Christ and spiritual regeneration coming from his resurrection but also the miracle of nature’s colourful rebirth. Along with the egg colouring, a soft sweet bread known as ‘tsoureki’ and special Easter biscuits, or ‘lamprokouloura’, emerge from ovens all over Greece. The Rhodian versions are some of the very best and should top your list of must-try festive delicacies. From the church of Agios Fanourios, the Holy Bier of Christ decorated with flowers leads the Good Friday procession through the Medieval City. With the charismatic presence of the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights never far away, you’ll feel yourself drawn into a world of unfathomable mystery and mysticism, contemplating the great unknowns.

Perhaps one of the most unique features of Rhodian Easter takes place in Agios Isodoros. It lasts from Holy Saturday to Easter Monday and makes a fascinating final chapter in your Easter story.  Get involved in the tradition of ‘Vourmon’ and you’ll imagine you’ve wandered onto the set of a medieval drama; every year the same script, only with plenty of fresh faces in the cast. You see, young single men of the village are charged with certain tasks, like bringing timber to a great bonfire, or ‘Kalafounos’, in the village square, hanging an effigy of Judas and then, if you are one of the soon-to-be-marrieds, burning it on the fire. A ‘court’ of villagers judges whether participants have kept strictly to the rules  and fines or an hilarious ‘dunking’ in the village water trough await anyone who doesn’t make the grade!

Vourmon perfectly encapsulates the entire Easter ethos on Rhodes which starts with tranquility and mysticism and finishes up with a joyous outbreak of fun, dance and laughter in celebration of the Resurrection, encouraging us all, whatever our beliefs, to get out and make every day of spring count.

Book your Easter and Spring Break at Rodos Park now!