Salakos at the foot of Profitis Ilias

Salakos lies at the foot of Mount Profitis Ilias. A built hiking trail above the village leads to the Profitis Ilias Monastery and begins near the Nymfi spring. A folklore museum is located near the village square, while the ruins of a medieval castle lie above the village. The area can therefore be explored via a hiking route, a museum of domestic life and a medieval castle ruin.

Hiking trail to the monastery

The built hiking trail above Salakos begins near the Nymfi spring and leads to the Profitis Ilias Monastery. For orientation, distinguish between the start and the destination: Nymfi is near the beginning, and the monastery is the named endpoint. The area along the Salakos–Profitis Ilias hiking trail is a wildlife sanctuary and is protected under the Natura 2000 programme. The monastery gives the route a specific destination; its protected status adds context about the landscape to this route information. If you are planning to hike the trail, check current trail conditions before setting out and plan your day according to the situation on the ground.

Nymfi and the springs

There used to be many springs around Salakos; Nymfi was considered the best known. The area’s former abundance of springs provides a broader connection to the surroundings, while Nymfi stands out as a named individual spring. It is also a practical landmark for the hike, as the trail begins near the spring. This brings together a historical perspective on the area’s springs and a specific geographical reference point for the route.

Folklore museum near the village square

Near Salakos village square is a folklore museum that recreates a traditional house from Salakos and depicts a traditional Rhodian home. The house provides a setting for a wide-ranging exhibition featuring household items, agricultural tools, ceramics, woven textiles and embroidery, traditional costumes, musical instruments and folk art. The museum thus covers various aspects of domestic life and everyday living—from household activities and work to clothing, textile crafts and music. If you would like to include the museum in your visit, check its opening hours in advance.

Medieval castle ruins above the village

The ruins of a medieval castle, destroyed in 1480, lie above Salakos. The castle ruins thus complement the view of traditional domestic life with a medieval structure. The museum focuses on the traditional Rhodian home and its furnishings, while the castle is associated with medieval history and its destruction. The two landmarks also differ in location: the museum is near the village square, while the ruins are above the village.

To decide what to focus on, consider the difference between the types of visits: the hike links a named destination with a protected area; the museum focuses on domestic and everyday culture, and the ruins on medieval history. You can plan your itinerary according to whether you would rather focus on a route, an exhibition or a historic structure.

Discover more destinations: Kiotari, Lakhaniá, Lárdos, Kalavarda, Profilia, Monolithos, Rhodes, Theologos

For the main travel guide: Rhodes.