With a population of just over 250 Eleousa village is certain to be a place of tranquillity and relaxation. It is one of the lushest areas of Rhodes providing plenty of shade to help you cope with the summer heat. The Profitis Ilias mountains loom in the distance and the silence of the surrounding countryside will lull you into peacefulness. During the week, you can be guaranteed a true rural sleepy village, but on Sundays Eleousa comes to life. Locals from the surrounding areas flock here for a Sunday lunch, in particular for the meze, a type of Greek side dish that Eleousa does better than anywhere else. All ingredients are grown and picked freshly from the land around the village.

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Eleousa isn’t as old as other villages in Rhodes, being established in the early 1900s. It is also unique in that its main first population were Italians who had come to Rhodes during this period. The Italians were drawn to the area because of its dense forest that could provide the raw materials for their woodwork. Surrounding the village, you will find a number of fantastic nature trails to explore. At the entrance to the village is a pretty church, where within the grounds, you will find a natural spring that provides a cold, refreshing drink. Another highlight of Eleousa is its fish pond, where the extremely rare fresh water Gizani fish are kept. Within the village, you will find the crumbling ruins of the Italian sanatorium, a 15th century monastery church, and the Panayia Eleousa monastery’s 18th century frescos.