October 20th — Kallithea Thermal Springs, Rhodes
We decided to go on a little day trip today so we took the bus from St Francis Gate in the Old Town down to Kallithea Springs, it was 5 euros return, the journey was about 15–20 minutes down the coast and the bus stops right outside the Springs complex. The springs cost just 5 euros to enter, so its well worth a trip to spend a lovely relaxing day there. There’s a small beach and a secluded bay to swim in and lots of sunbeds, although these are rather pricey at 7.50 euros for the day, however they do claim to throw in a bottle of water!
After walking around and taking tons of photos as it was just so pretty, we parked ourselves in the restaurant on the comfy seats at the waters edge, ordered a glass of wine and stayed there all afternoon, as it was right by the sea and you could swim right there as there was also a ladder there to get in and out. The restaurant wasn’t too expensive either.
There is a larger beach area just next door, which also looked really gorgeous, but the cafe area there seemed to be closed as its near the end of the season now, although its still really quite hot here and the sea is still warm enough to swim in.
Kallithea Springs or Kallithea Therme is apparently one of the most beautiful locations on Rhodes island. Crystal clear blue waters make swimming and diving an absolute pleasure in the summer heat. Kallithea waters have an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius during the summer months. Since Kallithea Springs’ recent renovation, the monument has become an exceedingly popular location for hosting weddings or events. Lush gardens, pebble stone mosaics, crystal clear waters make it the ideal location for a magical day out or getaway.
Kallithea Springs is so beautiful that several international and Greek movie directors and artists chose it for its unique scenery. In 1948, Michail Gaziades, one of the pioneers of filmmaking in Greece, arrived in Rhodes for the shooting of the film “Anna Roditi” [Anna of Rhodes], expressly meant by its producers as a “Tribute to the Martyrdom of the People of the Dodecanese”. During the golden era of the Greek filmmaking, in the ’60s, more than one domestic production chose the site of the Springs as a natural setting. Classical takes like those featured in the production “To Doloma” [The Decoy] starring Aliki Vougiouklaki and Alekos Alexandrakis have left an indelible mark on Greek collective memory. The ’60s also brought international filmmakers to Rhodes. Amongst the more high-profile stars of the time, Yul Brynner came to the island to star in Surprise Package, a 1960 comedy directed by Stanley Donen. In 1979, Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven and Claudia Cardinale landed in Rhodes for the shooting of Escape to Athena. The Springs had previously also been the setting for yet another war film “The Guns of Navarone” (1961) starring Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn. Enchanted by Rhodes, Anthony Quinn was to become a regular visitor, despite the controversy that such affections of his were later to trigger feuds for the nearby beachfront that still bears his name to this day.
History
The curative properties of these water springs was identified very early on, in a country where water has traditionally been valued highly enough to be placed under the auspices of a dedicated god — Neptune. Back in the 5th century BC, Herodotus and Hippocrates and other prominent medical doctors of the Hellenistic Era like Herophilus (330 BC) and Erasistratus (320 BC) delved into hydrotherapy which encompassed two distinct subtypes of cure, namely thermalism and positherapy.
The reddish water surging from a particular, rocky formation somewhere in the middle of the left bank of Kallithea bay had already attracted attention way back, and numerous “patients” came with their families and stayed either in temporary accommodation or in the “kouspes”, the natural cavities of the surrounding rocks. Christian Orthodox, Muslims and Jews would serenely gather in the peaceful surroundings to be healed.
War arrived in the form of the Italian military forces on the 5th of May 1912. Several years later, the Italian Governor of the Dodecanese, Mario Lago, grasped the importance of the cultural and political aspects of the site, and integrated it into the overall development plan of the island of Rhodes.
In 1928, Pietro Lombardi, an established architect of wide acclaim in Rhodes, was assigned the project of designing the buildings that were to constitute the complex. Another Architect, Armando Bernabiti, was entrusted with decorative works, a task carried out in full respect for the natural environment, creating demure lines and the softest circular motifs, set into three different levels. The attribute chosen for the Springs was “Royal”, to denote their sublimity, and the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele, honored the ceremony of inauguration of the site with his presence, which was celebrated on the 1st of July 1929.
One year later, Aeneas Brunetti, an MD, was assigned to the Kallithea Springs complex, along with Alberto Mocchi, chief medical officer of the Italian Hospital in Cairo and a medical advisor to the Springs. Alberto Mocchi hosted an international hydrological colloquium which attracted more than 200 scientific specialists and MDs of various specialties, with the purpose of reconfirming the multiple benefits to be expected from the exploitation of the Springs as a whole. This event triggered a glorious period for the Springs of Kallithea, as visitors discovered that multiple catharsis — both physical and mental — was possible in the serenity of these wonderful settings.
At the end of World War II, however, Italy was powerless and the site of the Springs at Kallithea fell into decay. The Germans took control and turned the complex into a penitentiary. Barbed wire and minefields had transformed the once impressive spa into a place of dismay… A mirror of the political conjuncture of the time.
In 1948, the Dodecanese became part of the Hellenic national territory, albeit without any significant improvement to the mournful state of decay of the Springs. It was only thanks to funds made available under the US “Marshall” Aid Plan for the financial recovery of the island that the Springs made a humble attempt to reopen, only to shut down for good, in 1967.
For several years, the site was left to decay then Ioannis Iatridis, the visionary Mayor of the Municipality of Kallithea decided on the restitution of the site and the reinstatement of the complex to its original glory, in what would become, a cause célèbre. Assuming the site to be a fundamental feature for the financial and cultural development of his Municipality along with the island as a whole, he embarked on a series of actions. Until now, the site had been the property of the Hellenic Tourism Organisation (EOT). A series of initiatives were developed and adopted, lasting from 1999 until 2011, resulting in the transfer of the property rights to the Municipality.
In 1993, Kallithea was referred to as “a shadow of its past glory”. However, financial investment started to appear, and the external part of the complex was cleaned and the surrounding area was re-planted with trees. New projects involved the layout of the water basin area, the car park and an open-air theatre (1999–2009). 1999 saw the restoration of the monumental entrance and in 2003 clearance was obtained for a public procurement to be launched, for the restoration of the “Great Rotunda”. Meanwhile, in 2001, a second contract was awarded by the Hellenic Tourism Organization for the Dome’s restoration, followed by another award in 2005, aimed at the renovation of the Grotto, a research project conducted by the Municipality’s technical services and financed with municipal resources. On the day of the site’s formal reopening ceremony in 2007, in the presence of the Minister for the Development of Tourism and members of Anthony Quinn’s family, amongst others, the outcome of such a tremendous effort proved that the Kallithea Springs were much more than the revival of a legend. The project for the reinstatement of the Springs was a vital generator of touristic and cultural development.
The Mayor’s then involved the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exportation (2001), the National Technical University of Athens, the School of Medicine of the University of Athens and the Panteion University of Athens. From 2001 to 2008 they all worked on a series of research projects towards proving and formally certifying the Springs’ curative properties. The relevant decree which was published in the Official Journal of the Hellenic government also confirmed the idealness of the climate and bio-climate of the extended area whereas proposals were now formally submitted for the future development of the site. In 2011, Ioannis Iatridis, who had by that time been placed head of the Municipal Enterprise of Rhodes (DERMAE) within the new, integrated frame of the local government, engaged into a conscientious effort towards the improvement and projection of the site of Kallithea Springs.
The Present Day
The site of Kallithea Springs today is now so much more than Mario Lago’s original vision. Fully refurbished, the buildings of the complex play host once again to thousands of visitors of all nationalities, countries and cultures. This is the definitive “Site of Four Seasons”, eternally capable of adjusting to the realities of financial and cultural circumstances; a unique setting for trade events of all types, an exceptional conference-hosting site, a mythical context for social events such as weddings and the ideal place for people to gather at anytime, even in the heart of winter!
