When the local people talk about Koskinou, the first thing they mention is always the doors of the village houses: painted in vivid colours (red, turquoise, blue and yellow), made of wood or iron with carved or etched designs, surrounded by fine stone porches with arches across the door-posts, the doors are without doubt the most striking sight the village has to offer. However, you won’t see any of these doors on your first arrival in the village. In fact, at first sight you won’t find the place particularly impressive.
What you have to do is leave your car in the parking area in the village square and make your way down some of the narrow streets of the preserved part of the village. Here it is that you’ll encounter the unique mosaic of colours for which Koskinou is famous. The little gardens with their cobbled floors hidden behind the courtyard doors vie with one another in charm and beauty. Continue your walk, admiring the doors and trying to decide which is your favourite, until you arrive at the ‘Traditional House’ a reconstruction of a typical village house, decorated with ceramic plates and woven fabrics. As you move on into the newer part of the village and its outskirts, you’ll see that the buildings are more modern; this is where wealthy people from the town of Rhodes have been building houses in recent years, attracted by the village’s short distance from town.
The nearest beach to Koskinou is Reni, some 2.5km from the village, full of hotels and rented rooms. We have left to the end the sweetest surprise that Koskinou has to offer the visitor. It is only here that you can sample the traditional sweet known as ‘melekounia’. It used to be made by the housewives of the village before big holidays, and the preparations were a ritual in themselves, accompanied by the singing of the appropriate songs. You can find the melekounia in the patisserie run by Mary and the one run by Sofia.
Rhodes hotels are among the best in Greece and Cactus hotel Rhodes stands out along with Rhodes Palace hotel.