Lindos Acropolis at Sunset

Sunset gives the Acropolis of Lindos a mood quite different from its daytime face. Lindos faces east, so the sun does not sink into the Aegean in front of the hill; instead it falls behind the island's interior, and the effect is of light draining from the rock and the village rather than of a fiery horizon. In the last hour of daylight the limestone turns amber, the whitewashed houses below take on pink and gold, and the deep blue of the bay darkens. The temple platform, the Hellenistic stoa and the walls built by the Knights of St John of Rhodes stand out against the evening sky.

A visit timed for late afternoon needs a little planning. The Acropolis of Lindos is the best-known ancient site in the Dodecanese, on a hill about 116 metres above the sea, and the steps in the sun are tiring, so many people begin climbing a little earlier than they need to. Check the closing time posted at the ticket office, because the site generally closes before dark and the last entry is sometimes well before sunset. The climb passes the old houses of the village and the carved ship's prow at the base of the rock, then reaches the Propylaea, the monumental entrance, with the Doric temple of Athena Lindia above. A small Byzantine chapel of Saint John sits inside the medieval walls.

If the acropolis itself has closed, the village and the surroundings offer other places to see the sunset. The terraces of tavernas in Lindos look up at the walls as they catch the last light. The headland above the bay to the south, close to St Paul’s Bay, gives a view back across the water to the rock. The main beach is pleasant at this time, with a view of the cliff crowned by columns, and the evening crowd thins as the day-trippers leave.

The most memorable moments often come after the sun has gone. As the light softens, swallows and swifts swirl around the cliff, and the walls glow before the lights come on in the village below. Photographers usually find that a short wait after sunset yields the best colours.

The marble steps and cobbled lanes are slippery, particularly at dusk, so wear shoes with grip and take a small torch for the walk down. The hill is open to wind, and the evening can be cooler than expected, particularly outside summer. In high season, expect the narrow lanes to be crowded in the hours before sunset.