Tsambika Monastery
Μονή Παναγίας Τσαμπίκας
A small white monastery on a rocky peak about 300 metres high. Climbing around 300 steps rewards you with panoramic views over Tsambika Bay.
Tsambika Monastery (Kyra Tsambika, the Upper Monastery) sits on a rocky peak about 300 metres high, just north of Tsambika Beach. It is a small white Byzantine-style chapel housing an icon of the Virgin Mary. Legend says that childless couples who pray here are granted a child, who is then named Tsambikos or Tsambika. This gives the monastery great standing among local devotees, and on the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin on 8 September, many pilgrims hike up the hill. From the car park halfway up, it takes 20 to 30 minutes to climb roughly 350 steps. There is no shade along the way. From the summit you get a 360-degree view over the golden bay and the east coast, one of the best viewpoints on Rhodes. Entry is free, but visitors must dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) to enter the church. In summer, avoid midday and bring plenty of water.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–18:00 (may extend in summer)
Nearby sights
- Tsambika Beach
- Seven Springs
- Anthony Quinn Bay
- Faliraki Beach
- Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes)
- Acropolis of Lindos
- St. Paul's Bay
- Faliraki Water Park