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Tsambika Monastery

Situated about 26km from Rhodes Town you will find the monastery of Tsambika or Tsampika perched on a hill about 300 metres high with stunning views over the area of Kolymbia to the north, from which you can just see the eucalyptus roadway. From the south you can see the beach of Tsambika.

Tsambika monastery is a Byzantine church dedicated to Our Lady. Its quite along climb up the hill and you don’t see anything until you near the top when your greeted with the sight of the monastery and commanding views over the area.

As you enter the monastery you will be amazed how this place was built so high up, it must of taken ages to get the brickwork and stones up the hill. The monastery even has running water, probably from a local spring. Once inside the monastery you will see a small prayer room with candles and frescos dotted on the walls. After visiting the church you can relax in the courtyard and admire the view and an elderly gentleman will come and fill up your water bottle with spring water for a small donation in euros.

You must be a keen walker to attempt the steps up and down to the monastery but all in all its well worth it just for the views.

Tsambika Monastery - Myth and Legend

There is a legend attached to the Monastery of Tsambika, its unique to Rhodes but very popular if the needs strike. Legend has it that if a women is having problems conceiving a child she must walk barefoot to the monastery and pray to the Virgin Mary for a child.

After she must descend from the monastery and its said that after doing this she will be blessed with a child. If a child is born after this and its a boy he must be called Tsambikos or Tsampika if its a girl.

These names are unique to Rhodes and you wont see them in any name day celebration on any other island but Rhodes The name day or saints day for these 2 names is always the 7th of September. As you pass by villages and towns in Rhodes you will even see supermarkets with the name, probably named after a son or daughter they have had after falling pregnant after climbing the mountain.

Going back to walking the hill, if you are unsure of how to get there or how long it takes, you can get guided walks up the hill which usually last about 3 hours. A popular company which offers these walks is WalkingRhodes.com

If you want a look at how the scenery from the hill and monastery looks then take a look at the video to the left of this text.

HOLIDAYS 2 RHODES > GUIDES TO RHODES > TSAMBIKA SIGHTSEEING GUIDE >

Tsambika Beach Sightseeing Guide

The beach of Tsambika or Tsampika is situated about 1km from the national highway of Rhodes and is overlooked by Tsambika monastery. The beach itself is blessed crystal clear warm waters and golden sands. The water here like most parts of East Rhodes shelves gently into the sea and you are able to stand quite far out. The waters here are perfect for snorkelling and filled with all manner of sea life including shellfish, bream and grouper in small numbers.

There are quite a few places to eat on the beach with cafes, restaurants and Tavernas dotted along the beach. We would recommend trying out Taverna Maria and Edam cafe on the beach for some good snacks and food.

If your coming here for the day, make sure you bring some bottles of water and a great top tip is to put the large bottles of water in the freezer and they should stay cold all day if covered or placed in a bag.

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The beach of Tsambika from the monastery

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