Salakos to the Summit of Profitis Ilias ~ Griffmonsters Great Rhodes Walks

Salakos to Profitis Ilias

A climb to the peak of the third highest mountain on Rhodes

This walk follows a well defined route from Salakos up to the summit of the mountain known as Profitis Ilias. The mountain side is the location of the reputed Mussolini's Villa which is now a dilapidated ruin. with outstanding views from the summit it is worth persevering over the more strenuous final climb to the top.

Salakos to Profitis Ilias - Essential Information

Walk Statistics (calculated from GPX):

Start location: Salakos
Distance: km ( miles)
Total Gain: metre ( ft)
Total Descent: metre ( ft)
Min Height: metre ( ft)
Max Height: metre ( ft)
Walk Time:
Walk Grade: Moderate
Terrain: Footpath, track, road

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

GPX Route File

Route Verification Details

Date of Walk: 04/10/2022
Walk Time: 08:00:00 to 16:00:00
Walkers: Griff, Kat
Weather Conditions: Very warm day, blue skies and plenty of sunshine

Walk Notes

Profitis Ilias is the third highest mountain on the island of Rhodes, its largest peak being 798m. Unfortunately this peak is covered with communications masts and is out of bounds to the public. However, 500m to the east there is a sister peak at some 750m and this is accessible and is the subject of this walk.

The name Profitis Ilias refers to the Biblical prophet Elijah who is reputed to have lived in a mountain cave and provides the association between the Prophets name, mountain peaks and chapels located on mountains. For this particular mountain there is a chapel of that name close to the road below the peak.

The walk starts at Salakos which is already more than 200m above sea level, so the total climb is under 600m. The route is signposted off of the track to the Salakos Springs where a finger-post points up a path leading to the hills above. There is a brief easy section before encountering the cliff face path. This sounds more dramatic than it really is, and a zig zag path hewn out the rock presents a fairly simple challenge even for those with mild vertigo such as myself. There are plenty of trees providing shade along the route, and undertaking this first thing in the morning there will be plenty of shade from the mountainside itself. The views become more and more dramatic as one quickly gains higher vantage points, seeing more and more of the north west coast of the island.

The view from the top of the first section of the climb

At the top of this first section there is a viewing point to take in the whole dramatic panorama before embarking through woodland and up to the road beyond. A path leads through the trees, a simple guideway of stones that leads the way. Signposts point back to Salakos just before one emerges onto a broad track. But before this, it is worth taking a path out to the Chapel of the Archangel Michael (Παρεκκλήσι Αρχάγγελος Μιχαήλ) which sits on the edge of the mountain side.

From the chapel, return to the point of the broad track which leads up to the road where a large clearing in the woodland provides the home to a church, two hotels and a taverna (this was closed upon this occasion, early October and the end of the main tourist season). The church of Profitis Ilias is enclosed in a walled courtyard, where the entrance gate is within a tall arch that could almost be described as a bell tower with no bell. The bell is actually contained in the simple arched tower above the chapel main entrance. Although the grounds are fairly sizeable the chapel interior is small and humble with the usual icons painted on the iconostasis, an ornate candelabra and plain walls. It is certainly a peaceful refuge from the heat.

The church of Prophet Elias — The church of Profitis Ilias

Interior of the church of Profitis Ilias

Adjacent to the church compound is a large hotel. In fact there are two hotels adjacent to each other. They both date from the late 1920s/early 1930s and are not your typical Rhodian architecture. Their decorative wooden facades, cornered balconies and pitched roofs give a more Alpine feel about them, which indeed was the intention of the architect Rodolfo Petracco who designed the buildings during the Italian occupation of the island. The hotels are named Elafos and Elafina from the Greek for male and female deer. The hotel nearest the road is Elaphos, a three story building, restored and resplendent whilst its neighbour, Elaphina, is a derelict two storied building of similar architecture and in a state of ruined decay. It has to be said that peering through its windows gives a very haunting feeling as if the place was left in a hurry, debris abounds with intact artefacts of the hotels once proud history still in place. Tables stand vacant, long curtains draped to the floor as if it was just left in a hurry.

Hotel Elafos, constructed in the 1920s/30s

Elaphos has the feel of regency, with splendour and the opulence of an English gentleman's club. Historic photos, depicting scenes around the hotel from years gone by, sit in ordered lines upon the walls. Panelled window frames are draped with net curtains hanging in tidy bunches, providing scenes across to the sea with blue skies and azure waters, all viewed from the palatial coolness of the dining room. Tables are set out for diners all neat and tidy, with woodwork polished and chairs placed in formation awaiting custom. Everything in order. All that is lacking is the steady tick tock of a grandfather clock. This is certainly a relaxing place to sit and have a drink or have some lunch but beware that the prices reflect its noble environs, not hugely expensive but notably more than the average taverna. Who cares when one has made the effort to get here, it is all part of the walk.

The next stage of the walk is to the summit of Prophitis Ilias. A set of steps, located to the right hand side of the Elafaki taverna on the opposite side of the road to the hotel, leads up to another ruined building, its imposing structure staring down as one climbs the steps. This dilapidated house is commonly referred to as either Mussolini's villa or the Villa de Vecchi although both names appear to be somewhat of a misnomer. There is more than just a house here, the hillside site also includes the a ruined church located some 100m up a path from the house with its windows still intact with stained glass. There is also a separate building which sits behind the main villa and access can be gained from the other side of the taverna below. This is said to be either servant accommodation for the villa or military barracks for Mussolini's guards depending upon the source of information one chooses to believe. This ruined building still has a series of large bath tubs within it.

The chapel attached to Mussolinis villa — The chapel attached to Mussolini's villa

So what are the origins of this Villa? It is difficult to research the exact history and there are plenty of conflicting stories and information available on tourist websites and in guide books which seem to concentrate on the idea that this was Mussolini's private residence. The history that appears here is taken from various Greek language websites that enlarge upon the history and are probably closer to the truth although there are no citations as to the origins of the information.

Wandering around this ruin, one can easily see that in its day it would have been a glorious piece of architecture in a similar style to the hotels. This is no coincidence as the villa was designed by the same architect, Rodolfo Petracco, at around the same time. The villa was constructed in 1932 by the then Italian governor of the Dodecanese, a man named Mario Lago, a lenient Italian who respected the cultural identity of the islanders. His intention was to provide a summer retreat for his family away from the intense Rhodian heat. He consequently named the villa Villa del Ritrovo, literally the Villa of Retreat. After two years it was renamed Villa Cappuccina although no reason for the name change can be established.

In 1936, Cesare Maria de Vecchi took over as the Governor and also took charge of the villa, hence the connection with the name of Villa de Vecchi. He was a complete contrast to the former Governor, having risen through the Italian military ranks to establish himself as a commander of the fascist paramilitary group known as the Blackshirts who pledged their loyalty to Mussolini. He also became a senator to the Italian king, Victor Emmanuel III so presumably had some high connections in both royalty and military camps. He was certainly not revered locally, soon making Italian the official language of the island and then imprisoning all Greek men into concentration camps when war broke out.

It is this period of history that seems to have surfaced the story of the villa being Mussolini's private residence. It is also said that it became the summer palace of king Victor Emmanuel III yet official documentation and archives fail to provide any evidence of this. But then absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, so who really knows the truth. Given Vecchi's connections then maybe Mussolini or the King visited although any long term stay is most likely just folklore.

After the war, the villa was handed over to the Greek state where the Greek royal family would hold court before being completely abandoned from 1967 onwards when Greece became governed by a right-wing military dictatorship known as the Greek junta. This lasted until 1974 when Greece became a republic and since then the villa has become a ruin, left to the elements and nature to take over.

In recent years the villa and surrounding grounds has been put on the market by the Greek Government offering a 50-year lease on the property. This has thus far inspired little interest and the remains of the buildings are crumbling with trees and vegetation taking over the entire site. Whatever its history, visiting the site can only be described as being spooky, the timber, the walls all crumbling with trees falling down from the hillside above. It has to be said there is an eerie feeling wandering around these ruins. The whole area is so quiet. Plenty of trees but not a breath of wind and not even the chirp of a single bird. There are few people around either, probably because October was the end of the tourist season, but this adds to the eeriness.

The path to the summit of Profitis Illias where many fallen trees present obstacles to ones progress

We leave this spooky ruin to climb to the summit of Profitis Illias, taking a defined path that leads diagonally up the steep slope. Fallen trees present many obstacles to the way forward but are fairly easily negotiated where many pairs of feet have marked out ways around them. As we near the top it is unclear exactly what path to take but with some assistance from the GPS we find the way to the summit.

The views from the top are awe-inspiring. From this vantage point one can see both east and west coasts of the island. To the east one can pick out the coastline down to the Lindos peninsular and the hills beyond going down to the south of the island. On the west are the coastal lands that lead up to Rhodes town. Magnificent is an understatement and anyone who makes the effort to climb up here will not be disappointed.

The OSM map of the area indicates a path down the eastern side of the mountain to make a circular route back down to the road. Yet despite searching for this nothing but steep sheer drops and dense vegetation could be found. Therefore we retraced our steps back down to the villa and then the road.

When planning this expedition we found several options to return. The simplest and shortest way back was to return the way we came. This is short and easy but probably not good for those who do not have a head for heights as going down always seems worse then ascending. Given the fact that we had a full day to walk then the other two options were to follow the road down to Fountoukli and then take the track back to Salakos as described in Salakos to Saint Nikolaos, Fountoukli which we had already walked. The final option was to follow the road westwards and then take a track back that leads off of the main coast road which seemed the best course of action on this particular day.

Although the westward route is on a road, it nonetheless has its benefits. There is plenty of shade, there is very little traffic and it is easy walking. Occasionally there are breaks in the trees to reveal scenes of Attavyros, the tallest Rhodian mountain.

The road negotiates a series of hairpin bends before meeting with the coast road. At the junction is a small church and the Argires Snack bar although this was not open. Despite this, it is worth stopping off to look in the church then take a rest and water. An inscription of the walls reads ΤΟ ΕΤΟΣ 1987 ΑΝΕΓΕΡΘΗ Ο ΝΑΙΣΚΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ. ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ ΕΜΠΦΝΑΣ ΝΡΦΤΟΣΤΑΤΟΥΝΤΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΕΤΡΟΥ ΤΣΟΥΚΑΛΑ which translates as something like IN THE YEAR 1987 THIS CHURCH WAS ERECTED FROM THE CHURCH. PETROS TSOUKALA'S EFFECTIVE COMMITTEE. The interior is richly decorated with wall and ceiling paintings which makes it well worth visiting.

The way back takes the main road around a double bend then navigates up a broad track. This runs roughly parallel with the road but higher up the hillside. This makes for a pleasant amble back to Salakos, with the track rejoining the road not far from the bend down into the village