Filerimos Hill’s star attraction is the Gothic-style Filerimos Monastery, which was built by the ruling Knights of St. John in the 15th century. Filerimos is a popular half- or full-day trip from Rhodes Town; tours that explore the north of the island typically combine the monastery with the art deco-style Kallithea Springs and the Valley of the Butterflies, a wooded valley where colorful butterflies congregate in the summer.
Filerimos Hill is home to a pride of colorful peafowl that wander the site freely; avoid feeding to birds.
There are restrooms and an outdoor café selling refreshments at the site.
If you are walking up from Ialysos, be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen, and bring water with you as shade on the way up is limited.
Filerimos Hill is situated 9 miles (15 kilometers) from Rhodes Town. You can either drive up to the car park or make the 3-mile (5-kilometer) uphill hike from Ialysos. Public buses are infrequent so if you don’t have a car, it’s best to get a taxi or go as part of a tour.
Even during the peak tourist season, a rural location ensures that Filerimos Hill is tranquil. It’s best to explore earlier in the day before temperatures get too hot, but there’s plenty of shade at the monastery should you need to cool off.
The monastery atop Filerimos Hill was originally home to a precious icon of the Virgin Mary, said to have been painted by St. Luke. When the Ottomans took control of Rhodes in 1523, the Knights of St. John fled with the icon, which was carried around Europe on a ship before being brought to Malta and later transported to Russia. Since 2002, the icon has been held in the Blue Chapel at the National Museum of Montenegro.
