Rhodes – Central Rhodes and the three mountains – general

CENTRAL RHODES AND THE THREE MOUNTAINS
GENERAL
The centre of the island is a relatively wild and wooded landscape, neither much visited nor overly affected by modern construction. To the west side it is dominated by the three mountains of Mount Prophiis Eli­as (780m), Mount Atavyros (1,216m) and Mount Akramitis (823m)—in effect three peaks of the same massif; to the east, deeply folded valleys of pine woods and olives slope down to the coast, their waters draining down wide, seasonal torrents. The mountains are of pure limestone, while the eastern valleys have an often pale, sandy alluvial soil and sandstone features. This contrast creates a wide range of habitats for plants and animals.