August brings cultural and religious events together in Kremastí: the Panhellenic Exhibition of Handicrafts and Agricultural Products takes place every year then, timed to coincide with the Feast of the Assumption. The church, castle and beach add religious tradition, local history and time on the coast to the calendar. When choosing when to travel, an annual August event and different sides of the town are therefore on offer side by side.
August: Exhibition and Church Festival
The Panhellenic Exhibition of Handicrafts and Agricultural Products in Kremastí takes place every year in August, at roughly the same time. The first exhibition opened in 1965. Its dates are timed to coincide with the Feast of the Assumption. If you are planning a specific stay, it is worth checking the dates for your chosen year in advance. If you want to experience the exhibition, it is best to plan your trip around this recurring August highlight.
On August 15 and August 23, the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, worshippers from across the Dodecanese and the rest of Greece gather at the Church of Panagia tis Katholikis in Kremastí to venerate the Virgin Mary and take part in the ten-day church festival. The religious program thus provides its own points of reference in August. The exhibition and church festival give the month two different focal points: handicrafts and agricultural products on the one hand, and devotion to the Virgin Mary on the other.
Church, Castle and Local History
The Church of Panagia tis Katholikis in Kremastí houses a revered icon of the Mother of God with the Christ Child, which is described as miraculous. For travelers interested in religious culture, the icon and the church festival offer different perspectives: the revered image in the church and the recurring celebration with pilgrims.
Kremastí Castle was already in existence in the 14th century and served as a summer residence for the successive Grand Masters. During the rule of the Knights Hospitaller and later under Ottoman rule, it provided refuge for the residents of Kremastí and their families. The town’s history thus includes both its use by the Grand Masters and its role as a place of refuge for the local population.
Kremastí is a large village with modern amenities that also preserves some of its traditional Rhodian character.
Coast and Activities
Kremastí Beach is pebbly and sandy, and rocky in many places. These local variations in the terrain make the beach’s surface an important consideration when choosing where to spend time by the sea. You can walk or cycle along the coastal road beside the beach. There are two ways to get active on the coast: explore on foot or by bike.
Sports in Kremastí
Municipal listings for Kremastí include tennis courts, an indoor municipal sports center, a windsurfing center and beach volleyball courts. The indoor sports center lists basketball, volleyball, judo, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu and table tennis. If you want to use a particular facility or take part in a specific sport, check what is currently available in advance.
Discover more destinations: Pastida, Apolakkia, Halki, Kallithea, Lindos, Theologos, Emponas, Lakhaniá
For the main travel guide: Rhodes.
