Aquarium of Rhodes, Rhodes

Élli is the main beach of Rhodes, renowned for its atmosphere and significant landmarks. At its eastern end, you’ll find the Italian-built Ronda bathing establishment, with its distinctive dome. The beach's center is dominated by the enormous casino, the largest in Greece, housed in a building that was originally the Italian Albergo delle Rose. On the western end, right at the northernmost tip of the island, stands the Aquarium, constructed in the 1930s under Italian patronage.

Originally set up as a hydrobiological station, the facility has been serving dual purposes since 1963: as a scientific research center and as a museum and educational facility open to the public. Today, it is managed by the National Center for Marine Research, with a focus on oceanography, fisheries, and the study of inland waters around Rhodes and the broader Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.

Located in the basement of the hydrobiological station, the aquarium showcases popular marine life such as coral, sea flowers, octopi, turtles, sharks, toothed whales, seals, and many fish native to the Eastern Mediterranean. The resident marine creatures are housed in about 40 tanks, containing tens of thousands of liters of water, providing a fascinating glimpse into the underwater world.