Kalithea Thermi Rhodes

Italian architect Pietro Lombardi constructed this opulent art deco spa, on the site of ancient thermal springs, in 1929. Its dazzling white-domed pavilions, pebble-mosaic courtyards and sweeping sea-view colonnades have appeared in movies such as Zorba the Greek and The Guns of Navarone. In peak season its small sandy bathing beach and cafe get impossibly crowded. Just 8km south of Rhodes Town, it can be accessed by driving directly along the coast.