Rhodes

Rhodes is the largest of Greece's Dodecanese islands, sitting in the southeastern Aegean closer to the Turkish coast than to Athens. Its Old Town, ringed by 4 km of medieval walls built by the Knights of St. John, is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right.

Beyond the walls, the island layers Byzantine, Ottoman, and Italian-era history over a Greek island rhythm of beach clubs, tavernas, and hilltop villages. Rhodes works well both as a history-focused city break and as a base for beach time, with over 300 days of sunshine a year and easy boat access to smaller neighboring islands like Symi.

Summer (June–August)

Hot, dry, and the busiest period, with daytime highs often in the low-to-mid 30s°C (high 80s to low 90s°F). Meltemi winds can pick up in July and August, which cools things down but makes for choppier boat trips to Symi.

Spring (April–May) and Autumn (September–October)

Generally considered the sweet spot: daytime temperatures around 20–28°C (68–82°F), the sea is warm enough to swim from May through October, and both crowds and hotel prices ease off compared to peak summer.

Winter (November–March)

Mild but rainy and windier, with many hotels, beach bars, and boat excursions closed for the season. The Old Town itself stays open year-round and is at its quietest and most atmospheric in the off-season.

Rhodes International Airport (Diagoras, airport code RHO) is on the west coast about 14 km from Rhodes Town and handles both frequent domestic flights from Athens and a large number of direct seasonal charter and low-cost routes from across Europe in summer.

Ferries connect Rhodes to Piraeus (Athens' port), typically an overnight sailing of around 12–18 hours depending on the route, as well as to other Dodecanese islands like Kos, Symi, and Kalymnos, and onward to Crete via Heraklion. Most travelers arriving from other Greek islands or Turkey do so by ferry into Rhodes' main port or Mandraki Harbour.

• By air: Rhodes International Airport (RHO), ~14 km from Rhodes Town
• By sea: Ferries from Piraeus, Crete, and other Dodecanese islands
• Regional: Short ferry hops to Symi, Kos, and other nearby islands

On Foot

The Old Town is fully pedestrian and best explored on foot, though the cobbled and sometimes uneven stone streets call for sturdy, comfortable shoes.

Public Buses

Two networks split the island: orange-and-blue city buses cover Rhodes Town and its immediate suburbs, while orange-and-green KTEL buses run the longer east- and west-coast routes to places like Lindos, Faliraki, and the Valley of the Butterflies. Service drops sharply on weekends and in the off-season, and there are no multi-day tourist passes.

Car Rental & Taxis

A rental car - generally starting around €40/day and cheaper by the week - gives the most flexibility for reaching the south of the island, inland villages, and beaches with infrequent bus service. Taxis are metered and available around the New Town and Old Town gates, but demand spikes on summer evenings.

The Palace of the Grand Master anchors the Old Town's Street of the Knights, a cobbled avenue of stone inns once used by the Knights Hospitaller, and remains the most-visited single monument inside the walls. Just below it, the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, housed in the Knights' former hospital, holds finds spanning the island's ancient and medieval history.

Orfeos and Socratous Streets form the lively commercial spine of the Old Town, lined with shops, cafes, and the Süleyman Mosque, a 16th-century Ottoman landmark with a quiet courtyard worth stepping into. For a wider view, it's possible to walk a stretch of the medieval walls themselves, which run up to 12 meters thick in places and give a sense of scale that's hard to get from ground level.

The Jewish Quarter, near the Old Town's southeastern corner, traces a Jewish presence on Rhodes going back over 2,000 years and includes the Kahal Shalom Synagogue, one of the oldest in Greece.

• Palace of the Grand Master - the Knights' fortified seat of power
• Street of the Knights - cobbled avenue of medieval stone inns
• Archaeological Museum of Rhodes - housed in the Knights' former hospital
• Süleyman Mosque - Ottoman-era mosque on Socratous Street
• Jewish Quarter & Kahal Shalom Synagogue - one of Greece's oldest synagogues

Rhodes Town splits broadly into the walled Old Town and the more modern New Town that wraps around it, each with a different pace and purpose.

• Collachium (Knights' Quarter): The Old Town's upper, formerly fortified section around the Palace of the Grand Master and Street of the Knights - the most monument-dense part of the city.
• Chora (the Greek/Ottoman Quarter): The lower Old Town around Socratous and Orfeos Streets, denser and more commercial, with mosques, markets, and most of the restaurants.
• Jewish Quarter: The Old Town's quieter southeastern corner, centered on Evreon Martyron Square and the Kahal Shalom Synagogue.
• New Town (Mandraki): Rhodes Town's harbor and modern district beyond the walls, with Mandraki Harbour, ferry and excursion boats, and most of the city's shopping and nightlife.

Lindos, about 90 minutes south by bus or an hour by car, is Rhodes' best-known village outside the capital: a hillside cluster of whitewashed houses beneath an ancient Acropolis with sweeping sea views, reachable by a walk up from the village or a donkey ride. The village itself is compact and can get very crowded by midday in summer, so an early or late visit is worth planning for.

Inland and to the north, the Valley of the Butterflies is a shaded gorge that fills with thousands of Jersey tiger moths during their summer mating season, often paired with a stop at the nearby Seven Springs, a cool, spring-fed pool reached through a short tunnel walk. Further south, Prasonisi, where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet, is one of Europe's top windsurfing and kitesurfing spots.

Rhodian and broader Dodecanese cooking leans on seafood, olive oil, and produce from the island's interior. Local specialties include pitaroudia (Rhodian chickpea fritters), melekouni (a sesame-and-honey sweet traditionally served at weddings), and stuffed vine leaves, alongside the grilled meats and fresh fish found across Greece.

The Old Town has the highest concentration of restaurants, particularly around Socratous Street and the harbor, though prices there run higher and quality is more mixed than in the New Town or smaller villages; asking locals or looking a street or two back from the main tourist routes tends to turn up better value.

Basing yourself inside the Old Town puts the main sights, restaurants, and nightlife within walking distance and suits travelers focused on history and atmosphere, though rooms in restored medieval buildings can be small and cars can't reach many doorways. The New Town, just outside the walls around Mandraki Harbour, offers more modern hotels, easier parking, and quick access to ferries and buses.

Travelers who want a beach-resort base instead often choose Faliraki, Ialyssos, or the east coast toward Lindos, trading Old Town proximity for direct beach access and typically lower prices outside peak weeks.

Lindos

Rhodes' most iconic day trip: a clifftop Acropolis overlooking the village and two beaches below. Go by KTEL bus (about 90 minutes, €5–6 each way), organized tour, or rental car, and aim for early morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday cruise-ship crowds.

Symi

A short ferry ride (around 50 minutes to 1 hour) from Mandraki Harbour to a pastel-colored harbor town, Symi is a popular full-day trip that combines wandering the port of Gialos with a swim at a beach like Nos or Nimborios, and often a stop at the Panormitis Monastery.

Valley of the Butterflies & Seven Springs

A half-day trip to a shaded valley known for its summer butterfly population, easily combined with the nearby Seven Springs pool and a stop in a traditional inland village - well suited to families and an easy counterpoint to a beach-heavy itinerary.

Prasonisi & the South

A longer day trip (best with a rental car) to the island's southern tip, where windsurfers and kitesurfers gather at the meeting point of two seas, with quieter beaches and villages like Monolithos and Siana along the way.

Rhodes is a generally safe destination with low rates of violent crime, including in the Old Town after dark, where streets stay lively and well-populated into the evening. As with most tourist destinations, the main risks are practical rather than security-related.

• The Old Town's uneven cobblestones and steps are a common cause of trips and falls - wear supportive, closed-toe shoes
• Petty theft can occur in crowded shopping streets and at the beach; keep valuables secured
• Meltemi winds in July–August can make ferry crossings to Symi and other islands rough or occasionally delayed
• Emergency number for all services: 112 (English-speaking operators available); Police: 100; Ambulance: 166; Fire: 199

Rhodes is moderately priced for Europe, with the Old Town and peak summer weeks pushing costs higher than the island average. A casual taverna meal typically runs €10–18 per person, while a sit-down dinner with drinks can reach €25–35, especially in the most touristed parts of the Old Town.

Budget travelers can expect to spend roughly €50–70 a day covering modest accommodation, meals, and local buses, while a mid-range trip with a private room, a rental car, and day trips like Symi or Lindos typically lands closer to €100–150 a day. Local KTEL buses are inexpensive (city fares around €1.20–1.80, longer routes like Lindos around €5–6 each way), making them a reasonable budget alternative to organized tours for well-connected destinations.

As across Greece, hospitality runs deep - a complimentary sweet like melekouni or a small glass of a local spirit at the end of a meal is a genuine gesture rather than an upsell. Tipping isn't mandatory but rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service is standard and appreciated.

Modest dress covering shoulders and knees is expected when entering churches, monasteries, or mosques such as the Süleyman Mosque, even for a brief visit. Shops in the Old Town's quieter streets and in smaller villages may still observe a midday closure, so it's worth checking hours before planning around them.

Day 1: Old Town Highlights

Walk the Street of the Knights, visit the Palace of the Grand Master and Archaeological Museum, browse Socratous Street, and end at the Süleyman Mosque and Jewish Quarter before dinner in the Old Town.

Day 2: Lindos

Take the bus or a tour to Lindos, climb to the Acropolis for the coastal views, wander the village's alleyways, and finish with a swim at one of Lindos' beaches before heading back.

Day 3: Symi

Catch an early ferry from Mandraki Harbour to Symi, spend the day exploring Gialos harbor and swimming at a nearby beach, and consider a stop at Panormitis Monastery before the return sailing.

Day 4 (Optional): Valley of the Butterflies & the South

With a rental car, combine the Valley of the Butterflies and Seven Springs with a drive south toward Prasonisi or the villages of Monolithos and Siana for a quieter, less touristed side of the island.