Rhodes Travel Guide: The Complete Island Guide

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands and one of the most historically significant places in Greece. The Knights of St John held the island from 1309 to 1522 and left a medieval walled city that remains the most intact in the Mediterranean — a city of Gothic churches, Ottoman mosques, Byzantine remains, and cobbled streets lived in continuously for seven centuries.

Rhodes Old Town

The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the dominant reason to visit Rhodes. The walls (4km perimeter) were built and reinforced by the Knights over two centuries — the result is an exceptionally sophisticated fortification system with eleven gates, moats, and towers.

The Street of Knights (Ippoton): The ceremonial main street of the Knights’ city — a preserved Gothic street with the inns of each nation arranged along it. The most photographed street in Rhodes; free to walk.

Palace of the Grand Master: The reconstructed seat of the Knights’ leadership. Entry €6 adult (as of 2026), open 8am–8pm Tue–Sun. The ground floor has two exceptional mosaic floors from Early Christian basilicas, relocated here by the Italians.

Archaeological Museum of Rhodes: Housed in the former Knights’ hospital (15th century) — excellent collection of Rhodian sculpture, including the Aphrodite of Rhodes. Entry €6 adult.

The Turkish Quarter: The Muslim legacy of Ottoman rule (1522–1912) — mosques, a hammam (restored, open for visitors), the covered market, and the Suleymaniye Mosque on the main square.

Lindos

The island’s second major site — a clifftop acropolis above a whitewashed village, with a sandy bay below. The acropolis (€12 adult, open 8am–8pm daily in summer) contains a 4th-century BC Doric temple of Athena Lindia and an extensive Knights’ fortification. The village is postcard-perfect but very crowded in summer — the main alley fills completely with tourists and tour groups.

Getting there: 47km south of Rhodes Town. KTEL bus from Rhodes (approximately €3.50, 1 hour) or taxi (approximately €50–60 one-way). In summer, book a return bus ticket before leaving — the buses back to Rhodes fill up.

Beaches

Rhodes has dramatically different coasts: the west coast is windier (good for windsurfing at Prasonisi and Ixia), the east coast is calmer and better for swimming.

Faliraki: The island’s main resort beach — long, sandy, crowded, with the full complement of watersports and beach bars. East coast, approximately 16km south of Rhodes Town.

Anthony Quinn Bay: A small cove named after the actor who bought the land while filming The Guns of Navarone — crystal water, no beach clubs, relatively quiet. East coast, near Faliraki.

Tsambika: A wide sandy beach below a headland monastery (248 steps up; pilgrims pray here for fertility). One of the most photographed beaches on the island. Busy in summer.

Prasonisi: The southern tip of the island, where two seas meet — ideal conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Several kite schools operate here.

Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes)

A wooded valley 26km southwest of Rhodes Town, where Jersey tiger moths gather in enormous numbers from June to September. Entry approximately €5 in season. The moths cluster on the bark of storax trees; avoid clapping or making noise — the moths are stressed by it and the practice has reduced their numbers over decades. Worth visiting in the early part of the season (June) before the numbers thin.

Where to Stay in Rhodes

Old Town: Spirit of the Knights (boutique hotel in a medieval building, from approximately €160/night), Kokkini Porta Rossa (restored Ottoman house, from approximately €120/night), Medieval Inn (basic but authentic, from approximately €70/night).

Rhodes New Town: Rodos Park Suites (upmarket, pool, from approximately €250/night peak), Iberostar Mirabello (beachfront, from approximately €180/night peak), various smaller hotels and pensions from approximately €80/night.

Lindos area: Melenos Lindos Boutique Hotel (exceptional views, Lindos village, from approximately €350/night peak), various studios in Lindos village from approximately €100/night in season.

Where to Eat in Rhodes

Old Town: Nireas (seafood, consistently excellent, Sofokleious Square, approximately €35–55 per person), To Steno (traditional Greek food, Agion Fanouriou, approximately €20–30 per person), Meze Me (modern mezedes, approximately €25–40 per person).

New Town: Ta Kioupia (upmarket traditional cuisine in a garden setting, approximately €35–55 per person, Tymvon 26), Kerasma (modern Greek, harbour views, approximately €30–50 per person).

Markets: The old market (Socratous Street area) has food stalls selling Rhodian honey, local olive oil, and pasteli (sesame and honey bars).

The Knights of St John

The Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St John) took control of Rhodes from the Byzantine Empire in 1309 and held it for 213 years — one of the longest continuous occupations by a single military order in medieval history. They built the Palace of the Grand Master, the hospital (now the Archaeological Museum), and the elaborate defensive walls that survive today. The Street of Knights preserves the layout of the crusader city exactly as the Knights organised it.

When Suleiman the Magnificent besieged Rhodes in 1522 with 200,000 soldiers against approximately 7,000 defenders, the Knights held for six months before negotiating an honourable surrender. Suleiman allowed them to leave with their possessions — they eventually settled on Malta, where they built Valletta.

The Ottoman period (1522–1912) added the mosques, fountains, and baths visible in the Turkish Quarter. The Italian occupation (1912–1943, under the Treaty of Lausanne) added the administrative buildings in the New Town — a mix of art deco and fascist monumental architecture that sits oddly alongside the medieval and Ottoman layers.

Getting Around Rhodes

The main bus terminal (KTEL) is at Mandraki Harbour. Buses serve Faliraki (€2.20), Lindos (€3.50), and most resort areas. Taxis from the Old Town to Lindos cost approximately €50–60. Car hire from approximately €35–55/day gives the most flexibility for reaching smaller beaches and interior villages.

Day Trips from Rhodes

Symi: A stunning harbour island 50 minutes from Rhodes by high-speed boat — neoclassical houses in shades of ochre, yellow, and terracotta climbing a steep hillside. No cars in the main harbour town. Day trips from Rhodes approximately €35–50 per person (boat only); the day is tight but feasible.

Halki: A tiny island 2.5 hours from Rhodes — even quieter than Symi, with a few tavernas and accommodation. Best for an overnight rather than a day trip.

Tilos: Known for its conservation — no hunting, organic farming, and the island has been powered entirely by solar and wind energy since 2018. Ferry from Rhodes approximately 2–3 hours.

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