Rhodes (city)

6000 people live and work in the same buildings the Knights of St. John lived 6 centuries ago.
Medieval buildings, mosques, traditional fountains, oriental motifs, Byzantine and Gothic churches, shops and cafeterias are scattered throughout the Old Town of Rhodes. There are approximately 200 streets or lanes that have no name, so getting lost is a distinct possibility.

Orientation

For the traveller, Rhodes City falls into four more or less distinct areas.

• Rhodes Old Town, still enclosed by its medieval wall.
• Rhodes New Town, north and west of the Old Town, is an extensive and fairly non-descript modern city.
• New Town's eastern waterfront, containing Commercial Harbor, the yacht and ferry harbour Mandhraki Harbor, and extensive Elli Beach.
• Acropolis of Rhodes, the ruins of the ancient city, are about 2 km southwest of the Old Town.

Tourist information

Tourist information office

By plane

Rhodes International AirportIt is the only airport of the island. And it has scheduled flights from Athens and Thessaloniki and many other seasonal flights.

Getting there:

• Buses depart once or twice per hour from the central bus station (Averof st.), €2.50, ride takes 35 min. Online timetable.
• Taxi cost €25-30 (Apr 2019).

By bus

Two bus stations are just outside the Old Town wall, near the waterfront, making buses a convenient way of getting to the city.

• West coast bus stationStation for the buses going down the west side of the island, including airport. Operated by Δ.Ε.Σ ΡΟΔΑ company.

• KTEL bus stationStations for the buses run by KTEL bus company.

By ferry

There are regular ferries to Rhodes from Athens, Fethiye and Marmaris. There are 4 daily ferries from the Marmaris and Fethiye with Yeşil Marmaris and Ocean Travel.

Blue Star Ferries Dock

In the Old Town, the primary method of travel are your feet.
There are several bus routes within Rhodes city, operated by Δ.Ε.Σ ΡΟΔΑ bus company.

By taxi

Taxi fares: €5-6 inside the city, Kalithea €15, Faliraki €20.

Taxi standThe main taxi stand close to the old city.

Old Town

Rhodes Old Town itself is surely the main attraction here, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved and most extensive medieval towns in Europe. As you wander from the bus station, and over the outer wall and moat, it's like stepping back in time and reliving all your childhood dreams of being a knight and attacking exotic castles in distant lands. It is also the location of many monuments and several museums - make sure to get a good map. If you want to see it all, plan for at least a day, and two will not be amiss if you want to see all the museums.

• Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodescan be split into outside, courtyard, outside wall, first floor and second floor. Open in season till 8PM, entry is €6, outside wall is an additional €2. The first floor (photos prohibited) contains some artifacts of Ancient Rhodes but is closed - in it's absence, the entrance fee is entirely not worth it. The Archaeological Museum offers more selection and allows photos. Second floor has a variety of later "artifacts" such as mosaics from Kos and other odd bits and bobs, but it has almost no descriptions (probably to force people to wait for a tour guide). The Palace of the Grand Masters was demolished by a gunpowder explosion in 1856 and reconstructed by the Italians as a summer residence for Mussolini in 1940. This knowledge (that this isn't actually an authentic swords and knights castle and is instead basically a souped up country mansion) somewhat lessens the excitement. Take your photos outside, and come back to look inside when the ground floor exhibitions on Rhodes are open.

• Archbishops Palace

  address: Evrèon Martyron Square

• Suleymaniye Mosque

• Rhodes Archaeological Museum

  phone: +30 2241 075674, +30 2241 034719
  address: Megalou Alexandrou Square
  It has two floors, and most of the exhibits are on the second, past the big stairs. The museum operates a tour of the city walls Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8AM leaving from the Palace of the Grand Masters. Visitors are simply allowed up on the walls to walk along the top of them at their own pace. This walk offers views of the town not otherwise available and is the best way to get an idea of the size of the town and the variety of its architecture.It is not guided.

• Museum of Modern Greek Art

• Folk MuseumVery small museum with only one room.

Acropolis of Rhodes

Acropolis of Rhodes is located on the highest part of the city. The monuments were built on stepped terraces, with substantial retaining walls. Free admission.

• Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus

• NymphaeumsFour subterranean "structures" cut into the rock, featuring entrance steps, passages, a large opening in the central roof, along with water cisterns, foliage and interior niches for statuettes. These "caves" were used for worship and recreational purposes.

• Temple of Pythian ApolloPart of the northeast side of this porous peripteral temple has been restored.

• OdeonSmall marble theatre which held approximately 800 spectators. It was used for musical performances and rhetoric lessons of prominent Rhodians.

• Stoa buildingThe impressive façade was visible from even the harbor. Today just one foundation wall remains.

• ArtemisionThe Artemis cult's place of worship is situated on the northeast side of the hill, amidst the ruins of other structures of similar function.

• Ancient Stadium210-metre north-south Stadium, restored by the Italians.

New Town

• Central Post Office

• Town hall, Theatre and Government House - Italian architecture.

• Aquarium

• Annunciation church

Elsewhere

• Rodini ParkHistorical park featuring Roman water supply system of the ancient city of Rhodes. It runs along a creek gorge and has a lot of birds, including peacocks.

• Walk throughout this medieval city and its many streets and lanes by foot.
• New Market

• Many brand name products such as t-shirts, towels, hand bags and similar items for sale in the tourist shops may be fakes and/or unlicensed.

• Labyrinthos Arts & Crafts

  address: Theofiliskou 1
  Original arts and creations by local artists, also the only place in the Old Town to sell historically accurate coat of arms of the Knights, medieval style heraldry and illuminated manuscripts.

• Hatzikelis

  phone: +30 2241 027215
  address: Solomou Alhadef 9
  One of the best tavernas, serving innovations on traditional Greek dishes. The stuffed, roasted eggplant is notable.

• Laganis

  address: Solomou Alhadef 16
  A more traditional taverna with good mezedes.

• Mikes

  address: Old Town
  A hole-in-the-wall place with outdoor seating in a cosy backstreet, tucked away from the tourist masses. Serves fish, salad, and wine, and not much else. Mikes is a very simple place to eat, but it is very pleasant, and the seafood, whilst being simple, is fresh, well prepared and tasty. The dorado is particulaly tasty, and at €10 is good value.

• Pizanias

  address: Sofokleos 24
  A decent sea food taverna with outdoor seating on the square. Fish is caught locally, then cooked on a grill built into the wall which means the smell of grilled sea food wafts over the local square! (Great publicity!) Because it's at the end of Sofokleos, you won't find quite as many people that come all the way down here, but it is worth giving the rest a miss and holding out for. The homemade tzatziki is very good, as is the grilled octopus.

• Bekr Karakuzu

  address: 76 Sokratous
  A rare, wonderfully atmospheric survival of Ottoman old Rhodes in the middle of the tourist hordes. Run by a charming couple, it serves excellent coffee and a small range of other drinks. Not much food except for a few snacks.

• Avalon CafeSet in the quiet courtyard of an imposing 14th century town mansion, the Avalon cafe serves great drinks in a corner of Rhodes Old Town that most people don't even know exists. The courtyard is an oasis away from the bustle of Socratous St - make sure you head there when the cruise crowds get too much! Drinks are homemade, and the coffees are great, if a little expensive.

• Socrates Garden

  address: Socratous 124
  Coffee shop snack bar with a nice atmosphere in a fake Greek kind of way - but it's not too fake. A good, shaded place to grab a cold drink and rest from the sun and the busyness and tourist rat race that is Socratous St (so much so that you'll even find Greeks in there...)

• Colorado Disco Club

  address: 53, Orfanidou St.

• Elli Disco Club

  address: Kontourioti sq

Budget

• Alia Studios

  phone: +30 2244 051269
  address: Haraki Beach

• Apollo Guesthouse

  phone: +30 2241 032003
  address: Omirou 28-C, Rhodes

• Carina Hotel

  phone: +30 2241 022381
  address: 56, Griva Street (Rhodes Town) Rhodes
  Surrounded by shops, bars and restaurants, this hotel is a 3-minute walk from the beach, with easy access to old Rhodes city and the roads to ancient Lindos and Kalithea.

• Mango Rooms

  address: Sq. Dorieos 3, Rhodes

• Rodos Youth Hostel

  phone: +30 2241 030491
  address: Ergiou 12 Rhodes Old Town
  Backpackers hostel in Rhodes Old Town. Excellent location. Very basic facilities.

• Spot Hotel

  phone: +30 2241 034737
  address: Perikleus Street 21, Rhodes Old Town,
  Simple, well run hotel with good prices and location

Mid-range

• Europa Hotel

  address: 94, 28th October St.

• Rhodes4vacation

  phone: +306976009383
  address: Tlipolemou
  portfolio of vacation villas holiday rentals on Rhodes Island Greece

Splurge

• Camelot Hotel

  phone: +30 2241 026649
  address: Rhodes Old Town

• Elysium Resort & Spa

  phone: +30 2241 045700
  address: Kallithea Ave
  Beachfront location. Modern and chic with minimalist design. Public areas and spacious rooms overlook the beach. 5 star high standard hotel.

• Rhodes Boutique Hotel

  phone: +30 6945 106268
  address: 28 Panetiou Avenue
  Boutique hotel dedicated to fashion. Medieval and traditional oriental design influences and beds with silk bedspreads.

• Rodos Palladium Leisure & Wellness

  phone: +30 2241 057300
  address: Kallithea Avenue
  18 awards since its opening, accommodation with first class services. Right on the beach of Kallithea, 9 km away from Rhodes Town and 15 km away from the airport.

• Faliraki
• Lindos