Rhodes: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
English|
EUR 32 - 91 Mari Rodos Hotel
 Situated in Rhodes town, right across Rhodes Casino and only 100 metres from Elli beach, Mari Hotel offers rooms with balcony. It serves buffet breakf… MoreEUR 49 - 225 Mediterranean Hotel
 Enjoying a privileged location, Hotel Mediterranean is situated on the sandy beach near the Aquarium and the Casino, a short distance from Rhodes Town… MoreEUR 25 - 75 Nafsika Hotel
 The friendly, family run Hotel Nafsika enjoys a quiet location in Rhodes just 60 metres from the beach and close to taverns and bars.
The Old Town, t… MoreEUR 90 - 500 Nikos Takis Fashion Hotel
 Nikos Takis Fashion Hotel is peacefully situated in the heart of Rhodes´ Old Town, just steps from the Great Magistro’s Palace. It offers styl… MoreEUR 38 - 112 Manousos City Hotel
 This central hotel offers comfortable accommodation and a friendly atmosphere, within walking distance of Rhodes´ main attractions.
The rooms a… MoreEUR 30 - 150 Lydia Hotel
 Lydia Hotel enjoys a prime location in the centre of Rhodes Town. It offers a modern lounge bar-restaurant and features elegant accommodations with wo… MoreEUR 24 - 90 Hotel Savoy
Savoy Hotel is a 2-star hotel that provides comfortable and affordable accommodation in the centre of Rhodes City, within walking distance of the Rho… MoreEUR 40 - 143 Ibiscus Hotel
 Situated on the most cosmopolitan sandy and pebbled beach of the city of Rhodes, a few minutes’ walk from the centre, the Ibiscus complex offers a l… MoreEUR 29 - 90 International Hotel
 International Hotel enjoys a central location in Rhodes Town, within a short distance from Mandraki Marina, Casino, the Old Town and Elli beach. The f… MoreEUR 25 - 80 Lomeniz Hotel
 Situated at the beach of Zefyros, just a few km from Rhodes Town, Lomeniz Hotel offers a large swimming pool with sun terrace, and spacious air-condit… MoreEUR 30 - 120 Parthenon Hotel
 Just steps from Psaropoula Beach and a 5-minute walk from Rhodes’ old town, Parthenon Hotel offers beautiful sea views and a relaxing outdoor pool a… MoreEUR 28 - 88 Pavlidis Residence
 The recently renovated Pavlidis Residence enjoys a prime location in the centre of Rhodes Town. A welcoming hotel, just meters from the famous Medieva… MoreEUR 30 - 60 Silvia Hotel
 Hotel Silvia is situated by the New Marina, just 600 metres from Zefyros Beach. It offers modern rooms with easy access to the old town of Rhodes.
Ac… MoreEUR 50 - 80 Sofia Pension
 Pension Sofia is a recently renovated family hotel offering authentic hospitality in the old town of Rhodes.
Each well appointed room features TV, re… MoreEUR 35 - 90 Steve Apartments
 Located in the centre of Rhodes New Town, Steve Apartments offers air-conditioned apartments with balconies with city views. Free Wi-Fi is available t… MoreEUR 26 - 52 Vassilia Hotel
 The modern Vassilia Hotel is centrally located in Rhodes Town, only 50-metres from the sea. This hotel offers comfortable accommodation and free Wi-F… MoreEUR 32 - 160 Semiramis City Hotel
 The Semiramis Hotel is at the heart of Rhodes Town, just 70 metres from the sandy beach, and close to many ancient sites and the bustling nightlife. I… MoreEUR 90 - 225 S.Nikolis´ Boutique Hotel
 The S.Nikolis´ Hotel - Honeymoon Suites and Apartments is a historical, intimate and charming property offering quirky and romantic accommodatio… MoreEUR 20 - 75 Phaedra Hotel
 Phaedra Hotel enjoys a privileged location only 100 metres from the long, sandy beach of Psaropoula, located within the town of Rhodes.
The hotel boa… MoreEUR 30 - 95 Philoxenia Hotel & Studios
 Enjoying a peaceful location, just 1.5 km from the historic town centre of Rhodes, Philoxenia Hotel offers refurbished and comfortable accommodation c… MoreEUR 95 - 425 Rodos Park Suites & Spa
 Just 10 minutes on foot from the main beach, but in the heart of the city centre, settled among green parks and gardens, this 5-star hotel welcomes g… MoreEUR 45 - 80 Royal Aparthotel City Centre
 The Royal Aparthotel City Centre is situated in a quiet pedestrian street in the heart of the city and shopping district of Rhodes town.
It offers co… MoreEUR 50 - 130 Hotel Riviera
 Located on the seafront, close to the magnificent Medieval Old Town of Rhodes, Hotel Riviera is a great base for a holiday full of sea, sun, culture a… MoreEUR 20 - 75 Hotel Pearl
 Pearl Hotel enjoys a central location in the town of Rhodes, 150 metres from 2 beaches. From the hotel guests enjoy easy access to the beautiful harbo… MoreEUR 52 - 120 Athineon Hotel
 Hotel Athineon is located in Rhodes island, five minutes walk from the Old Town and the harbour. It features an outdoor swimming pool, a sauna and a g… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rhodes: Guide
This article is about the island of Rhodes. For the city of the same name, capital of the island, see the separate article Rhodes (city)|Rhodes city.
Rhodes is the largest Greece|Greek island of the Dodecanese group of the South Aegean Islands of Greece. It is known for the Colossus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, which was sadly destroyed.
Cities
Rhodes (city)|Rhodes city - The biggest city on the island and seat of the local government
Lindos - Small village with an old acropolis. Located around a small hill. No cars are allowed in the large areas of the town.
Haraki - Small former fishing village located next to Lindos.
Pefkos - A smaller tourist resourt close to Lindos. Originally started as a small collection of farms and private residences, but has grown into a town in its own right.
Faliraki - Rhodes' "action resort". Go there to party, everything else is better somewhere else.
Kalithea - snorkeling and resort hotels.
Lardos
Gennadi
Afandou - One of the big villages on the island. The golf course of Rhodes is situated in this area along with a long beach
Ixia - West coast resort, close to Rhodes (city)|Rhodes city
Theologos - A traditional village
Other destinations
Castle of Monolithos - If you are staying on the east coast, drive to Gennadi. North of the village, take the road across the island via Vati to Apollakia. The drive can be windy for moped riders, but the beautiful vistas make up for the work. Apollakia is not very special but has a couple of nice tavernas if you feel like having a refreshment. South of the village is a gas station, which you should use in case you are on a moped. Go on to Monolithos. Behind the village there is the actual attraction, which you will see from the road: The Castle of Monolithos on a 240m-high rock. Do not forget to go to the actual site, which does not offer much architecture-wise, but provides you with splendid views across the west coast. To the north-west, you can see the Castle of Kalki.
Understand
Rhodes is a major tourist attraction for the seekers of sunny beaches. While many of its beaches are gravel, not sand; the island can boast 300+ sun days in a year. Consequently, you will stumble into tourists and hotels and beaches full of deck chairs for rent, into shops and restaurants that cater to these tourists. It can be overwhelming at times. If this bothers you, Rhodes is probably not for you. Still, there are some areas where mass tourism has not yet penetrated too much. And there are advantages, too: travel to and accommodation on Rhodes itself can be purchased for relatively low prices, and most of the locals speak at least English and German and often some other languages.
Tourist information
The local tourist information office for the Dodecanese Islands is located in Rhodes city at Makariou & Papagou Corner (opposite the New Market). Telephone 22410 44335-6, Fax 22410 26955.
Talk
Greek Phrasebook|Greek is the native language of the people of Rhodes. However, most people also speak passable English and many speak German or other European languages.
Get in
By boat
Rhodes is accessable via ferry from Symi, Tilos, and Bodrum, as well as Datca and Marmaris in Turkey.
Cruise ships dock at the Commercial Port, east of Rhodes city's Old Town.
By plane
The island is served by Diagoras International Airport with the IATA code RHO. The airport is situated on the west coast about 14km from Rhodes Town. There are regular flights to and from Athens and Thessaloniki; charter airlines connect Rhodes with many major cities all over Europe.
Get around
By bus
Public buses operate throughout the islands.
The main bus terminal in Rhodes city is the Neá Agorá (New Market). Schedules and prices can be found at the ticket booths.
Tickets can also be bought in the bus from a cashier or directly from the driver. Keep your ticket until the end of your voyage. The price of a bus ticket will depend on the destination. For example, a trip from Rhodes city to Faliraki will cost 1.70 Euros.
Bus stops on the road are marked by a sign, but do not hesitate to signal a bus driver that you wish to board. Bus stops do not have the timetables displayed.
One useful line is the 21, which serves the large hotels on Rhodes' east coast with Faliraki as the final destination, departs from Rhodes (city)|Rhodes city almost every half-hour.
By taxi
Taxis on Rhodes are dark blue with white roofs. There is a list of expected maximum taxi charges you can obtain from the tourist information office. For example, a trip from Rhodes city to Faliraki should not cost more than 13 Euros; the trip from the Airport to Rhodes city a maximum of 14 Euros. The minimum fare for each trip is 2.00 Euros, the taximeter starts at 0.85 Euros. Never let the driver turn off the meter.
You can radio a taxi via telephone number 22410 69800. This adds a standard surcharge of 1.50 Euros. Waiting fare is 7.90 Euros per hour. Between midnight and 5 AM you will have to pay twice the normal rates. You can book ahead to avoid delays at high traffic times such as weekends.
By car
It is not worth the hassle to bring your own car to the island, although it is in theory possible. You can rent a car at the airport or via any hotel and at many local dealers. Asphalt highways will allow you to reach the entire island, although roads in the interior - especially the south - may turn out to be little more than dirt paths.
By motorcycle
Motorbikes and mopeds are popular alternatives to cars. Especially mopeds are frequently used by local youths and can go to many places that cars cannot go - for example the twisted narrow streets of Rhodes city. An additional advantage is that they are cheap to rent - 10 to 15 Euros a day is the usual price.
If you start a day-trip with a moped, make you sure you do so on a full tank, as gas stations are sometimes hard to find. An extra stop at a gas station can save a lot of nerves. When renting a moped, check if the profile of the tyres is ok and if the brakes work properly. If it is the last vehicle in store, be suspicious - it could be the one that needs a repair badly. Though helmets are not required on the streets, it might be a good idea to ask your rent-a-bike for one, especially if you intend to drive on streets with more traffic.
See
Filerimos Hill. Medieval remains, a monastery and chapel. Good views over the north of the island.
There is a good variety of beaches on Rhodes. The east side of the island has almost continuous sandy beaches with calm waters. Beaches on the west are mostly more stony. The wind mostly comes in from the west and also the sea tends to be somewhat rougher to the west so that side of the island is better suited to surfing or kite boarding.
Rhodes Town.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikitravel article "Rhodes". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.
Kamiros. Ancient ruins.
Castle with acropolis over Lindos.
Tsambika Peak.
The old town of Rhodes (city)|Rhodes city
Palace of the Prince Grand Master.
Street of Knights.
Fortifications.
Valley of the Butterflies. Since the butterflies - which are actually coloured moths - in this area need quietude for their procreation and since the area is visited by many tourists, the population of the Petaloudes "butterflies" is constantly on the decline; even to a degree that it does not make any sense anymore to go there, as you will hardly see any of the moths.
Epta Piges. (Seven springs) and that is literally all there is to see there except for a short forest walking trail. In the hot summer months, the cool shade provides a pleasant respite from the sun.
Castle of Kastellos.
Castle of Monolithos.
Cape Prasonisi. The southern-most tip of Rhodes. There is a peninsular connected to the main island by a sand bar. Unless you have a 4x4, think twice before driving your car across the sand bar: it becomes progressively less solid and it is easy to get stuck.Do
Sunbathing
Swimming
Snorkeling
Diving
Surfing and Kitesurfing on the west coast and especially on the south end of the island
Many hotels will offer activity programs
Most tour operators will offer excursions
Climb Mt Attavyros. A challenging 2-3 hour climb to the island's highest point (1215m). On leaving Embonas on the road towards Siana, drive up one of the agricultural roads on the left and find a place to park. On foot, you continue up through the wine growing area in the obvious direction. There is no explicit marked path but red paint on rocks towards the top marks the best route. It is a steep climb with many large loose rocks. The descent can be especially tricky. It is also possible to drive up the mountain: the approach road comes from the South.
Prasonisi
Kamiros and Mt. Profitis IliasBeaches
Lindos. The stunningly beautiful town beach on the bay. Very trendy, so wear your thong bikini here if you want to fit in.
Kalithea. Just north of Faliraki, this was originally an Italian built spa. It is very pleasant spot but can be crowded. Currently building work is ongoing to build what looks like it will be a modern spa adjacent to the original buildings. A number of separate beaches, each seemingly with their own taverna lie just south of the spa.
Faliraki. A long sandy beach with plenty of tavernas to choose from. There is also no shortage of people to rent jet skis from or to organise other activities. At the southern end, there is a quiter, more rocky beach but the sea there is inconveniently shallow for swimmers. There is also a nudist beach a little further South.
Ladiko Beach (Anthony Quinn Bay). This is a very scenic spot. On one side of the bay is a relatively small beach. The other side is rocky but a man made platform provides further space for sunbathing and access to the sea.
Afandou Beach
Kolymbia Beach.
Tsambika Beach
Gennadi Beach
Agia Marina BeachBuy
Sponges
Ceramic watch for the many "Keramik factory" outlets along the roads).
Olive oil
Religious icons
Jewelry stores are common, particularly in Rhodes Town
Umbrellas are a popular "joke" souvenir - on an island with 300+ sun days a year, these are rarely needed
Colorful sea shells are a popular souvenir item, but very many of them are actually imported, and have no authentic connection to the island whatsoever.
Many brand name products for sale in the tourist shops may be fakes and/or unlicensed (t-shirts, towels, hand bags, and so on)Eat
See the Eat section under each town for specific listings.Drink
Whilst the tap water is drinkable, bottled water is easily available and preferable. Local drinks include Mythos (beer) and Ouzo.Stay safe
Rhodes is a generally safe destination. There are a few things to look out for.
The resort town of Faliráki has become infamous for the lewd behavior of young, drunk British partiers. A string of crimes committed by these young tourists against locals, as well as against other tourists, gained national attention in the summer of 2003; they ranged from vandalism to serious acts of violence. Police have since increased their presence in Faliráki to crack down on such behavior.
Taxi drivers will sometimes turn off their meters and charge an arbitrary amount at the destination. Make sure they don't do this.
The summer sun tends to get very strong. You should not take the risk of dehydration, sunburns or even heat strokes lightly. Wear appropriate clothes, maybe with a hat and sunglasses; use sunscreen; bring enough water on excursions and know when to stop exhausting yourself and seek the shade of a tree.
Like in the rest of Greece, it is not allowed to take photographs of military or strategic installationsGet out
Daily excursions via boat to Symi and other islands are offered from Rhodes city
A ferry to Turkey is also available