Discover Rhodes Island, known for its historic sites like the Palace of the Grand Master and Castle of the Old Town, alongside stunning sandy beaches such as Elli Beach. Explore its vibrant nightlife and scenic Mandraki Harbour.
Don’t miss the Archeological Museum’s treasures or the marine wonders at Rhodes Aquarium. Indulge in local cuisine like Avranies and Pasta at top spots like Pelecanos and Rodino Gefseis. Whether arriving by flight to Diagoras Airport or ferry from Athens, Rhodes promises an unforgettable blend of history, culture, and natural beauty for every traveler.
Discovering Rhodes:
The Greek Island of Rhodes is a part of the Dodecanese island chain in the Aegean Sea. It is the third largest Greek island and has a lot to offer you such as historic sites, sandy beaches, and pretty villages.
On the east side of the island, you will find a lot of resorts and beaches. The nightlife in here is remarkable as it has large family-friendly beaches.
Things to do in Rhodes Island:
1. Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes:
The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes is also known as Kastello, which means “castle”. It is a medieval castle. It is one of the few Gothic Architecture in Greece.
Earlier this place was a citadel of the Knights hospitaller that functioned as a palace, headquarter, and fortress. This palace has 158 rooms but only 24 are open for visitors to explore.
In the rooms you can see the exquisite multi-coloured marbles, sculptures, carpets, and fine oriental vases.
On the first floor, you can find official rooms and private quarters of the Grand Master. The must-see places in this palace are the Grand reception Hall, the Waiting Room, the Music room, and Medusa Mosaic.
It opens from April to October. On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday it opens from 9 am to 4 pm and from Tuesday to Friday it opens from 8 am to 10 pm.
2. Elli Beach:
Elli is the closest beach to Rhodes town. It is located between the area of Mandraki the Rhodes aquarium. Colourful umbrellas, beachfront taverns, and rented sundecks will catch your eye as soon as you approach the beach.
This beach also attracts photographers from all around to world to capture the astonishing grafts and panoramic images of Rhodes. Here on the beach, you can enjoy various water sports and even play beach volleyball.
3. The Castle of the Old Town:
Rhodes town is divided into two halves; the New Town and the Old Town. The old town attracts most of the tourists as it is a medieval city constructed within a castle with six gateways.
The castle has stone pavements where you can stroll and explore the castle. You will find trenches and fences enclosed within the city walls, churches, mosques, palaces, gardens, and courtyards.
This castle also has souvenir shops, taverns, stores, and jewellers. The archaic city was divided into two parts; Collachium, where the knights resided, and the Burgo, where the locals lived. The castle opens at 8 am and closes at 6 pm.
4. Mandraki Harbour:
Mandraki is the main harbour in Rhodes town. At the harbour, you will find the status of two deers named “Elefos” and “Elafina”. There is also a castle of Saint Nicholas that operates as a lighthouse.
Mandraki Harbour with its modern marina facilities receives yachts visiting Rhodes. During summer you also get ships departing every day to Lindos, Symi, and all other neighbouring islands from Mandraki islands.
5. Archeological Museum of Rhodes:
The Archeological Museum of Rhodes is located in the Medieval City of Rhodes. In the museum, you can explore various collections of archaeological artefacts from various parts of Rhodes and the neighbouring islands.
The admission fee is 6 Euros. It also has a special ticket package that costs 10 Euros and covers the Palace of Grand Master, Decorative Arts Collection, and Our Lady of the Castle. In winter, it opens from Wednesday to Monday from 8 am to 3 pm. In summers it opens daily from 8 am to 8 pm.
6. Rhodes Aquarium:
Rhodes aquarium is located in the basement of the Hydrobiological station which is located in the northern part of the island. Since 1963, this aquarium has also been operating as a museum and a research unit.
Here in this aquarium, you can explore the collection of live marine organisms, taxidermal specimens, large fishes, sea monsters, reefs, sea flowers, octopuses, clams, decapods, turtles, numerous fishes with a large collection of scientific instruments.
The aquarium opens daily from 9 am to 8:30 pm.
Food to try in Rhodes Island:
1. Avranies:
It is a local type of wild asparagus. Avranies are cooked with oil and onions and dressed with a light sauce made of flour and lemon juice.
One of the best places to eat avranies is Pelecanos.
2. Pasta:
This dish is also known as Matsi. It is a kind of handmade pasta cooked in meat stock with lots of cheese and butter.
Pasta is served with boiled lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans. The best place to try this dish is at Rodino Gefseis.
How to reach Rhodes Island:
1. By flight:
Rhodes has its international airport named “Diagoras”. It is located about 16 km away from Rhodes Town. It is one of the busiest airports in Greece.
This airport gets domestic flights from Athens and Thessaloniki. The trip from the airport to the city centre will take 20 minutes and will cost you 30 Euro.
2. By Ferries:
You can easily reach Rhodes by ferries from Athens. Athens has 3 ports: Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio. From all these 3 ports you will get several ferries to the island Rhodes.
You can also get ferries from Heraklion and Karpathos to Rhodes. The journey from Athens to Rhodes will cost you about 49 Euros.
