When to go to Rhodes?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: May to June and September to October
At a glance
Why go to Rhodes?
Rhodes is the only Greek island where you can sleep inside an intact medieval city. The Knights of St John ruled here for two centuries, from 1309 to 1522, before yielding to Suleiman and sailing off to Malta. They left 4 km of ramparts, a street of inns, one for each of their 'tongues', a palace and a hospital that is now the archaeological museum. The Ottomans added mosques and baths, and the Italians restored the lot between 1912 and 1943. The result has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1988, and people still live here, with tavernas in the courtyards and cats on the walls.
The island is large, 80 km long, and changes character. The east coast is lined with sandy beaches and resorts, from Faliraki to Lindos, with a calm, warm sea. The west coast, battered by the meltemi, has the cliffs, the vineyards of Embona, ancient Kamiros and the castles of Kritinia and Monolithos. In the south, Prasonisi gathers kitesurfers on an isthmus between two seas. Inland lie the Valley of the Butterflies and Mount Attavyros, 1,215 metres. A day in the car is enough to go from one to the other.
It is also one of the easiest islands to enjoy: 300 days of sunshine, an international airport 14 km from the old town, buses to every beach, hotels in every price range, and ferries to Symi, Kos and Marmaris in Turkey. The season runs from April to November, the sea is swimmable until early November, and outside July and August prices stay below those of the Cyclades for a heritage that has no equal in the Aegean.
Map of Rhodes: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Rhodes Old Town
- Lindos
- East coast
- West coast and Kamiros
- Prasonisi and the south
- Symi
How much does a trip to Rhodes cost?
Rhodes remains cheaper than Santorini or Mykonos, with old-town rooms at €70, tavernas at €20 and buses at €3. The paying sites, the palace and the acropolis, cost €10-12 each. The east coast resorts and the medieval boutique hotels push the bill up for those who want them.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €55-75/day | Room or hostel in town, KTEL buses, souvlaki and the market, free beaches, one paying site a day |
| Comfort | €110-160/day | Boutique hotel in the old town or Lindos, hire car, tavernas in the evening, a day on Symi |
| Premium | €300+/day | Medieval boutique hotel or Kallithea resort, car, private boat to the coves, fine dining |
The euro, so no currency exchange needed. Cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and supermarkets, including most tavernas in the old town, but sunlounger renters, bus kiosks and the Embona wine cellars prefer cash. Cash machines are everywhere in town and in the resorts, but rare in the villages of the west coast.
Is Rhodes safe?
Rhodes is a safe island, the only common offences being pickpocketing in the crowded old town and bills inflated by a few touts on the tourist squares. The risks are natural and road-related. The heat first, 35°C and more in July and August, with no shade on the acropolises and beaches: water, a hat, sightseeing early in the morning. Fires next, as in July 2023, when 20,000 people were evacuated from the south-east coast, at Kiotari and Gennadi: respect the bans and follow 112 alerts when the wind is strong. The road finally, with quad bikes and scooters hired by inexperienced riders causing accidents every summer. At sea, jellyfish at times and currents on the west coast when the meltemi blows. Rhodes General Hospital, in the new town, handles emergencies, the European Health Insurance Card is valid in the public system, and travel insurance remains useful for private care and repatriation.
What to see and do in Rhodes
- Palace of the Grand Master
- Street of the Knights and the old town
- Acropolis of Lindos
- Anthony Quinn Bay
- Kallithea Springs
- Valley of the Butterflies
- Tsambika Beach
- Monolithos Castle
Rhodes Old Town
The city of the Knights fits within its walls: the Palace of the Grand Master at the top, the Street of the Knights running down to the port, the hospital turned archaeological museum with the Aphrodite of Rhodes, the Mosque of Suleiman and its pink minaret, the Jewish quarter and its seahorse square, the bazaars of Sokratous Street. The dry moat circles the ramparts in an hour in the shade of the eucalyptus trees. You sleep in medieval houses converted into hotels and dine in courtyards. Mandraki harbour, with its bronze deer and windmills, lies just outside the gate.
Lindos
The white village climbs from the harbour to its acropolis on 116 metres of rock, between captains' houses with carved 17th-century doorways and lanes paved with pebbles. At the top, the Temple of Athena, the Hellenistic stoa and the Knights' castle overlook St Paul's Bay. Below, two sandy beaches, including the large Lindos Bay with its sunloungers, and rooftop terrace restaurants. The village is pedestrianised, very busy from 10:00 to 17:00 in summer and quiet in the evening. Staying overnight lets you have the acropolis to yourself at opening time.
The east coast
From the town to Lindos, 50 km of beaches and resorts along a calm sea. Kallithea and its Italian-era spa, Faliraki and its 4 km of sand with nightlife, Anthony Quinn Bay and Ladiko, Afandou and its golf course, Kolymbia and its eucalyptus avenue, Tsambika below its monastery, Stegna and its fish tavernas, Agathi and its fine sand. Inland, the Seven Springs offer a tunnel to wade through barefoot in cool water. KTEL buses serve the whole coast from the town several times a day.
The west coast and Kamiros
The wind on the west coast has deterred resorts, except for Ixia and Ialyssos near the town, a stronghold of windsurfers. Beyond them, the road follows the cliffs to ancient Kamiros, a Hellenistic city excavated on a slope down to the sea, with its streets, cisterns and agora, then Kritinia castle on its headland facing Chalki, and Monolithos. In the hills, Embona produces the island's wines at the foot of Mount Attavyros, with tastings in the village cellars and grilled-meat tavernas. Watch the sunset from any of the castles.
The south and Prasonisi
Beyond Lindos, the island empties. The beaches of Gennadi, Kiotari and Lachania stretch for kilometres of sand and pebbles, with scattered tavernas and a few hotels. At the far end, Prasonisi is a near-island joined by a sandy isthmus that separates two seas: flat and warm to the east, rough to the west, which makes it the Aegean's kitesurfing and windsurfing spot in summer, when the isthmus emerges. The inland villages, Asklipio and its castle, Lachania and its flower-filled lanes, keep a country life 100 km from the town.
Symi on a day trip
An hour by boat north of Rhodes, Symi arranges its ochre and pastel neoclassical houses in an amphitheatre around a deep harbour, one of the most beautiful in Greece. The island lived from sponge diving and shipbuilding, and its 500 steps, the Kali Strata, link the harbour to the upper village. The Panormitis monastery, on the south coast, is a place of pilgrimage for the whole Dodecanese. Day trips leave Mandraki around 09:00 and return around 18:00, with a stop at the monastery, for €25-35. Spending a night there is even better.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Three days cover the old town, Lindos and a beach. A week allows a tour of the island by car, Kallithea, the Valley of the Butterflies, the west coast and a day on Symi. Two weeks make sense for families, with a beach base and a town base.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Rhodes guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Greece
Rhodes in 3 days
Day 1: the old town on foot, the Palace of the Grand Master at opening time, the Street of the Knights, the archaeological museum, a walk round the ramparts along the moat, dinner in a courtyard in the Jewish quarter. Day 2: early bus or car to Lindos, the acropolis before the heat, a swim in St Paul's Bay, back via Tsambika for the late afternoon. Day 3: Kallithea Springs in the morning, Anthony Quinn Bay in the early afternoon, sunset at Mandraki harbour. Base in the old town, no car needed.
Round the island (1 week)
Three days following the short plan, then four days by car. Day 4: the Valley of the Butterflies in the morning, Filerimos and its monastery in the afternoon, Ialyssos for sunset. Day 5: the west coast, ancient Kamiros, Kritinia castle, lunch and a tasting in Embona, Monolithos castle at sunset, a night in the south. Day 6: Prasonisi, the beaches of Lachania and Gennadi, Asklipio, back via Lindos by night. Day 7: a day on Symi by boat, or a rest on an east coast beach.
Two bases for families (2 weeks)
A week in the old town or at Ixia for the heritage, the museums, Kallithea, the Valley of the Butterflies and Symi, using buses for the nearby beaches. Then a week on the east coast, in Lindos, Pefkos or Kiotari, in a flat or a resort, with a car: gently shelving sandy beaches, the Seven Springs, Prasonisi, Asklipio castle, the villages of the south. A boat trip from Lindos to the coves, and an evening in Lindos village once the coaches have gone. The right pace with children.
Getting there and getting around
Diagoras airport is 14 km from the town, on the west coast. KTEL bus in 30 minutes for around €3, taxi €30. Direct flights from many European cities from April to October take around 3 hours 30 minutes; otherwise, connect in Athens with a 50-minute onward flight, all year round.
KTEL buses leave from the bus station near the market, next to the old town: the east line to Faliraki, Tsambika and Lindos every 30 to 60 minutes in season, the west line to the airport, Kamiros and Embona. Allow €2-6 a journey, tickets from the kiosk or on board.
A hire car costs €30-45 a day out of season, useful for the west coast, the Valley of the Butterflies, Monolithos and the south. The main roads are good, the mountain roads narrow. Parking is free outside the old town and forbidden inside it.
From the port, ferries and hydrofoils run to Symi in an hour, Kos in 2 hours 30 minutes, Marmaris in Turkey in an hour with a passport, and Athens in 15 hours on an overnight ferry. Excursion boats leave Mandraki every morning for Lindos or Symi, €25-35 for the day.
Where to stay in Rhodes?
Hotels and rooms in the old town: €60-130 out of season, in vaulted medieval houses with courtyards, with noisy lanes in summer and suitcases to carry over the cobbles. The best base for exploring on foot and making trips by bus.
Hotels in the new town and at Ixia, on the west coast 3 km away: €70-150 with a pool, a pebble beach opposite and frequent buses to the centre. Ixia is windy, which keeps it cool in summer and appeals to windsurfers.
Lindos and Pefkos, 50 km to the south: €60-120 for a flat or a room, €150-300 for villa hotels with acropolis views. The right choice for the second half of a stay and the east coast beaches. Book early for summer.
Resorts at Kallithea, Faliraki, Kolymbia and Kiotari: €120-300 with meals or all-inclusive, with a beach and kids' clubs. Many close from November to March. The campsites have disappeared from the island, and wild camping is forbidden.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Rhodes?
Pitaroudia, chickpea fritters with mint and tomato, open the meal along with the meze. Lakani, lamb or goat cooked for hours in a clay pot, and giaprakia, vine leaves stuffed and cooked in broth, are the village dishes. Allow €10-16 a dish.
Rhodes wine is drunk on the spot: Athiri whites, Mandilaria reds and sparkling wines from the cooperative winery, produced on the slopes of Attavyros around Embona, where the cellars open their doors for free tastings or ones costing a few euros.
Melekouni, a sesame bar with honey and spices handed out at weddings, can be found in the town's pastry shops. Souma, a grape-marc spirit, is served ice-cold at the end of the meal in the mountain tavernas, often on the house.
The covered market at Mandraki, the Nea Agora, and the tavernas of Stegna or Kalathos serve fish at fair prices. In the old town, avoid the touts on the main squares and look for the courtyards of the Jewish quarter. A taverna dinner costs €20-30 with wine.
Entry requirements
Schengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Rhodes
When is the best time to visit Rhodes?
May-June and September-October: 25 to 30°C, sea at 21-25°C, sites comfortable to visit during the day, prices a third lower than in summer. July and August exceed 35°C, with crowds from the cruise ships. The Valley of the Butterflies requires a visit between mid-June and mid-September. In winter, the old town is peaceful to explore, but the resorts close.
Do you need a car on Rhodes?
Not for the old town, Kallithea, Faliraki, Tsambika and Lindos, all served by KTEL buses. It becomes useful for the Valley of the Butterflies, the west coast, Monolithos and Prasonisi, or for taking in several beaches in a day. Allow €30-45 a day out of season, and do not drive in the old town.
How many days should I allow?
Three days for the old town, Lindos and a beach. A week for the tour of the island, the springs, the butterflies, the west coast and Symi. Two weeks for families, with a town base followed by a beach base on the east coast. The island is 80 km long, so distances matter.
Is the old town a practical place to stay?
Yes, as long as you accept the cobbles, carrying your suitcases and noise in the lanes until midnight in summer. Cars cannot enter, and hotels tell you the nearest gate for your taxi. In return, you have the palace, the ramparts and the tavernas on foot, and an empty medieval city in the early morning.
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