Rhodes, Greece
All Rhodes lead to Greece!
At least that’s what my boyfriend and I thought when deciding where to get away for a quick October work stay / holiday.
I have done a fair amount of travel during the pandemic. I know it’s a tad controversial, but if you do it the right way you can be sure to have a safe, enjoyable and truly authentic experience. When traveling, always try to visit places that are within your countries approved travel list. For the UK, this means the travel corridor list. This list is updated every Thursday and will highlight the countries that UK residents can visit without a two-week quarantine upon return. Please note, the country that you visit may have specific guidelines for entry. This can include requests like proof of a negative Covid -19 test result or a government approved form / waiver.
When visiting Greece, it is required you fill out a form online with the Greek government 48 hours before. While we have found airlines to be communicating this well, I know several people who have not done this and were not able to board their flights from London. If you decide to travel to Greece, fill out the form when you book your flights so you don’t forget! Here is the form required.
Okay, now let’s get into the fun stuff. Why Rhodes?
We decided to visit Rhodes because it is the most southern of the Greek islands, meaning it would be the warmest in October. In an endless search for the last day of summer, we thought we had the highest chance of soaking up some rays and stealing a few Mediterranean swims before the London rain and darkness descended on us. Oh, were we SO completely right!
Rhodes has so much to offer… The dark honey coloured medieval city, turquois coves and bays and endless Greek tavernas (restaurants) all come with the experience when traveling to Rhodes.
For those of you who have been to other Greek islands, be aware Rhodes is very different. Different why may you ask?
A few reasons…
1. The main town (old town Rhodes) is actually NOT where you want to be: Most blogs I read recommend visiting Old Town Rhodes and spending 90% of your visit in the city. Do not do this! While Old Town Rhodes is beautiful, you do not need (or want) to spend more than a few days here. It is touristy and was (pre pandemic) home to large groups of visiting cruise ship tourist groups. For this reason, it has been developed to serve a certain cliental and can feel a bit kitschy and gimmicky. After a few days the cool downtown areas and eateries can get a bit dull.
2. Rhodes is a package resort trip island: We flew Jet2 airlines from London Stansted to Rhodes and saw many of our fellow passengers jump into busses and get shipped to odd parts of the island to sit in partially abandoned resorts far from town. I understand that at one time Rhodes was the place to buy a stretch of land, develop property and invite large groups of people to visit. Unfortunately, due to the slow decline of the Greek economy over the year and the pandemic, Rhodes has been left with abandoned resorts and (if you go to the wrong spots on island) a bit of an eerie feeling. It is worth noting, we also visited during the start of off peak season (October) so this is likely to have added to emptiness.
3. Rhodes Old Town is big! It is easy to stay “right out of the city” and feel miles from civilization.
4. You must know where to go! While this is a smaller island, it’s bigger than you think: We are so grateful to have read a bit in advance (lies, you know me, I read a LOT). From our research we knew that Lindos was a must-see destination in Rhodes. I will share more about Lindos below, but this little gem of a city added so much to the trip. Gorgeous white buildings adorn the edge of this cliff with an ancient acropolis and blue bay to swim.
Don’t go to Rhodes without reading On_____Holiday. While I love this island, I see it fraught with tourist traps and easy mistakes that could have made anyone’s adventure quickly slip from good to bad to downright ugly.
On Holiday’s Recommended Itinerary:
When you visit Rhodes we recommend you stay in Old Town for 2-4 nights and Lindos for 2-4 nights. To get to Lindos, rent a car. With a car, you can stop at all the absolutely gorgeous coves and bays to swim, eat at a few to die for beach tavernas and leisurely make your way down to Lindos. Also, driving in Rhodes is super easy. There are well paved roads and limited hills / narrow turns. For the driving novice (i.e. myself) this is an easy island to bite the bullet and drive!
Old Town
Upon arrival in Rhodes, take the bus to the old town. Ladies, don’t roll your eyes at me. The bus is so easy, I swear! It leaves right outside the airport café, where you can grab an iced café freddo or a nice Greek beer (my favourite is Mythos!) to wait for the bus to arrive. The bus is clean, spacious and (the best part…) it is only €2. 50! So worth it. FYI the bus only takes cash, so I recommend stopping at the airport ATM upon arrival to get cash for your travels. For ease, I have marked the bus stop location here!
The bus stops right in the centre of town (here to be exact). From there, walk to your accommodation in the old town to drop your stuff and get comfortable.
STAY
Rhodes Old Town is big! I recommend staying within the walls of the old town.
Tips to book the perfect accommodation:
1. Call the host direct: If you are booking your stay in Rhodes a few weeks out and you are looking for the best possible deal, I would use Expedia and Booking.com to find the most highly rated hotels. Once you have a list of hotels that are thoroughly outside your budget, start calling them one by one. Call direct and name your price. I can’t always guarantee you will get the price you name, but you will likely get a better rate than the one listed by a third party company. The pro of handling your reservation this way is that you get a great deal, the con is that usually you have to pay 60-100% of the cost upfront and the reservation will not be easy to cancel or be refunded. If those things do not matter to you, I would recommend making a deal. That’s what I did!
2. Stay in the old town: We stayed east of the city and about a eight minute walk to the old medieval town. We got a great deal on a two bedroom, two bathroom villa. We were looking for a spacious location to work for a few days, but learned quickly that wifi is actually the ONLY thing that matters when you work remotely. This villa didn’t have the best wifi/ service making working a bit more of a challenge. The villa was also slightly farther away from attractions, restaurants, beaches and the good vibes we were seeking. While the accommodation was lovely, I would not recommend my On Holiday followers stay where we stayed.
For that reason, I have pulled a list of recommended spots for YOUR stay in Rhodes. These are all places that I vetted and briefly visited on my stay.
Amenities available: Here are the amenities available in hotels in Rhodes
Balcony / outdoor space: A cute balcony or outdoor space is often available with your Old Town Rhodes accommodations. The farther away from the city centre the more likely to have outdoor space. While this can be nice, in Rhodes location matters more. I would recommend sacrificing outdoor space for location in this city, but if you can get both… do it!
Complimentary groceries & wine: Many hotels and air bnb’s offer complementary groceries upon arrival. This is something to look for!
Beach Towels: This is not something I ever thought to consider an amenity, but proves to be SO valuable when staying in a beachy town. Try and find a hotel that provides towels because trust me, the €5 souvenir towels will disintegrate and leave a coloured residue on anything it touches in your luggage. I learned the hard way!
EAT & DRINK
Old Town Rhodes is ideal for foodies seeking a truly authentic Greek food experience. As mentioned before, Old Town is the biggest city in Rhodes and with this comes many options for dining. There are so many delicious Greek Tavernas serving traditional dishes, for these reasons, I do not recommend any of the fancier / more expensive places.
Almost all restaurants are family owned. A typical Taverna has each member of the family playing a role in the restaurant operations. The daughter and son are often the hostess, welcoming you into the restaurant selling you promises of the best moussaka or most tender meats. The father walks around saying hello to everyone and dictating order suggestions to guests. Most importantly, the mother cooks authentic dishes, using multiple generations of recipes to produce perfectly seasoned dishes. Hoping I have made it clear that family restaurants makes for exceptional quality.
That said, I did a ton of research trying to find the right restaurants to visit. After walking around and trying a few places, I realized that all restaurants serve pretty much the same dishes! For this reason, don’t overspend or get too excited about luxury dining in Old Town. The traditional tavernas have amazing food, friendly vibes and (often) live music.
Here are a list of some of my favourite spots in old town.
It’s your first night and you want all the vibes, check out Romeo Restaurant- We stumbled upon this place right when we arrived. My boyfriend made the executive decision to stop here when he saw the sign for €1.90 (500 ml) pints… yep, cheapest pints in all of Old Town! This place has live Greek music every night and the waiters are sweet young Greek men sure to make you smile.
For cocktails and romantic vibes, check out – Socratous Garden This cute restaurant sits tucked away from the main strip in the Old Town. Fun cocktails and small plates like Moussaka are served here— with pleasure.
For authentic, traditional faire visit- Mama Sofia This restaurant is positioned right across from two Greek sports bars, so if there is a European football game on, you have perfect vision of the screens to watch the game. That’s what we did! Go England!
Searching for Greek traditional souvlaki meats? Of course, then you must stop at- Stavlos where they provide liberal portions of local meets, fries, pita and tiziki. This is where the locals go!
Find yourself outside of the Old Town? Don’t fret, we have a wonderful local restaurant called 4 Pomegranates that serves all the traditional dishes and provides complimentary dessert and a little digestif!
DO
There is a lot to do in Old Town Rhodes. I highly recommend the following:
Take a day trip to Symi Island:
A friend had recommended I visit the island of Symi, so I didn’t give it too much thought and organised a boat trip to the island. I am so glad we did!
When you arrive in Rhodes, take a stroll by the waterfront to see all the different boat excursion options. There are many to choose from and it completely up to preference which boat trip you decide to take. There are a variety of excursions some public some private, full day, half day, multiple stops or one stop. Varying costs, etc.
We decided to take the Rhodes Sealines boat for €35. We wanted to spend most of our day on the Island of Symi and felt this cruise offered the most time on island. It also stopped by the gorgeous St. Georges Bay for a quick swim before heading back to Old Town. Please note: The boat purely served as a mechanism to get us from Rhodes to Symi, there was no commentary throughout or shared facts about Rhodes / Symi. If you are looking for this, I would not recommend our tour.
Wait, what’s Symi?
Maybe you’ve read Homer’s Illiad and know that Symi served as the domain of King Nireus… the hot king. For those (like me) who didn’t or don’t remember that part of the book… here are a few other key facts about the island.
People have lived on Symi since c. 11th BC. Like many other Greek islands, Symi has been conquered by a variety of world powers… Turkey, Italy, Germany and later England. Finally, in the early 20th century it was gifted back to Greece as part of the Dodecanese island chain. It seems more Italian than Greek and most of the restaurants offer a combination of Italian and Greek dishes. In my opinion, this makes the food quality even better. It became a well known island for their two industries: Sponge making (yep, that’s a thing) and shipbuilding. It’s main industry at current is tourism.
What to do and see on the island?
Hike to see the views: There is a trail behind restaurant Bella Napoli that takes you straight up to the tallest point in Symi. The views will improve as you hike, so don’t worry too much about snapping photos on your way up (even though you will want to) Go all the way to the top until you get to the Kastro (Castle). For better views challenge yourself and go a little farther to St. Nicholas Church.
Shop for sponges: Symi became one of the wealthy seaports in the Mediterranean because of it’s booming sponge business. The first inhabitants of Symi were expert divers. Figuring out how to free dive to harvest local sponges. This involved naked men chaining 15 lb rocks to their body as they slowly descended to the seafloor (sometimes as far as 65 yards!) to find sponges and cut them free. These Aegean sponges are known to have medicinal powers. The sponge shops are adorable and have so many options, I recommend you get stuck in and speak to the shop keepers to decide what sponge is best for you. Greek sponges make great gifts!
Find some Symi shrimp (or other seafood)! Symi Shrimp are fried and eaten whole. Make sure to eat outside to enjoy the view and grab a freshly caught bites. Octopus or cuttlefish are two other dishes that don’t tend to disappoint. We recommended Tholos Restaurant in Symi for the best shrimp and seafood. The green and blue sea is so inviting, that we saw a few restaurant patrons dive into the water for a dip between courses! There is also a beach a few steps away, for those looking to get a swim in before or after your meal.
Visit the Palace of the Grand Master:
This medieval castle sits in the centre of Rhodes Old Town. It was originally built as a Byzantine citadel in 7th century. Then, the catholic military aka the Order of the Knights occupied Rhodes and took over the palace and converted it to the palace for their Grand Master (hence the name). It changed hands between the Ottoman Turks, Italians and finally it landed back with the Greeks. It is basically a cool, medieval castle with some history about the island and beautiful views of the water through the castle rooms and windows.
Walk the Old City
Old Town Rhodes is one of the few remaining medieval cities in the world that is still inhabited and flourishing. Walking around Old Town Rhodes feels like the set of Game of Thrones. I felt so far away and truly disconnected from the world in the best possible way. Intricate cobblestone streets are lined with small shops and restaurants. The whole city is filtered by warm shades of orange and yellow hue. Pictures don’t do it justice.
Mingle with the local kitties
There are lots of stray cats in Rhodes. They are all friendly and many are cute, but if you are not a cat person… brace yourself!
Swim at Elli Beach
This beach sits on the western side of the island, 10 minutes from Old Town Rhodes. It is a great spot to watch the sunset, windsurf (if that’s your thing) or grab a sunbed and relax.
Overall, Old Town Rhodes is worth a visit. History, sites, views and foods all make this spot a must on your trip to Rhodes. But our next stop in Lindos is the main event…..
Lindos
Lindos is a cross between Santorini and Athens. The beautiful white cubic houses and cobblestones mix seamlessly with the expansive arcopolis and ruins. This little island treasure is well worth a few nights visit.
The journey to Lindos
Okay, so you’re driving to Lindos. Pay attention, the drive down has many stops that are absolutely essential to a fab visit in Rhodes.
It only takes about an hour to drive from Old Town Rhodes to Lindos, but there is so much to see along the way! I encourage On Holidayers to leave in the late morning and spend the day driving down to Lindos, stopping at all gorgeous Mediterranean coves and chic resort spots.
Late Morning: grab a Greek freddo (iced espresso with milk) and get in the car! First stop on the itinerary is only 15 minutes outside of Old Town Rhodes at Kallithea Springs. This restored art deco building is odd and extravagant. At first glance, it looks like an abandoned hotel resort, yet when you walk closer you will be greeted by a man in a ticket box. It costs €5 to enter, but is so worth it. The grounds are expansive with the historic spring and thermal bath facilities nestled right alongside the Aegean. There are sunbeds and a restaurant stretched around the cove for you to relax before taking a dip. I recommend just an hour at this spot, so no sunbed needed! Drop your belongings on the beach and jump in. The water couldn’t be warmer.
Get back in the car and head to Anthony Quinn Bay. This was one of our favourite beach spots. Large rocks leave just enough space for a sunbed by the beach at this gorgeous Mediterranean cove. Find a sunbed and spend a few hours here. The bay is large and shallow, making for great snorkelling and swimming. Kounna Beach & Resto Bar is a great little café that we recommend you visit on the way to or from the bay. Stop there on for a quick bite, smoothie or cocktail. Make sure you get the seat with a swing to rock, drink and soak up the gorgeous views.
Quick, it’s nearly sunset! Okay, the challenges with sunsets in Rhodes is the best parts of the island are on the east side. This means the sunsets are not as spectacular. However, being by the beach does make for a pretty transition from day to dusk. Drive south to Stenga Beach. When in Stegna, make sure you have dinner at the gorgeous Rhodesian classic Stegna Kozas. This nearly 90-year-old establishment is a family run local seafood restaurant. There are gregarious Greek waiters that are firm about the menu and their recommendations. We ordered the Fisherman’s Basket which included a variety of fish caught that day, all served with fries, salad and garlic puree. It was the best seafood I have ever had… and I lived in New England for three years! Whatever you do, don’t miss out on this restaurant on your trip to Rhodes.
Finally, let’s get to Lindos! Driving to Lindos it is important to note you cannot drive your car through the town of Lindos. Nestled between two coves, the town is not accessible via car. You have to park on either side of the town and walk in. We parked close to St. Paul’s Bay. We were able to find free street parking for the entirety of our stay, but for those that visit at a busy season there is a parking lot (here) with €5 / day parking. If you arrive at night, there will not be any staff manning the parking lot, but park overnight and return the next day to pay when the attendant is on duty.
STAY
All accommodations in Lindos are slightly pricier than Rhodes and significantly smaller. Most places have a view and so I would recommend staying in a place with a balcony to soak up the blue Med views as much as possible.
We stayed at Lindos Serenity Suites. It was c. €90/ night. The small, upscale rooms included modern amenities like a nice shower and a view of St. Pauls Bay. It was the perfect location, very close to all restaurants, shops, bars, the beach, the acropolis and parking. It didn’t have a lot of space, so if you were a larger group, it is likely not the best spot, but otherwise we highly recommend!
Other recommended hotels are below. Mind you, the cost will vary depending on the time of your visit. If visiting in May, September or October rates should be lower and summer months often higher.
Other hotel suggestions include:
Melenos Lindos Exclusive Suites
I have read a lot about Lindos Blu Resort, which I was tempted to book but felt it was way too pricy to justify lol. What I did learn upon arriving in Lindos is that resort is far from Lindos town. While I am sure they can easily shuttle you from the resort to the town, I think I would prefer a fancier spot in Lindos town, close to the activities and night life. Totally up to preference, budget and vacation vibe.
EAT & DRINK
Look, you got your really authentic, quality and fairly priced Greek food in Old Town. In Lindos, expect the opposite. Okay, that’s harsh, but it is worth noting the food is 2x the cost in Lindos and there is not much to show for it. For that reason, I don’t recommend going to any of the super bougie restaurants.
The main strip of Lindos has a variety of restaurants, all with rooftops for dining. For one evening, choose one of the spots on the strip to enjoy. They are all similar and will not disappoint. We chose
Acropolis Rooftop Garden – for traditional fare, good views and moderate prices
Other recommended drinks & food in Lindos include:
Lindos by Night Bar – Great vibes! While Lindos was pretty quiet, this bar had a DJ and created a fun atmosphere with eccentric cocktails and great vibes. The views of the acropolis at night made this spot difficult to tear away from!
Honey Hole – for the cheapest morning frappes in all of Lindos!
Yannis Bar: for cocktails and the football! We recommend the Hibiscus cocktail.
The next night, drive out of town and head to Pefki. This low key, relaxed beach town has a variety of cuisine options and is significantly cheaper. We ate at Taverna Anixis and had a variety of small plates while watching the sunset. This no flare, family owned spot had no ambiance but great food. Still highly recommend.
DO
St. Pauls Bay- I am sure you are thinking, why another bay? Oh my gosh this little beach nestled below rock right adjacent to Lindos is MAGICAL. Attractive Europeans with golden tan bodies parade this beach, some relax into sunbeds under the scalloped, cream coloured umbrellas, others jump off rocks into the Aegean. The bay blocks the wind making it a perfect all day sunbathing beach. We loved this beach so much we spent two (almost) full days here. Buy a snorkel and stay a while.
Lindos Acropolis- When visiting Greece, it is always a must to visit the archaeological sites. The Lindos Acropolis is no exception. This site contains ruins of the temple designed for the goddess Athena Lindia. The ruins date back to 4th century BC. Other ruins on the acropolis include the Hellenistic Stoa and the chapel of Saint John from the rule of the Byzantines. While I find ruins are always interesting and beautiful, this is magnified by the gorgeous sea views and the modern, white walled Lindos town below. You can also get great views of St. Paul’s Bay below. Come here for gorgeous views and a bit of culture/ history.
Pallas and Lindos Beach- This beach is not as gorgeous as St. Pauls Bay but still worth a walk and a swim. Come here if you are looking for more of a beach to walk along and a variety of sunbed options.
Drive to the local town of Pefki. Park at Philosophia Beach Restaurant, grab a coffee and a sunbed and enjoy this quaint, quiet beach scene. This rustic and less touristy spot was my boyfriends favorite!
Continue driving down the coast to see the expanse of Rhodes. It was interesting to see other towns and parts of the island. There is not much around, but it can be nice to go for a sea view drive.
Before you leave Rhodes you MUST….
Before you get to the airport, make sure to stop at Paraga the critically acclaimed, best restaurant in Rhodes! It sits in the town of Apollona. Call and book in advance to get a reservation at this Rhodesian hot spot. We arrived on a Sunday and barely got in! This is traditional Greek faire to the highest degree. Authentic meats cooked in rich sauces packed with flavour. My only regret here, is that I couldn’t eat more.
Next, head to the airport.
Top tip! What should you do if your flight gets delayed? Don’t wait at the airport which is small and often packed with people. I suggest you wait at Deipnos Cook & Grill, a Taverna by the airport. You can find this restaurant by walking through the airport parking lot. Past the busses, you will find a small set of stairs which lead to tiny church. Across the street you will find a perfect oaisis to pass the time drinking Mythos, eating Tzatziki and catching up on emails.
And this concludes our visit to Rhodes. I hope this has paved the Rhode for your next travels to Greece. Come here for an under the radar Aegean adventure. Hope you love it as much as we have!
