Rhodes Travel Guide: How To Plan Your Trip

Rhodes has a habit of being overlooked in favour of Santorini’s clifftop sunsets or Mykonos’s nightlife, and I’ve never quite understood why.

This is an island that gives you a UNESCO World Heritage old town, some of the best beaches in the Dodecanese, and easy access to a scattering of smaller islands, all without the crowds or the price tag of its more famous neighbours.

I’ve visited Rhodes myself and come away thinking it’s one of the most varied islands in Greece: medieval streets one day, watersports the next, a quiet hilltop monastery the day after that.

This guide covers everything you need to plan a trip, from entry requirements and getting around to where to stay, eat and explore.

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👀 Rhodes at a glance

🗺️ Map of Rhodes’ key regions

Here’s where everything in this guide sits around the island, from the Old Town and Lindos on the east coast to Faliraki, Kallithea and the quieter villages further south.

🇬🇷 Why visit Rhodes?

Rhodes Old Town is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, and wandering its cobbled streets past the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights is a different experience entirely to island-hopping around the Cyclades.

Beyond the Old Town, the island has a real mix of landscapes: sandy family beaches on the east coast, windsurfing conditions at Prasonisi, and quiet inland villages that most visitors never see.

It’s also one of the easiest bases in Greece for island-hopping – Symi, Halki and Kastellorizo are all within reach for a day trip, and Turkey’s Marmaris is close enough to visit for an afternoon.

🧳 Planning your Rhodes trip

⏰ How long to stay

A long weekend (three to four days) is enough to cover the Old Town and Lindos. A week gives you time to add a beach day or two and one day trip. 10 days or more lets you island-hop to Symi or Halki without feeling rushed.

📍 Where to base yourself

Rhodes Town puts you closest to the airport, the ferry port and the Old Town, and it’s the best base if you don’t plan to hire a car.

Lindos is the postcard choice, but book ahead in peak season – the village itself is pedestrian-only, so parking and accommodation both fill up fast.

Faliraki and Kallithea suit families wanting an easy beach base with resorts and facilities close by. 

While the villages further south (Lachania, Kiotari, Gennadi) are the pick for travellers who want to avoid crowds entirely.

🏖️ Sample trip styles

🏙️ City-and-culture break (3-4 days): Rhodes Town and the Old Town, with a day trip to Lindos.

🐚 Family beach holiday (7 days): Base in Faliraki or Kallithea, with day trips to Lindos and Kallithea Springs.

🏝️ Island-hopping adventure (10+ days): Rhodes Town as a hub, with overnight or day trips to Symi, Halki and Kastellorizo.

🪪 Entry requirements for Rhodes

Rhodes is part of Greece, which is in the Schengen Area, so both UK and US passport holders can currently visit visa-free for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Your passport should have at least three months’ validity remaining beyond your planned departure date and ideally be less than 10 years old.

The EU’s ETIAS travel authorisation scheme – a pre-travel registration that will apply to both UK and US nationals – has been repeatedly delayed and is still not in force at the time of writing.

The EU is no longer committing to a firm 2026 launch date, and 2027 now looks more likely. Once live, it will cost €20 (raised from an earlier €7 proposal), apply for three years, and need to be applied for a few days before you fly; travellers under 18 or over 70 are exempt from the fee.

Check the official ETIAS site closer to your travel dates.

If you’re planning a day trip to Marmaris in Turkey, remember to bring your passport and check current Turkish entry requirements for your nationality before you set off, as this counts as leaving the Schengen Area.

✈️ Getting to and around Rhodes

🛬 By plane: Rhodes’ Diagoras Airport (RHO) has direct flights from the UK taking around 4 hours. Note that frequency drops significantly outside the April-to-October season, so check connections carefully if you’re visiting in winter.

There are no direct flights from North America – visitors from the US typically fly into Athens first, where several airlines run non-stop transatlantic routes, then take a short connecting flight or ferry on to Rhodes.

⛴️ By ferry: Rhodes connects to Piraeus (Athens) by overnight ferry, though the crossing takes anywhere from around 10.5 to 22 hours depending on the operator and how many islands it calls at en route. Flying is the more practical option for most visitors coming from the UK or US. 

Ferries between Rhodes and neighbouring Dodecanese islands (Symi, Halki, Kos) are far quicker, usually 50 minutes to two and a half hours.

🚗 By car: Hiring a car is worth it if you want to explore beyond Rhodes Town and Lindos. The west coast, the south of the island and inland villages like Embonas are all easier with your own transport. Driving is on the right, and a valid UK or US licence is accepted.

🚌 By bus: KTEL buses connect Rhodes Town to Lindos, Faliraki and most coastal resorts, though services thin out in the evenings and outside peak season.

🚕 By taxi: Fixed fares apply from the airport – budget around €25-36 to Rhodes Town or roughly €75-85 to Lindos.

🏨 Where to stay in Rhodes

Here are my top hotel recommendations for Rhodes, hand-picked for their quality, location and facilities. 

Rhodes Town & the Old Town

• Kókkini Porta Rossa: A boutique hotel inside a restored 14th-century residence within the Old Town’s walls, for anyone who wants to sleep inside the history rather than just visit it.
• Rodos Park Suites: A stone’s throw from the Medieval Town but with easier parking and more contemporary comforts, good for those who want proximity without staying inside the walls themselves.

Lindos

• Lindos Grand Resort & Spa: An adults-only resort on Vlycha Bay with an impressive infinity pool and the excellent Thalatta Fine Dining on its rooftop.
• Melenos Art Boutique Hotel: Set within the village itself, with hand-carved woodwork and individually decorated suites, for travellers who’d rather stay in the heart of Lindos than a short drive away.

Faliraki & Kallithea

• Elysium Resort & Spa: A beachfront five-star at Kallithea with a lagoon-style pool, well suited to families wanting resort facilities close to the springs.
• Esperos Village Blue & Spa: An adults-only, terraced hillside resort above Faliraki with sea views from almost every room, for couples wanting a quieter alternative nearby.

The quieter south

• Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort and Villas: A large seafront resort at Lachania with six restaurants and thalasso spa treatments, for those wanting a full resort experience away from the busier east coast.
• Boutique 5 Hotel & Spa: An intimate, adults-only property at Kiotari with private pools and terraces, better suited to couples wanting something smaller and quieter than a full resort.

🍽️ Where to eat and drink in Rhodes

For fine dining, Thalatta Fine Dining on the rooftop of Lindos Grand Resort pairs Mediterranean cooking with sweeping Aegean views – I had a wonderful meal here myself.

In Rhodes Town, Restaurant Wonder occupies a three-level building at the edge of the Old Town and serves an international, gourmet menu. 

Over in Faliraki, my personal favourite is Rattan Cuizine & Cocktail. Here you’ll get a Michelin- quality 10-course tasting menu (€75) built around local Greek produce. It doesn’t currently hold a star, but it’s one of the best meals you’ll find on the island.

For drinks, The Last Butler in the heart of Rhodes Town is a 1920s-themed speakeasy with excellent cocktails and a soundtrack of ambient jazz.

For something more relaxed, Ostria Beach Bar at Kalathos, near Lindos, splits into a beach bar and restaurant serving Mediterranean dishes right on the sand.

⛱️ Top things to do in Rhodes

📜 Rhodes Old Town

Explore the Old Town’s medieval streets: A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe.

Visit the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, walk the Street of the Knights, and browse the shops for ceramics and leather goods.

👉 Read my full guide to Rhodes Old Town.

Visit the Archaeological Museum: housed in the former Hospital of the Knights, with exhibits spanning ancient to medieval Rhodes.

🤿 Lindos & the east coast

Climb to the Acropolis of Lindos: one of the best viewpoints on the island, with ruins dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. Go early – I climbed at midday once and it was a very sweaty mistake. Read my guide to Lindos.

Snorkel at St Paul’s Bay: a small, sheltered cove beneath the Acropolis with clear water and plenty of marine life. Read my guide to St Paul’s Bay.

Spend an afternoon at Kallithea Springs: a beautifully restored 1920s spa complex with a natural cove, small museum and café. Read my guide to Kallithea Springs.

🏄 Beaches and watersports

Prasonisi Beach: at the island’s southern tip, this is where the Mediterranean and Aegean meet – one side calm, the other churned up by wind, making it a magnet for windsurfers and kitesurfers.

Anthony Quinn Beach: a rocky cove named after the actor, good for snorkelling and diving among sea caves.

Tsambika Beach: a long stretch of sand backed by a hillside monastery, popular but rarely crowded enough to feel it.

🦋 Beyond the main sights

Valley of the Butterflies: a green, spring-fed valley in the island’s west, home to thousands of Jersey tiger moths between June and September.

Ancient Kamiros: the ruins of an ancient city with houses, temples and a former marketplace, with far fewer visitors than the Acropolis of Lindos.

Seven Springs: a shaded natural spring about 30 minutes from Rhodes Town, with a walkable tunnel leading through to a small lake.

👉 For more inspiration, read my detailed guide to the best things to do in Rhodes.

⛴️ Day trips from Rhodes

• Symi: an hour by ferry, with a pastel-painted harbour and the hilltop Monastery of the Archangel Michael Panormitis.
• Halki (Chalki): 50 minutes to two and a half hours by ferry depending on the route, and about as peaceful as the Dodecanese gets.
• Kastellorizo: reachable by a 30-minute flight or a longer ferry, with the striking Blue Cave as its headline attraction.
• Marmaris, Turkey: around an hour by catamaran, for a taste of Turkish markets and coastline – don’t forget your passport.

For the full list with practical details on getting to each one, read my guide to Rhodes day trips.

📅 Best time to visit Rhodes

Rhodes is at its best from late April to October, though exactly when depends on whether you’re chasing quieter beaches or guaranteed heat.

🌸 Spring (March – May): 15 – 25°C, good for sightseeing and hiking before the summer crowds arrive.

☀️ Summer (June – August): 25 – 30°C at its peak, with the busiest beaches and liveliest resorts – book accommodation well ahead.

🍂 Autumn (September – November): 20 – 28°C, with the sea still warm enough to swim well into October and noticeably fewer crowds.

❄️ Winter (December – February): 10 – 15°C, with many hotels, restaurants and some ferry routes closed or reduced – this is a quiet season best suited to Rhodes Town rather than the beach resorts.

💰 Rhodes travel costs

Budget: €78 – 102 per day covers a hostel or basic guesthouse, self-catering or street food (gyros for €3 – 6), and buses over taxis.

Mid-range: €120 – 180 per day for a 3-star hotel or private guesthouse room, restaurant meals (tavernas typically €10 – 15 per person), and occasional taxis or a hired scooter.

Luxury: €220 – 350+ per day for the resorts and boutique hotels featured in this guide, with fine dining and private transfers factored in.

🛎️ Accommodation in Rhodes: what to expect

Faliraki and Kallithea are dominated by larger resorts, many all-inclusive, which suit families wanting facilities on site.

Lindos and the Old Town lean towards smaller, adults-only boutique properties, often with historic buildings or hillside settings.

The villages further south (Lachania, Kiotari, Gennadi) have fewer options overall, but what’s there tends to be quieter and further from the crowds.

🤦 Common mistakes to avoid in Rhodes

🥵 Climbing to the Acropolis of Lindos at midday in summer. Trust me, I made this mistake myself! Go first thing in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat. 

⛴️ Assuming the ferry from Athens is quicker than flying. It can take anywhere from around 10.5 to 22 hours by sea, against roughly 45 minutes by air.

🏨 Leaving Lindos accommodation or dinner reservations to the last minute in peak season. The village is small, pedestrian-only, and books up fast.

🌊 Treating the east and west coasts as interchangeable. The east tends to have calmer, sandier beaches, while spots nearer the airport catch more wind.

💶 Not carrying cash for smaller tavernas and day-trip islands. Card acceptance is patchier on Halki and Symi than on Rhodes itself.

🪪 Forgetting a GHIC card (UK travellers). It covers state-provided healthcare in Greece and is free to apply for.

❓ Frequently asked questions about visiting Rhodes

Do UK and US travellers need a visa for Rhodes?

No, not currently. Both UK and US passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as Greece is part of the Schengen Area. The EU’s ETIAS authorisation scheme will eventually apply to both nationalities, but it isn’t in force yet.

How do you get around Rhodes without a car?

KTEL buses connect Rhodes Town to Lindos, Faliraki and most coastal resorts, though services are less frequent in the evenings and outside peak season. Taxis and rental scooters are also widely available.

Do you need to hire a car in Rhodes?

Not if you’re staying in Rhodes Town or a resort with a bus connection, but it makes exploring the west coast, the south and inland villages considerably easier.

Is the tap water safe to drink in Rhodes?

Technically yes in Rhodes Town, though the taste is mineral-heavy enough that most people, locals included, prefer bottled water. It’s fine for brushing teeth and cooking.

How long do you need in Rhodes?

A long weekend covers the Old Town and Lindos, a week allows for beach time and a day trip, and 10 days or more lets you island-hop to Symi or Halki without rushing.

What’s the best way to get to other Greek islands from Rhodes?

Ferries to nearby Dodecanese islands like Symi and Halki are quick, usually under two and a half hours. Ferries to Athens are far longer, so flying is generally the better option for that route.

Is Rhodes good for solo travellers?

Yes. Rhodes Town and the main resorts are well set up for solo travel, with reliable public transport, plenty of tour options, and a good balance of things to do alone or in a group.

Is Rhodes expensive?

Rhodes sits in the mid-range for Greek islands. It’s generally cheaper than Santorini or Mykonos, with budget days from around €75 and comfortable mid-range trips from around €120 – 180 per day.

🇬🇷 Planning the rest of your Rhodes adventure

A bit of planning goes a long way in Rhodes, but it’s forgiving even if you don’t get every detail right. Between the Old Town, the beaches and the easy island-hopping, there’s enough here to fill a week or two without ever feeling repetitive.

If you’re still deciding where to base yourself or which islands to add to your itinerary, my other Rhodes guides go into far more depth on each area. I hope this guide helps you plan a wonderful trip to this beautiful Greek island.

You may also like:

• Lindos in Rhodes: things to do and ultimate travel guide
• Visiting Rhodes Old Town: ultimate travel guide
• 20 incredible things to do in Rhodes
• 15 incredible Rhodes day trips
• 21 best luxury hotels in Rhodes
• 12 beautiful boutique hotels in Rhodes
• Kallithea Springs in Rhodes: ultimate guide
• St Paul’s Bay in Rhodes: guide to visiting