Rhodes

Rhodes is a large Greek island in the Dodecanese group in the eastern Aegean Sea, and one of Greece’s most visited islands. The city of Rhodes is famous for its well-preserved medieval Old Town and long tourism history.

The fortified Rhodes Old Town presents a dense complex of medieval streets, the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights, forming a principal cultural attraction. The Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains monuments from the medieval and later Ottoman periods.

Beyond the capital, popular sights include the whitewashed village and Lindos Acropolis, coastal beaches with clear Aegean waters, and inland villages offering local cuisine and traditional architecture. The island combines archaeological sites, medieval architecture and beach resorts within short distances.

Rhodes has been inhabited since antiquity and developed major urban centres in classical and Hellenistic times. The medieval fabric of Rhodes Old Town was shaped by the Knights Hospitaller from the 14th century onward, and the island later saw Venetian and Ottoman control before integration into modern Greece.

Rhodes lies in the eastern Aegean Sea off the southwestern coast of Turkey and is part of Greece’s South Aegean administrative region. The island’s main transport hubs are Rhodes Town (international ferry and airport) and small ports serving other Dodecanese islands.

• Best time to visit: The medieval Old Town is best visited early morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday cruise-ship crowds; shoulder seasons April-June and September-October offer milder weather and fewer tourists.
• Planning tip: Combine cultural visits to the Old Town and Lindos with coastal beaches along the east and south coasts for a full island itinerary.

What to See #

• Rhodes Old Town: A fortified medieval town whose walled Old Town and street plan date mainly to the Knights Hospitaller and later Ottoman periods; designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lindos Acropolis: A clifftop Classical and Hellenistic acropolis above a coastal settlement, with remains of an ancient theatre and Hellenistic structures.
• Valley of the Butterflies: A heavily forested valley on the western part of the island that attracts seasonal butterfly concentrations (especially Panaxia quadripunctaria).