The 10 best things to do in Rhodes
With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, Rhodes, fittingly, gives praise to Greek sun god Helios. Beyond the myriad beaches, there lies historical drawcards such as the ancient Acropolis of Lindos and Europe's best preserved and liveliest medieval city. On the north-east coast, a trek to a hilltop monastery rewards you with a phenomenal beachscape. Inland offerings are plentiful: from a remote traditional village whose women's cooperative remains faithful to age-old recipes, to a young vintner quietly spreading the word on wine produced with the island's little-known grape varieties. Meanwhile, the untouched wind-lashed west coast is a hiker's dream.
For more Rhodes inspiration, see our guides to the best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and beaches.
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Rhodes Town
Experience the medieval town with an expert
Devour all the guidebooks you like but consider hiring a resident licensed guide to introduce you to the living, breathing Unesco World Heritage-listed medieval old town. Archaeologist-guide Portokalenia Vratsali will passionately regale you with the finer details of key attractions such as the Palace of the Grand Master, the 11th-century Church of Our Lady of the Castle and the Rhodes Jewish Museum.
Insider tip: The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, the artefacts of which Portokalenia painstakingly documented, is a must-visit. Walking with her down the Street of the Knights to the museum, you'll catch yourself turning around, expecting a cavalier on horseback to clip across the cobblestones any minute.
Contact: odysseus.culture.gr
Price: £-££
Northeast Coast
Pay respects to a miraculous icon
Rhodians hold the local Virgin Mary, Panagia Tsambika, in great reverence. Orthodox faithful hike 300 steps to reach Panagia Tsambika monastery and its chapel atop a lofty peak. At a newer monastery nearby, women hang votives around an icon of the Virgin, believing it possesses a miracle-working power to grant them fertility. Tsambika or Tsambikos is a common first name on Rhodes.
Insider tip: Capture staggeringly beautiful views of expansive Tsambika beach and its ultramarine waters from the original monastery; on a clear day, Lindos is visible. Bring water for the trek, which is easier than it sounds as the stairs are fairly flat.
Contact: New monastery, 00 30 22440 22340
Opening times: Original monastery, all day; new monastery, daily, 8am-8pm
Price: Free
North Rhodes
Spot a butterfly-like moth
Youngsters find the Valley of the Butterflies intriguing. Walk the mile-long pathway through forest alongside a creek up to Kalopetra Monastery. Keep your eyes peeled for the well-camouflaged Panaxia Quadripunctaria, actually a species of jersey tiger moth. Silence is golden, particularly during the May to September breeding season, the only period you may catch sight of the elusive creature.
Insider tip: It's still worth visiting at other times of the year, particularly on a warm day. Start from the bottom of the trail and walk up to the on-site Museum of Natural History, where children can pore over a moth hatchery.
Contact: butterfliesrhodes.gr
Price: £
Drink from natural springs
Epta Piges makes for a diversion that children, especially, will find fun. The name refers to seven springs that flow from the Loutani River through thick woodlands down a creek and feed a man-made lake, originally created to provide water to nearby Kolymbia. Take off your shoes and walk through the narrow tunnel along which the water runs.
Insider tip: Cool off below the artificial waterfall then head up to the springs, where a wooden bridge links the banks of a gully, to quench your thirst. While there, stop by the taverna (run by the Petas family since 1945) for chargrilled goat chops.
Contact: 7springs.gr
Opening times: All day
Price: Free
Taste some refined island wine
Young vintner Jason Zafeirakopoulos brings a soft-spoken enthusiasm for the delicate white, red and semi-sweet wines his family produces at small-scale Estate Anastasia Triantafyllou, located near the Valley of the Butterflies. A Rhodian representative of Greece’s highly-dedicated new generation of winemakers, he deftly orchestrates wine tastings for small groups on a breezy patio looking out over sun-kissed rows of vines.
Insider tip: Pick up a bottle of Mandilari, an intense, tannin-rich red produced with indigenous local grape Mandilaria, which tastes of sour cherry and black currant and ages sweetly. You won't find Triantafyllou wines anywhere else, so they make an excellent gift.
Contact: estateanastasia.com
Opening times: Wine tastings must be booked in advance
Price: £-££
Sample traditional Rhodian sweets
Make your way to traditional Apollona village, thought to be named after Apollo, the mythological god of light. At the Apollona Women's Agritourism Cooperative you’ll find melekouni (a Rhodian sesame and honey sweet originally reserved for weddings), and other treats. Lunch on farm-to-fork fare at Paraga then pop into Piperis winery for a bottle of ruby red Athlos; it's a revelation.
Insider tip: You might happen upon the lovely ladies at the cooperative making a batch of melekouni or loaves of holy bread, known as prosforo, for the church. Grab a bag of crisp carrot- or orange-flavoured koulourakia (cookies), best savoured with coffee. You can also pick up goods from the cooperative at the Apolloniatisses store in Rhodes Town (68 Apostolou Pavlou Steet).
Contact: Cooperative, 00 30 22460 91284; Store, 00 30 22410 64322
Opening times: Cooperative, Mon-Sat, 8.30am-6pm. Store, Mon-Fri, 8.30am-2pm; Tue, Thu & Fri, 5pm-8pm; Sat, 9am-2pm
Picnic in the mountains
Take a refreshing drive inland through pine and fir forests toward Profitis Ilias, Rhodes' third tallest mountain. Stop first at a fountain where you can see gizani, a tiny, rare species of fish found only in Rhodes. On Eleousa village square, walk carefully through an abandoned Italian occupation-era building. Drive a little further to marvel at fading Byzantine frescoes in minuscule 15th-century Agios Nikolaos Foundoukli chapel.
Insider tip: The temperature can be a good five degrees lower here. Pack a picnic and spread it out on one of the tables opposite the church below centuries-old plane trees. The hinterland views are restorative for the soul. There’s even a playground.
Southeast Coast
Witness an ancient wonder
Situated atop 116-metre tall cliffs above Lindos town, the Acropolis of Lindos is Rhodes' most significant archaeological site. The presence of the ancients is palpable as you walk about the Fourth-century Temple of Athena Lindia, the Propylaea and a Hellenistic Stoa. The dramatic spectacle of two natural harbours from above reveals why the Knights converted the sanctuary into a stronghold.
Insider tip: In summer, visit after 2pm once cruise ship passengers have departed from the site. It’s a substantial walk but better to forgo a donkey ride to the entrance. Afterwards, pop into Gelo Blu for artisanal gelato made with fresh fruit.
Contact: odysseus.culture.gr
Price: £
West Coast
Catch a sunset atop castle ruins
Clamber about the wind-sculpted rocks and scarce remains of Monolithos Castle, a once-mighty outpost erected by Grand Master d'Aubusson in 1476. Only part of the external walls of the fortifications are still standing yet it's worth the trek for the remarkable views of the Aegean, Halki island and Mount Akramytis. There's a small white chapel dedicated to Saint Panteleimon.
Insider tip: Spend the day swimming at Fourni beach, below Monolithos village, before traipsing up to the castle to behold a sublime sunset. Some say the name refers to a mysterious black monolith the Knights brought from the Holy Land and buried there.
Conquer the wild west of the island
Few venture to the rugged western coast. Rhode Trip specialises in hiking trips and offers an easy-going full-day guided tour from traditional Kritinia village through peaceful pine-studded forests down to pebbled Glyfada beach. You'll enjoy panoramic views and learn about the island’s rich flora and fauna, including the fallow deer. Lunch at a seaside taverna encompasses local chickpea dish, pitaroudia.
Insider tip: Tour guides Vasilis and Alex enthusiastically convey in-depth knowledge of their native Rhodes and are happy to arrange private, customised tours for families and groups of friends. These can range from one day to several, with varying levels of difficulty.
Contact: rhodetrip.gr
Price: ££
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
