The bronze deer statues of Mandraki harbour with Fort St Nicholas and sailboats under a bright blue sky

Choose a Rhodes base for the medieval city or the coast

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Read the city beyond its medieval walls

Rhodes Town rewards a walk that follows different chapters of its history. Around the Street of the Knights, the inns belonged to the Order of St John’s language groups: their separate identities help explain why this was an international stronghold rather than a single ruler’s castle. The Great Hospital adds another side to the story, showing that the knights’ city was organised around care as well as defence. Look beyond the battlements to the buildings that made the settlement work.

The lower town changes the emphasis. Byzantine churches, Gothic buildings, Ottoman mosques, baths and houses sit within the same enclosure, so the city’s story does not end with the knights’ departure. A wander here can be less about ticking off another monument and more about noticing how successive communities adapted an existing town. That contrast gives an unhurried visit its shape: follow the formal institutions of the upper town, then explore the mixed architectural layers below.

Best first base Inside the Old Town walls

The Street of the Knights and the Palace of the Grand Master sit within the medieval enclosure, making the historic city a walk-led base.

Getting there 1-hour flight or a 12-to-18-hour ferry from Piraeus

A short flight saves the ferry’s overnight journey. Compare the dated fares and transfers; flying is not automatically the dearer option.

Palace of the Grand Master €20, timed entry, 8am-8pm in summer

The adult Palace ticket is separate from Lindos entry. Summer visiting hours are longer than winter hours, so the date affects the outing.

Lindos distance Around an hour by car; longer by bus

Lindos lies about 50km from Rhodes Town. Allow roughly 1½–2 hours for the bus journey, plus time for the walk through the village to the acropolis.

Party beach Faliraki’s beach strip

About 13km south of Rhodes Town, Faliraki combines nightlife with a calmer family-beach stretch; the hotel’s end of the bay matters.

Sunniest season June through September

Long, hot, generally dry summers suit beach time. The climate averages are a guide to the season, not a guarantee for each sightseeing day.

StartBooker answer

Where should I stay in Rhodes, and how far is Lindos from the Old Town?

Stay in the medieval Old Town for the Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Master and walks within the UNESCO-listed walls. Mandraki offers easier vehicle access and modern hotels just outside them. Faliraki is a separate beach base south of town. Lindos, about 50km away, suits an east-coast excursion or its own overnight: allow around an hour by car and longer on the coastal bus. A rental vehicle adds freedom for interior villages and several stops, but buses serve the main coastal towns and a car is optional.

Best first base: The medieval Old Town, inside the UNESCO walls
Getting there: A 1-hour flight from Athens, or a 12-to-18-hour ferry from Piraeus
Palace of the Grand Master: €20 timed-entry ticket, summer hours 8am-8pm
Day trip to Lindos: A separate east-coast outing, with an uphill acropolis visit

AI-powered

Give Rhodes Town and the east coast their own time

Tell the planner how many nights you have, whether Faliraki's beach clubs or Lindos's acropolis matter more, and whether you're driving yourself or relying on buses. It can match your base to the drive times you'll actually face on an island this size.

A covered stone archway opening onto a bright medieval lane in Rhodes Old Town

The simplest first-time base

Stay within Rhodes’ lived-in medieval walls

Old Town

Rhodes Old Town is a genuinely lived-in medieval city inside 4km of walls, still home to thousands of residents alongside the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights.

The Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Master and Archaeological Museum share the walled historic centre, so sightseeing can unfold on foot rather than around transfers.
Sleeping inside the walls means the Old Town's lanes are yours again once the day-trippers from cruise ships and Faliraki return to their buses in the late afternoon.

Cobbled, frequently uneven streets make wheeled luggage and a late-night taxi drop-off harder than in Mandraki just outside the walls.

Four Rhodes bases, from the medieval walls to the acropolis

Rhodes is large enough that its four best-known bases genuinely don't overlap, from the medieval Old Town to a hilltop village a real drive away.

Old Town

the medieval walls, the Palace of the Grand Master and car-free lanes

Rhodes's UNESCO-listed medieval city holds the Street of the Knights and the Palace of the Grand Master inside 4km of intact walls, still home to a real resident population.

Book the Old Town when Rhodes's UNESCO-listed medieval city is the whole reason for the trip.

Sleep: Lively near the main squares until late; quiet within a block or two.

Neighbourhood stay Walkable

Cobbled, car-free streets make wheeled luggage and late vehicle drop-offs genuinely harder than just outside the walls.

Confirm which gate is closest to your hotel; the walled city is larger than a quick glance at a map suggests, and gates sit a real walking distance apart.

Mandraki

the harbour, modern hotels and easier vehicle access

Mandraki's harbour, marked by twin deer statues at the mythical site of the Colossus, sits just outside the medieval walls with easier car access and more modern hotels.

Choose Mandraki when the deer-statue harbour and beach access matter as much as the Old Town's walls just next door.

Sleep: Resort-paced along the harbour, quieter than the Old Town's core.

Neighbourhood stay Walkable

It trades the Old Town's atmosphere for a short walk to reach it, along with more contemporary, less characterful streets.

Beach access directly in Mandraki is limited; a genuine swimming beach is a further walk or short drive along the coast.

Faliraki

beach clubs, nightlife and a genuine party strip

Faliraki, about 13km south of Rhodes Town, splits between a lively nightlife strip and a calmer family-beach stretch along the same long sandy bay.

Pick Faliraki when the island's best-known nightlife and beach-bar scene matter more than medieval architecture.

Sleep: Loud along the main strip in peak season; quieter at the beach's family end.

Neighbourhood stay Beach

Reaching the Old Town for dinner or sightseeing means a bus, taxi or rental vehicle rather than a walk.

Confirm which end of Faliraki's beach a hotel actually sits on; the nightlife strip and the family-friendly stretch are genuinely different atmospheres.

Lindos

the hilltop acropolis and a genuinely different Rhodes

Lindos, around an hour’s drive from Rhodes Town, pairs a hilltop ancient acropolis above the sea with a whitewashed village most visitors otherwise see as a day trip.

Base in Lindos when its acropolis and whitewashed village matter enough to skip the return drive to Rhodes Town.

Sleep: Quiet in the evening once day-trip buses and cars have left.

Neighbourhood stay Walkable

Every return to Rhodes Town's Old Town or airport requires another long transfer across the island.

Lindos gets genuinely crowded with day-trip buses and cars from late morning to mid-afternoon; basing there rewards early mornings and evenings most.

Choose an area by the trip you want

Traveller	Recommended area	Why it fits	Watch out
Old Town	the medieval walls, the Palace of the Grand Master and car-free lanes Choose the Old Town for the exact medieval atmosphere UNESCO recognised in 1988.	Cobbled, car-free streets make wheeled luggage and late drop-offs harder.	Explore on foot; vehicle access is limited inside the walls, so the hotel’s nearest gate matters.
Mandraki	the harbour, modern hotels and easier vehicle access Choose Mandraki for modern hotels and the harbour, a short walk from the medieval walls.	Less atmosphere than the Old Town itself, with limited beach access directly in the area.	Mandraki sits a short walk from the Old Town with easier car and taxi access.
Faliraki	beach clubs, nightlife and a genuine party strip Choose Faliraki for the island's best-known nightlife and beach-bar scene.	Reaching the Old Town for sightseeing means real travel time, not a walk.	Faliraki needs a bus, taxi or rental vehicle for any trip back to Rhodes Town.
Lindos	the hilltop acropolis and a genuinely different Rhodes Choose Lindos to experience its acropolis and village beyond a rushed day trip.	Every return to Rhodes Town's Old Town or airport means the same drive again.	Around an hour by car from Rhodes Town; the coastal bus journey takes longer.

Match the base to the reason you're actually on Rhodes

An overnight before a flight has a different purpose from a week of coastal outings. These choices help decide what the accommodation needs to do during your particular Rhodes stay.

Seeing the medieval city properly, not just passing through

Base inside the Old Town's walls, visit the Palace of the Grand Master early, and let the lanes empty out again once day-trippers head back to their buses.

Choose this ifSleep within the walls to explore the medieval lanes before and after organised day visits, accepting that luggage may need to be carried from a vehicle-accessible meeting point.

Trade-offCobbled, car-free streets make luggage and late arrivals genuinely harder than in Mandraki.

Avoid this ifSkip the Old Town if wheeled luggage and vehicle drop-offs at the door matter more than atmosphere.

Easier vehicle access, still near the Old Town

Base in Mandraki, walk into the Old Town for sightseeing and dinner, and keep a rental car or taxi genuinely convenient for day trips.

Choose this ifChoose Mandraki when easier vehicle access and modern hotels matter as much as being a short walk from the walls.

Trade-offLess medieval atmosphere than sleeping inside the walls themselves.

Avoid this ifSkip Mandraki if the Old Town's own atmosphere is genuinely non-negotiable.

Beach clubs and Rhodes's liveliest nights

Base in Faliraki, treat the Old Town as a day trip by bus or rental car, and choose the beach's nightlife or family end based on which matters more.

Choose this ifPick Faliraki when beach clubs and nightlife matter more than historical sightseeing.

Trade-offEvery trip to the Old Town for sightseeing needs real travel time, not a walk.

Avoid this ifSkip Faliraki entirely outside the main season, when much of its nightlife closes down.

Basing at Lindos instead of a rushed day trip

Sleep in Lindos, visit the acropolis at opening or in the late afternoon once the day-trip crowds thin, and treat Rhodes Town itself as the day trip instead.

Choose this ifChoose this when the acropolis and village matter enough to skip the round-trip drive from Rhodes Town.

Trade-offThe airport, ferry port and Old Town all remain a substantial transfer from this east-coast base.

Avoid this ifSkip an overnight Lindos stay if the return drive to Rhodes Town's airport or ferry port needs to stay short.

Touring the whole island from one base

Base near the Old Town or Mandraki for dining and transport choices. Use coastal buses for Lindos or Faliraki, or hire a vehicle when the day combines interior villages and several stops.

Choose this ifThis matters for anyone wanting to see Lindos, Faliraki and the Old Town all in one trip without relying purely on buses.

Trade-offBus-led outings follow the dated timetable; a vehicle adds daily hire, fuel and parking costs.

Avoid this ifSkip a single-base touring plan if you prefer to spend most days close to one beach or village.

A town overnight before the flight home

Choose this ifA final night near Mandraki keeps the town’s dining and harbour within reach before the airport journey. Arrange the departure connection for your flight rather than choosing a distant beach hotel.

Trade-offThe published airport-to-city information is not a guarantee that a bus serves your required early departure.

Once you know which area fits your trip, compare live availability, exact hotel locations and room details. Editorial advice here is separate from provider prices and availability.

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Fly or sail to Rhodes, then choose how to explore

Rhodes’ long Piraeus crossing suits an overnight sea journey, while flying is quicker for a direct arrival. Coastal buses, transfers and optional vehicle hire offer different ways to reach a base or explore beyond town.

Reaching Rhodes by air or by an overnight ferry

The airport has a city bus link; Lindos is a separate route

Diagoras Airport, code RHO, sits about 14km southwest of Rhodes Town near Paradeisi. The airport identifies RODA’s city bus service. KTEL serves the east-coast towns; an airport-to-Lindos connection depends on its dated programme, rather than every city bus continuing there.

Flying from Athens takes about an hour

Aegean Airlines and Sky Express fly Athens to Rhodes direct in about an hour, daily year-round; it is by far the faster option compared with the ferry, which matters more on a short trip than on an island-hopping itinerary with time to spare.

The Piraeus ferry is an overnight commitment, not a day option

Blue Star Ferries sails Piraeus to Rhodes in roughly 12 to 18 hours depending on the vessel and stops, with up to ten weekly departures in summer dropping to about two a week off-season; deck fares start from around €45 to €59 in low season.

Coastal buses and optional vehicle hire

Buses cover the main coastal towns, on a summer timetable

KTEL buses connect Rhodes Town to Faliraki and Lindos with near-hourly departures in summer, priced roughly €2.50 to €5.50 one-way depending on distance; schedules thin out considerably outside the June-to-September season.

Use a vehicle when the outing needs more flexibility

A car or scooter can suit interior villages or a day combining several beaches, while KTEL connects Rhodes Town with Lindos and Faliraki. For a town-led stay with one coastal outing, bus travel or an arranged transfer can be enough; rental is optional.

Rhodes Town's harbour reaches the wider Dodecanese

Dodekanisos Seaways runs daily high-speed connections from Rhodes Town's harbour to Symi in as little as 40 minutes, and to Kos, Kalymnos, Leros and other Dodecanese islands on longer routes, useful for anyone combining Rhodes with a wider island-hopping trip.

Two separate archaeological tickets, two separate rules

The Palace ticket is timed and priced on its own

The Palace of the Grand Master charges €20 for a full adult ticket and opens for longer days in summer than winter. Last admission is 20 minutes before closing. Palace entry and Lindos acropolis entry are separate purchases, so allow for the site actually on that day’s plan.

Lindos has its own ticket and a stepped approach

Lindos acropolis charges €20 for full adult admission. Summer hours shorten through September and October; winter visits have shorter hours and a Tuesday closure. The approach climbs through the village on a cobbled path and steps, so the uphill visit needs its own time and energy.

Cobbles and car-free lanes shape access inside the walls

The medieval streets are uneven by design, not by neglect

The Old Town's medieval streets are cobbled, frequently sloped, and closed to regular vehicle traffic; a wheeled suitcase or a wheelchair both face a genuinely uneven surface, and a specific hotel's exact street should be checked before booking with mobility needs in mind, since access varies block by block.

Plan the ferry-or-flight choice and the two ticket sites first

Rhodes Town, Lindos and the airport occupy different parts of the island itinerary. Establish the arrival connection, monument-entry bookings and vehicle access to the room before filling every day with excursions.

Match the season to walking, coast and monument visits

Move sightseeing to the morning in peak summer heat

Move sightseeing to the morning in peak summer heat

Rhodes averages roughly 2,780 to 3,075 sunshine hours a year, with July alone seeing about 372 hours; June through September is reliably hot and dry, ideal for beach time but demanding for a midday walk through the shadeless Old Town streets.
Understand the 2023 wildfire as a dated event

The July 2023 wildfire forced the evacuation of over 19,000 people from southern Rhodes, including villages near Lindos. Rhodes Town and Faliraki were among the places outside the main affected area. For a summer stay, heat and fire alerts still matter: leave flexibility to change an inland outing when current local conditions require it.
Shoulder-season months suit the Old Town's walking best

Spring and autumn keep warm, sunny weather with noticeably fewer crowds and lower prices than the July-to-August peak, a comfortable window for walking the Old Town's shadeless streets without the midsummer heat. Monument hours also shorten outside high summer: Lindos closes earlier through autumn and on Tuesdays in winter. An evening village visit and admission to the acropolis are different plans.

Price the flight-versus-ferry choice, then the two ticket sites

Compare the arrival fare, comfort and time together

Compare the arrival fare, comfort and time together

A flight from Athens takes about an hour in the air; the Piraeus ferry is a much longer sea journey. Compare prices for the same date and party, including ferry seat or cabin category and transfers to the Athens departure point and your Rhodes base. A slower crossing is not automatically the cheaper whole journey.
Separate monument entry from the cost of getting there

Full adult admission is €20 at the Palace and €20 at Lindos acropolis: €40 per adult for those two entries alone. Add the return bus or transfer, or a vehicle-day quote with fuel and parking. A car adds flexibility for several stops but is not required to visit Lindos by bus.
Prime locations inside the walls or on the beach carry a premium

An address inside the walls buys different convenience from a Faliraki beachfront room or a Lindos outlook. Price the type of stay you actually want, including the transport back to the airport, instead of comparing island hotel rates without their locations. Compare the same dates, occupancy and room category on a per-night basis; a quoted sea view is a separate benefit from being close to the historic lanes.

Rhodes booking details from palace entry to hotel access

Underestimating how long the Piraeus ferry actually takes

Underestimating how long the Piraeus ferry actually takes

The ferry from Piraeus takes 12 to 18 hours, not a few hours as some shorter Cyclades routes do; booking it expecting a same-day Athens departure and Rhodes arrival leaves a traveller stranded overnight at sea instead.
Assuming one ticket covers both the Palace and Lindos

The Palace of the Grand Master's €20 ticket and Lindos's acropolis ticket are entirely separate purchases at separate sites; assuming one covers the other, or that a combined pass exists, leaves a gap in the day's plan.
Treating Lindos as a quick trip rather than a real drive

At roughly 1,400 square kilometres, Rhodes is far larger than Santorini or Mykonos. Treat Lindos as a substantial east-coast outing and include both legs of the journey before adding another stop to the day.
Visiting Lindos in the middle of the day, at its most crowded

Arriving at Lindos mid-morning to mid-afternoon means sharing the acropolis and village lanes with the day's heaviest cruise and coach traffic; an early morning or a late-afternoon visit, or an overnight stay in the village itself, avoids the worst of it.

How many nights make sense for a first Rhodes trip?

Four to five nights covers the Old Town properly, a day trip to Lindos, and a beach afternoon at Faliraki without rushing; a week lets you add a Symi boat trip from Rhodes Town's own harbour.

Is it better to stay inside Rhodes Old Town's walls or just outside them?

The Old Town's medieval walls make it the most atmospheric base and the closest to the Palace of the Grand Master, but Mandraki, just outside the walls, offers easier vehicle access and more modern hotel choices for the same short walk to the harbour.

How far is Lindos from Rhodes Town, and is it worth an overnight stay?

Lindos is about 50km from Rhodes Town, so include both outward and return travel in a day visit. An overnight gives the acropolis and village their own quieter hours, with time to explore beyond the coach-led visit; it also puts the airport and town farther away.

Should I fly or take the ferry to Rhodes from Athens?

Aegean Airlines and Sky Express both fly the route in about an hour, considerably faster than Blue Star Ferries' 12-to-18-hour overnight sailing from Piraeus; the ferry suits an island-hopping itinerary more than a quick direct trip.

Can you still ride a donkey up to the Lindos acropolis?

Yes, donkey rides still operate, but 2024 welfare rules cap each animal at about an hour of work a day across five short routes, worked in pairs on alternating days; walking up remains the alternative for anyone who'd rather skip the ride altogether.

Is Rhodes really as sunny as it claims to be?

Rhodes markets itself as one of the sunniest places in Europe, averaging around 2,780 to 3,075 hours of sunshine a year, with July alone seeing roughly 372 sunshine hours; June through September is reliably hot and dry, while spring and autumn stay mild.

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How this guide was researched

Reviewed by StartBooker editorial team Travel editorial research and rewrite

Last reviewed 2026-09-10

Updated 2026-10-08

Editorial method: Original editorial guidance based on the listed UNESCO, airport, bus operator, ticketing and ferry sources, cross-checked against independent Rhodes-focused travel and news publishers for neighbourhood character, donkey-ride regulation and post-wildfire recovery facts. Time-sensitive prices, timetables and ferry schedules are left to the linked operators.

16 sources reviewed

Primary sources