How many days in Rhodes? 4 days: the medieval town, Lindos and the beaches
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Rhodes is two holidays in one: a medieval walled town built by the Knights of St John, still inhabited and UNESCO-listed, and 80 km of beaches down the east coast to the windy southern tip at Prasonisi. Four days gives one to the Old Town, one to Lindos, one to the beaches and the south, and one to a boat trip, ideally to the neoclassical harbour of Symi. A rental car makes the island much easier, though KTEL buses reach Lindos and the main beaches.
Short answer
Three days covers the Old Town, Lindos and a beach day. The fourth adds Symi or the quieter south and west.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Rhodes Old Town
Morning. Enter by the Gate of Freedom and walk up the cobbled Street of the Knights, lined with the inns of each 'tongue' of the Order. At the top, the Palace of the Grand Master (about €10-12) was rebuilt by the Italians in the 1930s, with Roman and early Christian floor mosaics brought from Kos.
Afternoon. The Archaeological Museum occupies the 15th-century Hospital of the Knights, with the marble Aphrodite of Rhodes. Then lose yourself in the Turkish quarter: the Suleiman Mosque, the old Ottoman baths and Sokratous Street.
Evening. Walk the moat path between the walls, then go to Mandraki harbour, where two bronze deer stand on the columns at the entrance, the spot where legend wrongly places the Colossus. Dinner in the Old Town, away from the touts on Sokratous Street.
The walls can be walked on guided tours on certain days only; ask at the Palace ticket office.
Day 2: Lindos
Morning. Take the early KTEL bus (about 1 hour, a few euros) or drive 50 km south to Lindos. Climb to the Acropolis of Lindos (about €12-15) at the 8:00 opening, before the heat and the boats: the Doric Temple of Athena Lindia stands 116 metres above the sea, inside a fortress of the Knights.
Afternoon. Swim at St Paul's Bay, a nearly enclosed lagoon below the acropolis where the apostle is said to have landed. Then walk the village's white lanes and visit the captains' houses with their pebble-mosaic courtyards.
Evening. Stay for sunset dinner on a Lindos roof terrace with the floodlit acropolis above, then return to town or overnight in the village.
Please walk up to the acropolis instead of riding the donkeys; animal welfare groups have long campaigned against overloaded donkeys in Lindos.
Day 3: East-coast beaches and the south
Morning. Drive south along the east coast, stopping at Anthony Quinn Bay near Faliraki (small, rocky, clear water; arrive early) and Tsambika, a long sandy beach below a hilltop monastery.
Afternoon. Continue to Prasonisi, the island's southern tip (about 1.5 hours from town), where a sand isthmus separates two seas: calm on the Aegean side, windy and full of kitesurfers on the Mediterranean side.
Evening. On the way back, eat in Lachania or another southern village, where tavernas are cheaper and quieter than on the north coast.
The west coast is windier and less developed. The east coast has the calmer, warmer water, better for children.
Day 4: Symi (or Butterfly Valley and Kallithea)
Morning. Take a boat from Mandraki to Symi (about 1-1h45 depending on the boat). The harbour of Gialos rises in tiers of pastel neoclassical captains' houses. Most boats also stop at the monastery of Panormitis.
Afternoon. Climb the Kali Strata, 500 steps to the upper village of Chorio, for the view over the harbour, and eat Symi shrimp, tiny local prawns fried and eaten whole.
Evening. Return on the afternoon boat. If you stay on Rhodes instead, visit Kallithea Springs, a restored 1920s Italian spa with a swimming cove, and Butterfly Valley (Petaloudes), where Jersey tiger moths gather from June to August.
Boats to Symi range from slow, cheap excursion boats to fast ferries; compare the timetable, not only the price.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do Days 1, 2 and 3. You lose Symi.
Got extra days?
With more time, visit Kamiros, a Hellenistic town on the west coast, the castle of Monolithos, and the mountain village of Embonas for local wine.
Where to stay in Rhodes
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Rhodes New Town | Cheaper hotels, buses, walk to the Old Town and Elli beach. | €60-100 |
| Mid-range | Old Town boutique hotels | Inside the medieval walls, atmospheric, no cars. | €120-220 |
| Mid-range | Lindos / Pefkos | Village and beaches; far from the town. | €120-220 |
| Comfort | East-coast resorts (Kallithea, Faliraki, Lindos) | Beachfront hotels with pools, popular with families. | €200-450 |
Getting around
KTEL buses leave from near the Old Town for Lindos, the east coast and the airport (a few euros a ride). A rental car (from about €35-50 a day in summer) is best for Prasonisi and the west. Taxis are expensive over long distances. The airport is about 14 km from the town (20-25 minutes).
What to eat in Rhodes
Rhodes has its own dishes: pitaroudia, chickpea and tomato fritters; matsi, handmade pasta; and melekouni, a sesame and honey bar given at weddings and christenings. Try lakani, goat or lamb cooked slowly in a clay pot in villages like Archangelos. Souma, the island's grape spirit, is drunk after meals. In the Old Town and Lindos, a taverna dinner costs €20-30 per person; in villages, €15-20. For fresh fish, eat by the sea at Kamiros Skala or Stegna, and ask the price per kilo first.
Best time to visit
May to June and September to October, with highs of 24-30°C and warm sea. July and August are hot and busy. The meltemi wind keeps the west coast cool and wavy. Rhodes has one of the longest seasons in Greece, and some hotels stay open into November.
Month-by-month weather for Rhodes →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €35 | €75 | €180 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €40 | €80 |
| Sights & boats | €10 | €30 | €60 |
| Transport (bus or car share) | €8 | €25 | €50 |
| Total per person, per day | about €75 | about €170 | about €370 |
Approximate 2026 high-season prices. Greece adds a per-room climate resilience fee each night, highest from April to October.
Before you go
Common questions
Should I stay in Rhodes Town or by a beach?
Split if you can: a night or two in the Old Town and the rest on the east coast. If you choose one base, Rhodes Town has the buses and the history.
Is Lindos worth it?
Yes, one of the most beautiful places in the Dodecanese. Go early in the morning or stay overnight to see it without the day-trippers.
Can I visit Turkey from Rhodes?
Yes: ferries go to Marmaris and Fethiye (about 1-1.5 hours). Take your passport and check visa rules for your nationality.
Is Rhodes good for families?
Very: calm east-coast beaches, the Old Town, and plenty of resorts. Kallithea and Tsambika are good for children.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, by a travel-agency planner based in Greece. Prices and boat times are approximate for 2026; confirm on the official Hellenic Heritage e-ticket site, KTEL Rhodes and ferry operators' websites before booking.
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