Rhodes Town

Rhodes Town is really two distinct and very different towns. The Old Town lies within but utterly apart from the New Town, sealed like a medieval time capsule behind a double ring of high walls and a deep moat. Few cities can boast so many layers of architectural history, with ruins and relics of the Classical, Ottoman and Italian eras entangled in a mind-boggling maze of twisting lanes.

In season, the Old Town receives a huge daily influx of day-trippers and, especially, passengers from giant cruise-ships. Even then, you can escape the crowds by heading away from the busy commercial streets into its hauntingly pretty cobbled alleyways. Staying a night or two, and losing yourself in the labyrinth after dark, is an experience no traveller should miss.

The New Town, meanwhile, is a modern Mediterranean resort, with decent beaches, upscale shops, lively nightlife and waterfront bars servicing the package crowd.

Explore Rhodes Town

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Rhodes Town.

  • Museum

    Archaeological Museum

    A weathered, sun-kissed stone lion, visible from the street, invites visitors into the magnificent 15th-century Knights' Hospital that holds Rhodes’…

  • Area

    Knights’ Quarter

    Essentially an occupying army, the Knights of St John transformed the northern segment of the Old Town during the 14th and 15th centuries, to create what…

  • Historic Building

    Palace of the Grand Master

    From the outside, this magnificent castle-like palace looks much as it did when erected by the 14th-century Knights Hospitaller. During the 19th century,…

  • Historic Site

    Street of the Knights

    Austere and somewhat forbidding, the Street of the Knights (Ippoton) was home from the 14th century to the Knights Hospitaller who ruled Rhodes. The…

  • Area

    Hora

    The Old Town’s central commercial and residential district, south of the Street of the Knights, is known as the Hora. Having acquired its current…

  • Area

    Jewish Quarter

    The Jewish Quarter, an enclave of narrow lanes in the Old Town’s southeast corner, centres on Plateia Evreon Martyron (Square of the Jewish Martyrs). Now…

  • Historic Site

    Old Town Walls

    Rhodes' Old Town is rare indeed in retaining its 500-year-old fortifications all but intact. On weekdays, visitors can grasp their sheer scale by walking…

  • Historic Site

    Old Town Moat

    The moat beneath the Old Town ramparts was simply a defensive ditch, never filled with water. Now landscaped as a park, with spacious lawns and lush…

  • Gallery

    Modern Greek Art Museum

    The main gallery of the four-part Modern Greek Art Museum, near the New Town’s northern tip, holds paintings, engravings and sculptures by some of Greece…

  • Archaeological Site

    Acropolis of Rhodes

    Now known as the Acropolis of Rhodes, the site of the ancient Hellenistic city of Rhodes stretches up the slopes of Monte Smith, 1km west of the Old Town…

  • Library

    Muslim Library

    This peaceful little library, founded in 1793, sits in an inviting little garden courtyard opposite the Mosque of Süleyman. Visitors can only enter the…

  • Museum

    Jewish Museum of Rhodes

    The Jewish presence on Rhodes dates back to the 2nd century BC, while a 13th-century influx of Jewish refugees from Spain resulted in the creation of a…

  • Mosque

    Mosque of Süleyman

    Rhodes' Old Town bears many legacies from its Ottoman past. Many churches were converted to mosques during the Turkish era, and even more Muslim houses of…

  • Tower

    Roloi Clock Tower

    Commanding the highest point in the Old Town, this sturdy clocktower offers a tremendous panorama. Dating originally from the 7th century, it was damaged…

  • Church

    Panagia tou Kastrou

    Across from the tourist office and Archaeological Museum, this 11th-century church retains its original form, though after four centuries as a mosque and…

  • Museum

    Decorative Arts Collection

    This endearing little museum consists of a single large white-walled room, filled to the brim with everyday vernacular objects from the 18th and 19th…

  • Gate

    D'Amboise Gate

    Set in the northwestern flank of the citadel walls, and completed in 1512 under the rule of Grand Master Emery d'Amboise, the most impressive approach to…

  • Gate

    St Anthony's Gate

    The innermost gate that leads into the Old Town near the palace, an impressive 200m walk in from the D’Amboise Gate. Italian troops entered Rhodes along…

  • Landmark

    Moat Walkway Entrance

    If St Athanasios Gate is your exit rather than entry point for a walk in the moat, you need to keep your eyes peeled to spot this access route, which…

  • Landmark

    Moat Walkway Entrance

    The path at the foot of the stairway that drops from the arch alongside St Anthony’s Gate passes through a 30m tunnel in the walls to reach the broadest…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Rhodes Town.

  • Activities