5 days in Rhodes

Day by day

1. Day 1: Palace of the Grand Master and Street of the Knights

   Palace of the Grand Master, Street of the Knights and Old Town walls and moat, then Mandraki Harbour in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Palace of the Grand Master

      Visit early in the morning before cruise-ship groups arrive, then walk down the Street of the Knights while it is still quiet. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Street of the Knights

      Come back after dark, when the street is lit and almost empty. (30 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pitaroudia

      Village tavernas and traditional mezedopoleia in the Old Town; ask for them by name if they are not on the menu.

   4. Afternoon

      Old Town walls and moat

      Enter the moat near the d'Amboise Gate by the Palace of the Grand Master and follow it south; go in the morning or late afternoon in summer. (1 hour, free).

   5. Evening

      Mandraki Harbour

      Walk the mole to the windmills and the fort at sunset, then eat souvlaki at the New Market stalls.

2. Day 2: Acropolis of Lindos and Lindos village and St Paul's Bay

   Acropolis of Lindos, Lindos village and St Paul's Bay and Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, then Orfanidou Street, New Town in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Acropolis of Lindos

      Climb as early as the site allows; the path from the village takes 15–20 minutes, has no shade and gets very hot by late morning. (1.5–2 hours with the climb, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Lindos village and St Paul's Bay

      Stay for the evening if you can: once the tour buses leave, the lanes are calm and the acropolis is floodlit. (Half a day, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Symi shrimp

      Seafood tavernas in Rhodes Town and on Symi itself, where they are a point of local pride.

   4. Afternoon

      Archaeological Museum of Rhodes

      Combine it with the Palace of the Grand Master on a hot afternoon; the stone halls stay cool. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Orfanidou Street, New Town

      Rhodes Town's 'Bar Street', a run of music bars and clubs near Elli Beach that stay busy until the early hours in summer.

3. Day 3: Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes and Rhodes Aquarium

   Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes, Rhodes Aquarium and Kallithea Springs, then Rhodes Old Town in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes

      Walk up from the Old Town in about 30 minutes or take a short taxi ride, and arrive an hour before sunset. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Rhodes Aquarium

      It takes under an hour, so combine it with a swim at Elli Beach next door. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Melekouni

      Bakeries and sweet shops in Rhodes Town and the villages; it keeps well and travels home easily.

   4. Afternoon

      Kallithea Springs

      Bring a mask and snorkel; the cove's rocks are full of small fish, and the water is calm most mornings. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Rhodes Old Town

      Courtyard bars and wine bars in the lanes off Sokratous Street and around Hippocrates Square, in medieval settings.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Symi

   About 1 hour by fast catamaran each way. Getting there: Catamaran or excursion boat from Rhodes Town.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Symi

      About 1 hour by fast catamaran (Catamaran or excursion boat from Rhodes Town); about 45 km.

   2. Day

      Symi

      Symi's harbour town, Gialos, is a steep amphitheatre of pastel neo-classical mansions built by 19th-century sponge merchants. Best for couples, culture and first-timers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Rhodes

      Dinner: try Souma.

5. Day 5: Anthony Quinn Bay and Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes)

   Anthony Quinn Bay, Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes) and Filerimos, then Faliraki in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Anthony Quinn Bay

      Arrive before 10am in July and August, or come late in the afternoon when the morning crowd leaves. (Half a day, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes)

      Do not clap or shake branches to make the moths fly; disturbing them drains the energy they need to breed. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Souma

      Shops and cafés in Siana on the road to Monolithos, and village tavernas, where it is served chilled in small glasses.

   4. Afternoon

      Filerimos

      Walk the Way of the Cross path in the late afternoon for shade and the best light over the coast. (1.5 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Faliraki

      The island's busiest resort bar area, with music bars and clubs aimed at a young crowd in high season.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Rhodes Old Town keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Rhodes New Town ($$) suits first-timers, budget, nightlife and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–24 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.7 hours in December to 14.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Rhodes
• 2 days in Rhodes
• 3 days in Rhodes

Questions travellers ask