History · Rhodes · Greece
8 historic sites to see in Rhodes
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: MattiPaavola, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Palace of the Grand Master, Acropolis of Lindos and Street of the Knights. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 9–11 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 9–11 hours
- Areas
- Rhodes Old Town, Lindos and Rhodes New Town
Historic sites in Rhodes
Palace · Rhodes Old Town
1.Palace of the Grand Master
It was wrecked by an explosion in 1856 and rebuilt by the Italians in the 1930s, who furnished it with Roman and early Christian mosaic floors brought from Kos. The ground floor holds exhibitions on ancient and medieval Rhodes.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Lindos
2.Acropolis of Lindos
At the foot of the final staircase, a relief of a warship's stern is carved into the rock. The views over St Paul's Bay and the village are the reason most people make the climb.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours with the climb
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Photo spot
Street · Rhodes Old Town
3.Street of the Knights
The façades still carry coats of arms, and the Inn of France is the most ornate. It is one of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- After dark
Historic site · Rhodes Old Town
4.Old Town walls and moat
The wide, grassy dry moat between the inner and outer walls makes a shaded walk that shows the scale of the defences that held off the Ottomans until 1522.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
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Museum · Rhodes Old Town
5.Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
The arcaded courtyard and the infirmary hall upstairs are worth the visit on their own.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Historic site · Rhodes New Town
6.Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes
The open site is unfenced in places and the hilltop is the town's favourite sunset spot, looking out over the sea towards the Turkish coast.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
- Couples
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Ialyssos
7.Filerimos
Today it holds the foundations of a temple of Athena, the Knights-era Monastery of Our Lady of Filerimos, peacocks in the pine woods and a Way of the Cross leading to a giant concrete cross you can climb for views over the west coast.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · West coast
8.Ancient Kamiros
Its street grid, houses, a large cistern and the remains of a Hellenistic stoa are laid out below you with the sea beyond, and it is usually far quieter than Lindos.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Views
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodes Old Town | Palace of the Grand Master, Street of the Knights, Old Town walls and moat and Archaeological Museum of Rhodes | 1–1.5 hours + 30 minutes + 1 hour + 1–1.5 hours |
| Lindos | Acropolis of Lindos | 1.5–2 hours with the climb |
| Rhodes New Town | Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes | 1–1.5 hours |
| Ialyssos | Filerimos | 1.5 hours |
| West coast | Ancient Kamiros | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 4 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Acropolis of Lindos; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Rhodes Old Town): Palace of the Grand Master → Street of the Knights → Old Town walls and moat → Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Lindos, Rhodes New Town and Ialyssos): Acropolis of Lindos → Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes → Filerimos, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (West coast): Ancient Kamiros, at least 1 hour.
The quietest months for queues
- November: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 7 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Mild with the first winter rains; most beach hotels have closed, but Rhodes Town is pleasant for history and walking.
- February: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cool, showery and very quiet; almond blossom appears inland and Old Town sights are almost empty.
- January: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Mild but the wettest month; most resort hotels are closed, while Rhodes Town carries on with local life and quiet museums.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Rhodes Old Town — Car-free medieval lanes, Knights' inns and boutique hotels in restored stone houses
- Rhodes New Town — Mandraki Harbour, Elli Beach and the island's main bar streets
- Ixia and Ialyssos — West-coast hotel strip with steady winds and sunsets over the sea
- Lindos — Whitewashed village under the acropolis, car-free lanes and rooftop restaurants
More of Rhodes
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Rhodes?
Palace of the Grand Master. The fortress-palace of the Knights' Grand Masters stands at the top of the Street of the Knights.
+Which of these are free in Rhodes?
Street of the Knights, Old Town walls and moat and Monte Smith and the Acropolis of Rhodes.