Rhodes holidays

Popular holidays

Picture-perfect Mediterranean beaches, historical sites in Rhodes Town, party hotspots in Faliraki – there are plenty of reasons why Rhodes holidays fly off the shelves.

The enduring popularity of Rhodes

Rhodes is one of the top-visited Greek destinations, with hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers contributing to its high tourism figures every year. And it’s no surprise why people flock here. Culture, coastlines and cocktails are all par for the course on the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands.

Best beach resorts in Rhodes

Rhodes’ beaches attract the majority of the visitors here, and lots of them come ready-made with sunloungers and restaurant-lined promenades.The east coast is a lengthy stretch of almost uninterrupted sand, and it’s home to the main holiday resorts. There’s Lindos – with its Acropolis ruins – the 18 to 30s hangout of Faliraki, plus Pefkos with its Blue Flag beach and peaceful sands. The hidden coves of Kalithea and Kolymbia, meanwhile, are where sunbathers go to get away from the trappings of tourism.

UNESCO sites in Rhodes Town

Rhodes’ ancient ruins date back to the 8th century BC and the Trojan War. Reminders of yesteryear can be spotted all over the island, from Byzantine terracotta-topped churches to Ottoman minarets from the island’s time under Turkish rule. As for the capital – Rhodes Town – it’s a treasure trove all of its own. There’s the old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the go-to place to learn more about the Knights of St John history. There’s Rhodes Harbour, too, which was once dominated by one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – the great colossus.

Traditional Rhodian villages

Traditional villages and chalky mountains make up most of Rhodes’ interior, and the scenery’s pretty impressive. In the western hamlet of Apolakkia for example, it’s all whitewashed Greek villas, historic windmills, plus the Apolakkia monastery and a shaded swimming lake. Head here to explore in the quiet season, away from the high summer crowds.

Popular hotels in Rhodes

Top things to see and do in Rhodes

Beaches

East coast beaches in Rhodes

Rhodes’ 80-kilometre eastern coastline’s home to golden sands and most of the island’s best-known spots. The northern beach resorts of Faliraki and Kolymbia sit up top, while the central coast is ruled by Lindos.

Large sandy beaches in Rhodes

There’s plenty of variety when it comes to Rhodes’ beach scene. Its expansive sandy beaches and popular coastal stretches are a mix of high-capacity beachfronts and family friendly resorts.

Tsambika Beach

Tsambika Beach sits around halfway between Kalithea and Lindos, and it flies under the radar for most tourists. It’s named after the Virgin of Tsambika monastery, which overlooks the sand, and it’s a secluded natural beauty. You won’t find any hotels or souvenir shops here, just a couple of restaurants serving local, fresh seafood.

Shopping

Bargain buys

Rhodes Town is a hotspot if you’re looking to bag some bargains. In the old town, the Street of the Knights and Socrates Street are lined with souvenir shops, which sell everything from local honey to Medieval-themed toys. In Lindos, meanwhile, you’ll find a handful of gift boutiques, while in Kalithea, you’ll find lots of boutique-lined cobble streets around the main road – Rodou Falirakiou.

Mid-range buys

If you’re after some award-winning Rhodian wine, you can head straight to the island’s wineries. Take a winery tour of Cair, which is just outside Rhodes Town, or head to the Emery winery cellars in the village of Embonas, where you can also take tours on weekdays. There’s an Emery distillery in Rhodes Town, too, on Kolokotroni Street.

Designer buys

There are plenty of jewellery shops dotted around Rhodes Town if you’re after some bling. In the old town, Hippocrates Street is the go-to place to pick up delicate silver filigree, while Sokratous Street is filled with designer accessories. In Pefkos, meanwhile, there are a couple of jewellers on the main street.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

For chilled out evenings, you’ll find plenty of traditional restaurants in Rhodes Town, with live bouzouki music on and around Georgiou Leontos Street. For views of the acropolis in Lindos, head to the main square where you can dine on rooftop terraces and enjoy al fresco wining and dining, Greek-style. As for Kolymbia and Kalithea, most of the evening entertainment tends to be hotel-based.

Lively evenings

Faliraki’s been one of Europe’s biggest party towns for decades, and Bar Street and Club Street are the two main spots for late-night venues. In Rhodes Town, there’s a casino near Ellie Beach, plus plenty of karaoke joints along Bar Street. Pefkos is one of the quieter towns for nightlife, but its main road still has a good helping of cocktail bars.

Food & drink

Traditional Rhodian pitaroudia

Head to a traditional Rhodian restaurant, and there’s a good chance you’ll spot pitaroudia on their mezze menus.This Greek-style tapas is a mix of fried chickpea and potato fritters, onion and fresh mint seasoning, then usually paired with a cool tzatziki dip.

Rhodian kapamas

Rhodian kapamas is the local equivalent of a Sunday roast. It consists of a rice and tomato-stuffed goat, which is then baked in the oven for a couple of hours. Keep your eyes peeled for it on the specials boards at traditional Greek restaurants.

Stuffed vine leaves

Known locally as dolmades, Greek stuffed vine leaves are usually filled with rice and herbs, and are served with shots of local ouzo at traditional ‘ouzeries’.

Rhodian desserts

Perhaps the best-known Rhodian dessert is talagoutes. These fluffy pancakes are served in a sticky honey and cinnamon sauce, then topped off with chopped walnuts and sesame seeds.

Rhodian wine production

Finding a good drop of wine’s easy in Rhodes – the island has around 7,500 acres of land dedicated to wine production. The Cair and Emery vineyards are the best-known, and the varieties of grapes used here are aromatic Athiri green grapes and Mandilaria red grapes.