Rhodes Old Town, the oldest living medieval walled city is without a doubt one of the best places to visit or even stay in Rhodes Greece.
Our Airbnb was about two minutes from one of the gates into the medieval walls, and for the whole trip, walking back into Old Town in the evening became my favorite part of the day.
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My best friend grew up not far from here, and even she still gets a kick out of walking through Old Town at night, which tells you everything about how special this place is even for people who have seen it a hundred times.
So I created this guide to show you what I wish I’d had before our first day inside the walls. What Rhodes Old Town actually is, how it’s laid out, what’s worth your time, and how to avoid spending half your trip stuck behind a cruise group.
In a Rush? Here Are Our Favourite Hotels in Rhodes Old Town
⭐⭐⭐ Ancient Knights Luxury Suites, Best mid-range Rhodes Old Town stay and for families
⭐⭐⭐ Cava d’Oro, Located within Rhodes Old town, its so aethetic inside, Elli Beach a 19-minute walk away and The Street of Knights less than 1 km nearby.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mitsis Selection Alila is best for couples or friends or solo travellers who want a polished, all-inclusive base where everything is already handled, food, drinks, beach access and pool access. There’s a public bus to Rhodes old town or a walk if you want to. Check for your availability at Mitsis Selection Alila
Why Rhodes Old Town is so Special
Rhodes Old Town is the medieval walled city at the heart of Rhodes Town, and it is one of the best preserved medieval towns left in Europe.
The whole area is wrapped in around four kilometres of stone walls built by the Knights of St John, with eleven gates leading in and out, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for decades.
What makes it so good to actually walk around, rather than just admire from a distance, is how layered it is.
I have a created a Free Walking Route in Rhodes Old Town which you can use and hit the main spots at your own pace.
You have the Collachium, the northern part where the Knights themselves lived and where the Palace of the Grand Masters sits, and then the Burgo, the much larger southern section that was historically home to the rest of the population, Greek, Jewish, Ottoman, all mixed together over centuries.
If this is your first time deciding whether Rhodes is even the right island for your trip, my guide on whether Rhodes is worth visiting covers the bigger picture, but Old Town alone is reason enough for a lot of people.
How Much Time Do You Really Need in Rhodes Old Town?
You could see the highlights in half a day if you really rushed, but it would be nice to spend it as a day trip.
If you are staying in Farilaki, there’s a bus you can take for a few euros and takes about half hour.
We were staying inside the walls so this is slightly biased.
If you only have one day, you can focus on the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Street of the Knights, and Sokratous Street, and try to start early before the cruise crowds arrive. And also wander around, shop and have gyros at
The main sights and historical attractions in Rhodes Old Town:
Palace of the Grand Masters: Is It Worth Visiting?
This is the big one, and it sits right at the top of the Collachium, at the end of the Street of the Knights.
It was originally built in the 14th century by the Knights of St John, badly damaged in the 1800s, and then rebuilt by the Italians in the 1930s, which is part of why the interior feels so grand and slightly cinematic, complete with Roman and Byzantine mosaics brought in from elsewhere in the Dodecanese.
It is open daily from 8am to 8pm during the summer season, with shorter winter hours, and entry is around €20.
Most people spend somewhere between an hour and two hours inside, and it does involve a fair amount of stairs and uneven floors, so factor that in if mobility is a concern.
Go as early as you can manage. Queues build steadily through the morning, especially on days when cruise ships are in, and the difference between arriving at opening time and arriving at midday is genuinely huge.
Looking for the best areas and hotels to stay in Rhodes, I have a post explaining where to stay in Rhodes, the best areas and also what fits your budget.
Walking the Famous Street of the Knights
This is the street that leads up to the Palace, and it is one of the most complete medieval streets you will find anywhere in Europe.
Walking down it feels a bit like a film set, except it is all real, the old Inns that line either side once housed the different national groups of Knights, and the cobbles underfoot have been worn smooth by centuries of feet.
It connects almost directly to the Palace at one end and the lower town at the other, so it works naturally as part of any walking route through Old Town, you don’t need to plan a special trip for it.
Beyond Sokratous Street: The Best Places to Wander
Sokratous Street is the main shopping street running through the Burgo, full of jewellery shops, leather, souvenirs, and little spots selling local sweets and spices.
It is touristy, there is no getting around that, but it is also genuinely fun to wander through, especially in the evening when the heat has dropped and everyone is out.
The real magic for me though was just off the main streets. Old Town is full of quieter alleys, hidden courtyards, and tiny squares that most people walk straight past.
We spent a few evenings just picking a direction and seeing where we ended up, and some of our favourite little tavernas were found exactly that way.
Should You Visit the Archaeological Museum?
The Archaeological Museum is housed inside the old Hospital of the Knights of St John, a beautiful 15th century building in its own right, and it is one of those museums where the building is almost as interesting as what’s inside it.
If you have any interest in the layers of history that have passed through Rhodes, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Italian, this gives you a much fuller picture than the Palace alone.
The Clock Tower, Roloi : The Best Viewpoint in Rhodes Old Town?
The Roloi, or Clock Tower, is a smaller stop but a really worthwhile one.
You can climb up for panoramic views over the rooftops of Old Town, out toward the harbour and the sea beyond, and it is one of the best spots to actually understand the layout of the place you have been wandering through.
We went up here on our last evening and it was the perfect way to say goodbye to the view.
Walking the Medieval Walls: Worth It or Not?
One of the things people don’t always realise until they’re there is that you can actually walk along sections of the walls themselves, with views down into the moat gardens on one side and across the rooftops on the other.
It gives you a totally different perspective on how the whole fortified town fits together, and it is one of those experiences that photos genuinely don’t do justice.
If you’d rather have someone explain the history as you go, there are guided walking tours that cover the walls, the Palace, and the main streets together, which is a nice way to do it on your first day before you start exploring on your own terms.
Go shopping in Rhodes Old Town
There’s so many spots here to get your souveniers and also some local shopping. I do have to say the prices are more on the higher side as it is quite the touristy area. But don’t forget they are oblige to give you a receipt for your purchases or thats what I was told anyway.
There are scams about so be aware, and make sure to check the prices first before you get anything.
Where to eat in Rhodes Old Town
Mama Sofia
Literally almost everyone suggested to come eat Gyros here, and yeah it was good, big portions, I know there are better spots and this does feel quite touristy. But was good plate of Greek Food.
Mama Sofia is on Orfeos Street inside the Old Town and has been a family run restaurant since 1967.
Is it touristy? Yes, I won’t deny it, as most are in Rhodes Old Town especially the main parts.
But the portions are enormous, the gyros is exactly what you want after a long day of walking cobblestones, and the staff genuinely seem to enjoy themselves, which goes a long way. If you have a gluten intolerance, worth knowing they cater for it seriously and have done for years.
Ta Petaladika
Ta Petaladika was the one that came from a real local recommendation, through my friend’s friend who grew up here.
It’s on Menekleous Street in Old Town, a meze taverna with outdoor seating under a big tree with fairy lights strung through it, the kind of setting that makes everything taste better.
The seafood is what to go for. The sea bass carpaccio, scallops, and cuttlefish orzo are the dishes that keep coming up in everything I’ve read, and the vibe is airy and relaxed rather than the rushed, laminated-menu kind of experience you can accidentally end up with elsewhere in Old Town.
One thing I read that’s worth knowing before you go, fish is often priced per kilo rather than per portion, so ask before you order to avoid any surprise on the bill.
Bread and water can also appear on the table unbidden and end up on the bill, so wave them away if you don’t want them. Once you’re across it, the food is very good and the atmosphere is the kind you stay at longer than you meant to.
How to Avoid the Cruise Ship Crowds
Rhodes is a major cruise port, and the ships dock right next to the medieval walls, which means on any given day you might be sharing Old Town with several thousand extra people for a few hours in the middle of the day.
The pattern is pretty predictable though. Crowds build through mid to late morning and start to thin out again by late afternoon, and they are almost completely gone by evening.
Staying inside the walls meant we got to experience both ends of that, quiet mornings before the ships had emptied out, and quiet evenings after everyone had gone back to their cabins for dinner.
If you are staying further out, aim for either an early start or a late afternoon visit, and you will have a very different experience of the same streets.
How to Get to Rhodes Old Town
If you are flying in, Old Town is around a 25 to 30 minute drive from the airport, or a similar length on the bus.
If your ship docks at the cruise port, you are looking at a five to ten minute walk straight to the nearest gate, no transport needed at all.
For everything else once you’re there, including whether you’ll want a car for day trips beyond Old Town, my guides on renting a car in Rhodes and getting around without one cover both sides of that decision.
There are public buses that will get you from Faliriaki if you are staying here or other areas as well. Taxis are very expensive from Lindos to Rhodes Old town perhaps between 50 to 100 euros, so either you have a rental car or buses to save some money.
FAQs About Rhodes Old Town
How many days do you need in Rhodes Old Town?
Two to three days lets you see the main sights without rushing and still leaves time to get pleasantly lost in the smaller streets. One full day is enough to cover the highlights if that’s all you have.
Is Rhodes Old Town worth visiting?
Completely. It is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and unlike a lot of historic sites, it is still a living, working town rather than a museum piece.
What is the best time of day to visit Rhodes Old Town?
Early morning or late afternoon, especially if you want to avoid the cruise ship crowds, which tend to peak through the late morning and early afternoon.
My Final Thoughts on Visiting Rhodes Old Town
Old Town is one of those places where the big sights are genuinely worth seeing, but the best parts of our trip happened in between them, in the quiet streets, the courtyards, and the evenings when everyone else had gone.
If you stay inside the walls, give yourself a couple of days, and time your visits to the big sights around the cruise crowds, you’ll get to experience both sides of Old Town, the famous bits and the quiet ones, and honestly the second kind is what stays with you.
Courtney xx
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Check out my other Rhodes Greece Guides
My best things to do in Rhodes Greece, and what you can skip
Is Rhodes worth visiting? My honest guide after spending time here with a local friend
Rhodes Old Town or Beachfront? Where to Stay in Rhodes, The Best Areas and Budget
Only Have One Day in Rhodes Old Town? Follow This Free Walking Route of Rhodes Old Town
WhatsupCourtney
Hey! I’m Courtney, creator behind the travel and food site WhatsupCourtney and @heywhatsupcourtney on socials.
If you want trips that feels good while you’re there without the stress and to find a way to go on trips more often, you’re in the right place.You will find detailed travel itineraries to destination guides and food worth seeking out, everything here is built to help you spend less time planning and more time experiencing the places you visit.
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