Rhodes Old Town Travel Guide and Visitor Information

Rhodes offers two distinct realms within a city the Old Town and the New Town. While the Old Town provides you with a flavour left behind by the ruins and medieval buildings reminiscent of the St. John Knights and Byzantine Empire and adorned by a maze of cobbled alleys, the New Town is a hub of modern resorts with stunning beaches speaking volumes of the influx of the upscale tourists in Rhodes.

Old Town witnesses a significant exodus of tourists during peak seasons, mostly consisting of day-trippers and passengers from the moored cruise liners. If you are looking to escape from the possible madding crowd, try to visit here during autumn.

Let us find what Old Town in Rhodes has to provide to the tourists here and find out how to make the most of your visit here in Old Town.

Brief detail about Rhodes Medieval Town

The Old Town of Rhodes is home to around six thousand inhabitants and is surrounded by medieval walls on all sides. You can enter from these gates:

• Gate of St. Catherine (Agia Ekaterini, opposite Tourist Port),
• Gate of Virgin Mary (Panagia Gate)
• Marine Gate
• Arnaldou Gate
• Arsenal Gate
• Gate of the Apostle Paul,
• Gate of Liberty (Eleftherias Gate)
• Gate d’Amboise and St. Anthony Gate
• Gate of Agios Athanassios
• Gate of St. John (Agios Ioannis Gate), (Kokkini Porta)
• Acandia Gate

Although it has been modernised to quite some extent now with the presence of cafes, bars and upscale shops to cater to the tourists, the essence of its pronounced medieval presence is quite evident in the architecture of some of the buildings, monuments and the ruins present in the Old Town, connected by a maze of cobbled streets.

***See also: What is the best area to stay in Rhodes?***

It is famous for being the last refuge of the Christian Knights who were defeated by the Ottoman Turks. Although the guards fell after a siege mounted by the Ottomans, the Knights defended the city well, and hence a safe passage was provided to the resident Christians who refused to live under Turkish authority.

The city can be divided majorly into three distinct parts- the northern part named Collachio which contains the ancient Acropolis (does not exist nowadays) and the palace of the Grand Master, and the southern part includes the Borgo*( Borgo is an Italian word (plural borghi), cognate with English borough, German Burg, French bourg, that usually means the new town outside the walls of an old town (the paese). ) where the commoners lived.

The Jewish Quarter is the final section which is mostly residential and is not as developed as the above two parts when it comes to commerce and tourism.

Borgo is a residential area as well but has a sufficient number of bars, cafes and shops meant for the tourists who arrive here.

Places to visit in Rhodes Old Town

Near the gate of Liberty you can find the remnants of the 3rd-century Greek temple dedicated to the Greek God of love, Aphrodite. You can also visit the Archaeological museum nearby, which contains some fascinating relics from the bygone era.

Find yourself lost in the essence of the medieval era with the streets that connect the building of this town, famously known as the Street of the Knights. It is lined with essential buildings of historical importance dating back to the 16th century and restored to their original glory till date.

Visit the Palace of the Grandmaster, which is a beautiful piece of architecture and one of the most significant buildings in all of the Dodecanese cluster of islands.

You can also catch a bird’s eye view of the city from the top of the Clock Tower as well.

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Location – How to get There – Transportation

The Old Town, which is part of Rhodes Town, is located at the northern end of the island next to the cruise port, Kolona Port and Mandraki Marina.

Rhodes Old Town distance from :

Arrival by Bus (Public Transport)

The bus terminal station of the 2 public transport companies (RODA and KTEL) is located in the New Market (Nea Agora) building, in the center of New Town. Once there, walk a distance of 350 meters to enter the Medieval City from the Liberty Gate. Check Rhodes Bus Timetable and Ticket Prices

Arrival by Taxi

Rhodes Old Town Taxi Pricelist from :

Click here for the complete Taxi Pricelist
Departure to your hotel
Taxi stations exist at Cruise Port, Sea Gate, Liberty Gate, D’Amboise Gate, St. Athanasios Gate and Main Taxi station next to Bus Station and New Market Building (Nea Agora). Keep in mind that during July – August it is more likely to get a taxi only at Main Taxi Station due to large number of tourists.

Harbour – Cruise Port

The city of Rhodes has 5 ports – marinas. The tourist port for cruise ships is located right next to the Gate of Panagia, one of the central gates of the medieval city. When you disembark from the cruise ship you walk about 400 meters to the entrance to the Medieval City. Check Old Town Map for more info.

Watch the “Cruise Port to Rhodes Old Town” video below :

One of the most picturesque walking routes of the island is the following: Cruise Port – Colona Port (the Sea Gate is also located there) – Mandraki Marina (3 Mills, Agios Nikolaos Lighthouse) – Church of the Annunciation – Aquarium.

Mandraki

At the Mandraki Marina, the tourist boats that carry out one-day trips to Symi, Halki, Lindos and the beaches of Rhodes moor. Also there you will find glass bottom ships and sailboats for charter. Check Mandraki Map for more info.

Rhodes Old Town Shops Opening Hours

There are no fixed opening hours for all shops, especially at the beginning (April) and end (October) of the tourist season. The shops are exclusively aimed at tourists and for this reason their opening hours depend on the number of visitors on the island. The shops are also open on Sundays.
April
10 am -8 pm
Not all shops are open. At the beginning of the month there are fewer, at the end of the month more. At the beginning of the month they operate fewer hours, at the end of the month more.
May
9 am – 9 pm
June
9 am – 11 pm
July
9 am – 11 pm
August
9 am – 11 pm
September
9 am – 11 pm
October
Oct 1 – 10 : 9 am – 8 pm
Oct 10 – 20 : 9 a.m. – 7 p.m
Oct 20 – 30 : 10 a.m. – 6 p.m

Rhodes Old Town Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Tickets. Do i need a ticket to enter?

Access to the Old Town is free, no ticket is required, 24 hours a day. The medieval town is a district of Rhodes of tourist interest, in which, however, permanent residents also live.

Is Rhodes Old Town open on a Sunday?

Yes. From April to October Old Town shops are open on Sundays according to the above opening hours.

Is there a farmers market day in Rhodes Old Town?

There is no farmers market (Λαϊκή in greek) in the old town. However they exist outside the walls in the new city. The closest is the farmers market outside the Diagoras stadium at the gate of Agios Ioannis, which takes place every Thursday. Other Farmers Markets are: Taxiarchis every Wednesday and Saturday (outside the Taxiarchis cemetery in Zefyros area) and every Friday in Analipsi. Opening hours: from early morning to noon.

Is rhodes old town worth visiting ?

In the Old Town you will find: monuments dating from antiquity to World War II, the archaeological museum, the Palace of the Grand Master with the Byzantine museum, Knights Street as well as Mosques, Byzantine churches and others. You can get an idea on the Medieval Town attractions page to help you decide.

Ιs Rhodes Old Town lively ?

There are bars and restaurants – cafes that stay open until early morning but Old Town is not famous for wild parties and drinking until the morning.

How old is Rhodes Old Town?

It’s over 2400 years old. In 408 BC Dorieas, son of the olympic champion Diagoras, founded the ancient city of Rhodes, uniting the three major cities of the island, Ialyssos, Kamiros and Lindos.

How far is Rhodes Old Town from New Town?

-From Roda and Ktel Bus Station to Liberty Gate 350m or 5 min walking

-From Niohori to D’Amboise Gate 1km or 16min , from Niohori to Liberty Gate 1,3km or 20min walking

-From Aquarium to Liberty Gate 1,5km or 23 min walking , from Aquarium to D’Amboise Gate 1,3km or 20min walking

-From Psaropoula to D’Amboise Gate 1km or 15 min walking , from Psaropoula to Liberty Gate 1,3km or 20min walking

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