Rhodes old town in Rhodes

The city of Rhodes consists of two districts: the new town and the old town. The medieval part of Rhodes town is one of the most interesting parts of all citys I have visited. I think that the old town of Rhodes holds the same class as the old town of Krakow and Prague. So it's no wonder that the old town of Rhodes is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

One of the entrances to the old town.

On my first visit to the old town, I had booked a room in the old town and my hotel was in the southern parts near the Kokkini Gate (St. John's Gate). I came by boat from Kos and the boat docked in Mandraki port. Instead of taking a taxi directly to Kokkini Gate, I decided to get to the hotel using a simple map. I wouldn't have done that. It was hot, it was crowded, there were a lot of people and there was no one to help me find my way. Finally I gave up and sat down drenched in sweat by a water fountain to blow my breath. The hotel then turned out to be 50 meters from where I was sitting.

Map of the old town in Rhodes.

View of Rhodes town. The old part is visible in the middle.

The first time you come to the old town, you are guaranteed to get lost. It doesn't even help to walk with a map in front of your nose. On the second or third visit, you might start to get a little sense of where you are. Since my first visit to Rhodes, I have been to the old town several times and I think I find it good. But not good enough, because sometimes even I get lost. The last time I was here I got really lost. Then I brought up Google Maps and started the GPS. It said: turn left, go north, turn right, etc. I did as it said, but it didn't help. Finally the GPS said: now I don't know where you are. :-)

The untouristy parts of the old town.

My feeling for the old town is ambivalent. I both really like and dislike the old town. Imagine if you had been able to experience this walled beauty without tourists and shops. As it is, there are still untouristed parts without shops and tourists. If you want to see what the old town was like in the past, I can recommend the southern parts, where people still live.

The part of the old town that most people visit is super touristy and rough commercial, mainly around Socrates street, the area around Hippocrates square and the Square of Jewish Martyrs (Sea Horse Square), but I'm happy to forgive that. You don't have to see the commercial if you don't want to, if you look up instead, your imagination soon gets going. What amazing buildings! You are really impressed.

The shopping street Socrates (Socratous) street in one direction.

Socrates (Socratous) street in the other direction.

Hippocrates square is something of the heart and center of the old town.

Everyone who visits the old town passes Hippocrates square.

The beautiful fountain on Hippocrates square.

If you look up, you can see many nice houses.

The Square of Jewish Martyrs, or the Sea Horse Square.

Restaurants, bars and shops at the Square of Jewish Martyrs.

The square is also called Sea Horse Square thanks to this fountain.

The Jewish quarter in the old town is not as touristy as other parts.

There are eleven entrances and exits. The most used is Eleftherias gate, the most impressive is Marina Gate and the one, in my opinion, absolutely the most interesting is Kokkini Gate in the south. The latter merges with Agios Ioannis Gate.

Marina Gate is one of the entrances to the old town.

Kokkini Gate is located in the southern parts of the old town.

Outside the Arsenal Gate is a small sandy beach. Picture of the beach can be found further down.

Don't miss the Knight's Street, the Grand Master's Palace, the Jewish and Turkish quarters, the mosques, the bell tower and the moat when you visit the old town on Rhodes. The absolute best way to see and get to know the old town is to walk around at random. You should have plenty of time, plenty of water and a good map. That said, if you want to get away from the tourist areas, I can recommend the southern parts of town. Many Greeks still live here and Greek everyday life is palpable. Follow a narrow alley until it ends, then switch to another alley. Don't be afraid to get lost, you will always get out. Or take a hike up the ring wall and I guarantee that you will see the old town with completely new eyes.

The moat and parts of the wall in the old town.

The part of the moat that is closest to Mandraki port.

The Knights street is one of the few streets where there are no shops or restaurants.

Grand Master's Palace and Mandraki harbour seen from the windmills in Rhodes New Town.

The grand entrance to the Grand Master's palace.

Lady of Mercy church is a popular photo motif.

There are three very famous mosques in the old town of Rhodes: Suleiman (Suleymaniye), Ibrahim Pasha and Recep Pasha. The Murat Reis Mosque is located near Elli beach in Rhodes New Town, and is not nearly as well known. However, I think it is the most interesting mosque on Rhodes, and I may be the only one who thinks so. This is mostly because it is falling into disrepair and looks very derelict. I like deserted houses and deserted villages, both in Sweden (where I come from) and in Greece.

The Suleiman Mosque is located where Socrates street ends.

Suleiman Mosque (Suleymaniye) in the old town of Rhodes.

Read about the Murat Reis Mosque here »

Competition between restaurants is tough. Which is clearly noticeable in the old town, where the barkers are more or less desperate. Once when I was sitting in Hippocrates square and drinking a beer, I asked one of the barkers what the job was like and was told that it required a strong stomach to cope with the stress. Their pay is commission based and that's why they act so hot. Waiters and barkers can tell from people's faces where they are from and it is not unusual to be addressed in Swedish, or Norwegian or wherever you are from.

Hippocrates Square has the largest number of barkers per tourist.

The barkers in the Jewish Martyr's Square use parrots to attract guests.

Recommending restaurants is difficult because there are so many, and that a restaurant that is good one year may not be the next. I go partly by gut feeling, partly by whether the restaurant has determined barkers. I never eat at restaurants that have tossers. Sometimes I sit down at one of the many gyros places and eat a gyro and watch people in all simplicity.

Restaurants at Socrates Fountain.

A restaurant that I always return to is Romeo Restaurant located at 7-9 Menekleous Street. Use Google maps to get there. I have eaten there many times and I have never been disappointed. The restaurant looks very kitschy, but the food is amazingly good. A few steps from Romeo Restaurant are the restaurants Nireas and The Sea Star Pizanias, both very good. Another very good tavern is Restaurant Mamma Sofia, which is located by the clock tower.

Romeo Restaurant gives a kitschy impression, but the food is very good.

Restaurant Mamma Sofia is also very good.

Restaurant Mamma Sofia is next to the bell tower, so you can't miss the restaurant.

There are as many bars and cafes as there are restaurants and tavernas.

If you don't want to sit down, you can buy drinks as take away.

When it comes to shopping, there are any number of souvenir shops, hat shops, jewel and gold shops, clothing shops, leather shops, bag shops (and so on). So if you like shopping, you will love the old town. There are also shops that sell alcohol, vapes and Swedish snuff (Zyn).

There are many leather shops in the old town. This particular one has its own cobbler.

One of many jewel and gold shops in the old town.

Shop that claims to sell original oil paintings. I don't believe that.

Here you can buy Swedish snuff (Zyn), spirits, wine, vapes and THC (cannabis).

This old barbershop is one of the very few "shops" that is not aimed at tourists.

Beaches then? If I want to take a swim after a walk around the old town, where do I go? There is a small beach just outside the old town, at the Arsenal Gate entrance and exit, which is pictured further up the page. Otherwise, it is not far to Elli beach and Windy beach.

Akti Sachtouri beach outside Arsenal Gate.

Elli beach is quite close to the old town.

Windy beach begins where Elli beach ends.

HOTELS IN RHODES OLD TOWN

Many hotels, if not all, are located in buildings that have been piously renovated. We always stay at Kristinas Rooms, which we like very much. But there are many other good family hotels. Below you will find suggestions for good hotels and pensions in the old town of Rhodes.

Kristinas Rooms is located in the alley where the red arrow points.

Book Kristinas Rooms here »

Book Evdokia Hotel here »

Book Boka Attiki Hotel här here »

Book Minos Pension here »

Book Sofia Pension here »

Book other hotels in Rhodes old town here »

WHAT YOU MUST NOT MISS WHEN YOU ARE IN RHODES OLD TOWN

Don't miss seeing the old town from above, which you can read about here »

Read more about Rhodes here »