Rhodes Town is divided into two distinct parts: the medieval old town within the walls, and the modern new town immediately outside them. Both have their own character and their own hotel offer — and the choice between staying inside the walls and staying in the modern town makes a significant difference to the experience of the destination.
The old town of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the world. Built by the Knights of St John between the 14th and 16th centuries, the fortified city encloses a complete medieval settlement within 4 kilometres of walls — the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master, Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques, Venetian merchant houses and a working market that has been in continuous use for centuries. Walking through the old town in the early morning — before the cruise ships arrive and the main streets fill — is one of those travel experiences that Eleni considers genuinely irreplaceable. The stones, the scale of the walls and the layers of history visible in every building create an atmosphere that no beach resort can offer.
Staying within the walls of the old town means waking up inside a medieval city — the sound of the streets below, breakfast on a rooftop terrace with views over the fortifications, the possibility of walking to the Palace of the Grand Master or the harbour before the day has properly begun. The hotels within the walls tend to be boutique properties — restored medieval buildings, small luxury guesthouses, intimate properties with considerable character. They are not large all inclusive resorts. They do not have pools in most cases, and beach access requires a short taxi ride. But for guests who want a genuinely different Greek island experience, they offer something that the beach resorts of Faliraki or Ixia simply cannot.
The new town immediately outside the walls has a broader range of hotels at more competitive prices, with easier access to the beach at Elli — a pleasant stretch of sand directly on the northern tip of the peninsula — and to the restaurants and bars of the modern waterfront. For guests who want the Rhodes Town atmosphere and easy access to the old city without committing entirely to a boutique old-town hotel, the new town is a practical and often very good-value compromise.
Eleni’s specific recommendation for Rhodes Town: visit the old town at least once at dusk, when the light on the honey-coloured stone walls changes and the day-tripper crowds have left. The harbour at this hour, with the medieval buildings reflected in the water and the restaurants beginning to fill for the evening, is one of the most beautiful views on the island. If you are staying in the old town, you have this on your doorstep every evening. If you are staying in Faliraki or Ixia, it is worth the taxi fare at least once.
One honest note: Rhodes Town is not a beach resort. The main beaches are a taxi ride away, and guests whose primary holiday requirement is beach time with all inclusive facilities will find Faliraki or Kiotari more suitable bases. Rhodes Town is for guests who want history, atmosphere and the experience of living inside one of Europe’s finest medieval cities — with the beach as a secondary rather than primary element of the holiday.
For luxury Rhodes Town hotels, Rhodes holidays from the UK or Greece package holidays — book through GotoBeach with full ATOL protection under licence #11211, low deposits from £30 per person and the honest advice of a team that knows Rhodes properly.
