Mediterranean › Greek Isles › Rhodes
Rhodes, Dodecanese, Greece
Europe's best-preserved medieval walled city is a 5-minute walk from where your ship ties up — then a hilltop acropolis village awaits 50 km down the coast.
Europe's best-preserved medieval walled city is a 5-minute walk from where your ship ties up — then a hilltop acropolis village awaits 50 km down the coast.
Rhodes is one of the easiest Greek island ports for cruisers — ships dock right at the edge of the medieval city, and you can walk to the Old Town gate in minutes.
💡 Pro move: The Old Town is entirely walkable from the port with no extra transport needed. For beaches, the closest is Elli Beach (10 min walk north); for Lindos, plan at least 3 hrs round-trip travel plus time on the ground.
Rhodes is a dock port — no tendering. Ships tie up at the Commercial Port, which sits directly beside the medieval Old Town walls.
| Cruise Line | Typical Berth / Arrival | Dock or Tender |
|---|---|---|
| Most major cruise lines | Commercial Port (Kolona), Rhodes Town📍 | Docked |
| Small ships & sailing vessels | Mandraki Harbour, Rhodes Town📍 | Docked |
You can cover the Old Town on your own for free; book a tour for Lindos, the Valley of the Butterflies, or a catamaran day — those need transport you won't easily arrange solo.
The Old Town of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage city of 200,000 sq m enclosed by 4 km of crusader walls. Enter through Freedom Gate, follow Ippoton (Street of the Knights) to the Palace of the Grand Masters, then get happily lost in the cobbled lanes of the Jewish Quarter and the Turkish Quarter (Muradiye Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque — real landmarks).
Find guided Old Town tours →The whitewashed clifftop village of Lindos, 50 km south, has an ancient acropolis with a Doric Temple of Athena and views over a turquoise bay. The village below is car-free cobblestoned perfection. Go early — it gets very hot and crowded by midday.
Find Lindos tours →From late June through August, thousands of Jersey tiger moths mass in this lush valley about 26 km southwest of Rhodes Town. A shaded boardwalk winds through a stream canyon. Go in the morning for the best sight.
Find Valley of the Butterflies tours →Anthony Quinn Bay (Vagies Bay), named after the actor who fell in love with the island filming 'The Guns of Navarone,' is a stunning cove 15 km south. Catamaran day trips include snorkeling, swimming, and usually a simple BBQ lunch.
Find catamaran tours →Housed in the original Hospital of the Knights of St. John (built 1440–1489) in the Old Town, this is one of the finest medieval buildings in Greece and holds superb Hellenistic sculpture including the Marine Venus. Entry ~€6.
Find history tours of Rhodes →The Old Town is dense, beautiful, and entirely walkable — a half-day of wandering beats any tour inside the walls.
The spine of the medieval city. Enter through Freedom Gate from the port, pass through Symi Square, and climb the cobbled Ippoton Street — the best-preserved medieval street in Europe — flanked by the inns of the Knights of St. John. It ends at the Palace of the Grand Masters (entry ~€8), a massive fortified citadel with mosaic floors from Kos.
🗺️ See full route in Maps →From Hippocrates Square (the commercial heart) head south to the Kahal Shalom Synagogue — the oldest in Greece, still active — then wind northwest through the Ottoman-era Turkish Quarter past the Süleymaniye Mosque and covered bazaar lanes back toward Freedom Gate.
🗺️ See full route in Maps →Climate normals for Rhodes, Dodecanese, Greece (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Rainy Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F / 14°C | 51°F / 11°C | 13 |
| Feb | 60°F / 16°C | 52°F / 11°C | 9 |
| Mar | 62°F / 17°C | 54°F / 12°C | 8 |
| Apr | 68°F / 20°C | 58°F / 14°C | 5 |
| May | 76°F / 24°C | 65°F / 18°C | 4 |
| Jun | 83°F / 28°C | 71°F / 22°C | 1 |
| Jul | 89°F / 32°C | 77°F / 25°C | 0 |
| Aug | 89°F / 32°C | 78°F / 26°C | 0 |
| Sep | 85°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 1 |
| Oct | 77°F / 25°C | 68°F / 20°C | 4 |
| Nov | 69°F / 21°C | 61°F / 16°C | 7 |
| Dec | 62°F / 17°C | 55°F / 13°C | 10 |
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Upcoming cruises that call at Rhodes, Dodecanese, Greece. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.