The Rhodes Guide
Written By Locals.
We live here. We've eaten at every taverna, swum every cove, and hiked every goat path. This is our island. Let us show you around.
Start exploring20+ years living on Rhodes
200+ tavernas tried
Every beach tested (tough job)
Zero sponsored picks
Rhodes isn't one place. It's a dozen.
From clifftop acropolises to wine villages in the hills, each corner of the island has its own character. Tap any village to reveal the local tip we'd only tell a friend.
The whitewashed jewel
Lindos
Clinging to a clifftop acropolis above turquoise bays, Lindos is postcard Rhodes, with narrow alleys, rooftop tavernas, and donkeys carrying visitors up the hill.
A living medieval maze
Rhodes Old Town
One of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, wrapped in 4km of UNESCO-listed walls. Ottoman fountains, Knights' inns, and hidden squares at every turn.
Art Deco by the sea
Kalithea Springs
A restored 1920s Italian thermal spa with mosaic courtyards, peacock-tail pavilions, and crystalline coves. Part museum, part beach club, entirely magical.
Wine country in the hills
Embona (Emponas)
Rhodes' highest village, nestled on the slopes of Mt. Attavyros. Stone houses, vineyards, and the island's best red wine, Athiri grape, crisp and mineral.
Sunset over the sea
Monolithos
A quiet west-coast village crowned by a Knight's castle perched on a sheer rock. The sunset view from the castle ruins is, honestly, the best on the island.
The laid-back local bay
Haraki (Charaki)
A sleepy fishing village with a crescent bay, a handful of tavernas, and Feraklos Castle watching from the hill. No big hotels, no nightlife, just quiet Greek life.
Beach & monastery hill
Tsambika
A sweep of golden sand backed by cliffs, with a whitewashed monastery perched on the hill above. Climb the 300 steps for the view, then collapse on the beach.
Pine-fringed relaxed resort
Pefkos
A low-key resort village tucked between Lindos and Lardos, named for the pines that tumble down to the sea. No high-rises, no foam parties, just tavernas and a slow pace.
The locals' long beach
Afandou
One of the longest beaches on the island, a curved stretch of pebble-and-sand that never feels crowded. The village sits a kilometre inland, genuine and unhurried.
Sheltered family bay
Kolymbia
A purpose-built resort around a narrow inlet, with a tunnel of eucalyptus trees leading to a calm, shallow bay. The wind that batters the west coast barely reaches here.
Where two seas meet
Prasonisi
The southernmost tip of Rhodes, where a sandy spit joins a tiny island and the Aegean and Mediterranean collide. A mecca for windsurfers and kiters, and a surreal place to swim.
The Greek Pompeii
Ancient Kamiros
The ruins of a city abandoned in antiquity, terraced down to the sea. Less famous than Lindos, far quieter, and arguably more evocative, you can almost hear the old market.
The spots the guidebooks miss.
We've spent years finding the Rhodes that doesn't make the Instagram cut, and it's often better than the famous stuff. Reveal the local secret on each one.
NatureSeven Springs (Epta Piges)
A shaded woodland of seven natural springs, a 186m dark tunnel walk, and a cool duck pond. 10°C cooler than the coast, a lifesaver in August.
Walk the tunnel barefoot — the water's ankle-deep and refreshingly cold. Do NOT do it if you're claustrophobic.
BeachAgathi Beach
A hidden sandy cove near Haraki, reached by a dirt track. Shallow turquoise water, no sunbeds, just a small canteen selling cold drinks and souvlaki.
Park at Haraki and walk the coastal path (20 mins) instead of the rutted road. Bring everything you need: there's nothing to buy nearby.
RuinsKamiros
The 'Greek Pompeii' — an ancient city abandoned and preserved. Terraced ruins overlooking the sea, with nobody around most of the time.
Go at 4pm: the light hits the ruins perfectly and you'll likely have the whole site to yourself. Skip the museum, walk the slopes.
MountainProfitis Ilias (Elafos Hotel)
An abandoned Swiss-chalet-style hotel in the alpine forests of Mt. Profitis Ilias. Deer roam freely, the air is pine-scented, and it feels like another country.
Bring the deer some apples (they love them) but don't feed them bread. The hotel interior is unsafe: admire it from outside.
BeachStegna Beach
A pebble bay where locals actually swim, with four family-run tavernas right on the sand and zero resort hotels. Pure, unhurried Greek island life.
Taverna Stegna does the best grilled octopus on the island. Book a beach table for sunset: they don't take walk-ins in August.
SpringsThermes Kallithea (off-season)
The famous Kalithea Springs, but visit in October when the day-trippers have gone and you can swim the thermal coves with just the locals.
Entry is free after 5pm in shoulder season. The water is warmest in October, heated by the springs all summer.
Our personal shortlist.
The places we send our own friends and family. No sponsored picks, no tourist traps, just where we'd actually go for dinner, a swim, or a glass of wine.
Taverna Kostas (Old Town)
Rhodes Old Town
No menu. Kostas cooks what's good that day. The moussaka is legendary and the owner remembers every face.
Mavrikos (Lindos)
Lindos
Three generations of the same family, rooftop terrace over the bay, and the first Michelin-starred kitchen in the Dodecanese. Book ahead.
Capriccio (Haraki)
Haraki
Beachfront fish so fresh it was swimming that morning. Order whatever the captain caught today.
Niovi (Embona)
Embona
Mountain taverna serving goat slow-cooked in a wood oven. Pair with the village red. No tourists.