Cruise port · Greece · Greek Isles
Rhodes cruise port guide
Rhodes is one of the easiest ports in Greece: ships dock right beside the walls of the medieval Old Town, a UNESCO-listed fortress city built by the Knights of St. John that you can walk into within minutes. Spend the day on its cobbled lanes and in the Palace of the Grand Master, or head south to the clifftop acropolis and white village of Lindos.
- Medieval history
- Walkable old town
- Lindos acropolis
- Beaches
- Independent explorers
Photo: Böhringer Friedrich, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Country
- Greece
- Region
- Greek Isles
- Type of stop
- Cruise port
- Language
- Greek. English is widely spoken in Rhodes Town and Lindos.
- Currency
- Euro (€). Cards are widely accepted; keep small bills for taxis and cafés.
- Best time to visit
- May–September
- Average highs
- 60–87°F through the year
About Rhodes
Step off the ship in Rhodes and the first thing you see is a wall: honey-colored ramparts, towers and gates raised by the crusader Knights of St. John, who ruled here for more than two centuries until the Ottomans took the island in 1522. Inside lies one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, still lived in, with mosques, Byzantine churches, a historic synagogue and the Knights’ own palace sharing the same knot of streets.
Most visitors choose between two very different days. Stay in Rhodes Town and you can explore the Old Town at your own pace, walk the dry moat and finish at Mandraki Harbour. Or spend half the day on the drive to Lindos, about an hour south, where a whitewashed village climbs to an ancient acropolis above an impossibly blue bay.
Rhodes suits history buffs and independent walkers best, since you need no tour at all for the Old Town. The trade-offs are summer heat, the slippery pebble-mosaic paving and touristy shopping streets near the gates, which can feel like a gauntlet on busy days.
Where cruise ships dock in Rhodes
Cruise ships berth in the main harbor just outside the Old Town walls. Depending on where your ship ties up, it’s a five- to fifteen-minute walk to the nearest gate, usually the Marine Gate or St. Catherine’s Gate, and the whole Old Town is walkable from there. Taxis wait near the port for trips to Lindos, Kallithea or Elli Beach. Give the Old Town at least three hours; a Lindos trip takes four to five hours with travel.
Best things to do in Rhodes on a cruise
- 1
Palace of the Grand Master
history
The Knights’ fortress-palace dominates the top of the Old Town. It was heavily rebuilt during the Italian occupation in the 1930s, so the interiors are partly a reconstruction, but the scale of the halls, the Roman and early Christian floor mosaics and the courtyard statues make it the Old Town’s headline sight.
- 2
Street of the Knights
history
Odos Ippoton is a straight, steep cobbled street lined with the stone inns where knights from each nation lodged, their coats of arms carved over the doors. It runs downhill from the palace and is quieter and more atmospheric than the shopping streets nearby. Early morning is the best time for photos.
- 3
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
history
Housed in the Knights’ former hospital, a handsome 15th-century building with an arcaded courtyard, the museum holds finds from across the island, including graceful marble statues of Aphrodite and pieces from ancient Kamiros and Ialyssos. The building alone is worth the visit.
- 4
Lindos and its acropolis
history
About an hour’s drive south, Lindos is a village of white houses and pebble courtyards climbing to an acropolis with a Doric temple to Athena inside a Knights’ castle. The climb is steep and very hot at midday. Below, St. Paul’s Bay is a near-enclosed lagoon of startling turquoise water.
- 5
Walk the moat and the walls
scenery
The wide, dry moat that rings the Old Town is now a grassy path where you can walk among the old stone cannonballs, looking up at the massive fortifications. It’s free, shaded in places and a calm escape when the lanes are busy.
- 6
Mandraki Harbour
scenery
Just north of the Old Town, this small harbor is guarded by bronze deer statues on columns, marking the spot where tradition places the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders. The idea that it straddled the entrance is a legend. Three old windmills line the breakwater.
- 7
Kallithea Springs
culture
A restored 1920s Italian spa a short drive south of town, with domed pavilions, palm trees and pebble-mosaic courtyards set around a small cove. You can swim or snorkel from the rocks, and it makes a relaxed alternative to a full beach day.
Rhodes weather by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F (°C) | 6016 | 6116 | 6217 | 6719 | 7323 | 8127 | 8730 | 8731 | 8329 | 7725 | 7021 | 6418 |
| Low °F (°C) | 5613 | 5714 | 5814 | 6116 | 6720 | 7323 | 7826 | 8027 | 7725 | 7122 | 6619 | 6015 |
| Rain in (mm) | 4.8121 | 2.359 | 2.460 | 0.717 | 0.717 | 0.49 | 0.13 | 0.26 | 0.718 | 1.230 | 2.666 | 4.3108 |
| Daylight (hrs) | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
What to eat and drink in Rhodes
Look for pitaroudia, crisp chickpea and tomato fritters, and melekouni, a sesame and honey bar traditionally given at weddings. Local seafood, grilled octopus and lamb stews are common in the tavernas. Souma, a strong grape spirit, is the island’s firewater. Restaurants on Sokratous Street cater to day-trippers; quieter lanes such as those in the old Jewish Quarter often offer better meals.
Tips for your port day
- If you want Lindos, book a ship tour or arrange a taxi early. The road is good, but you need about two hours of driving round trip plus time on the steep climb.
- The Old Town’s streets are paved with small upright pebbles that are hard on the feet and slippery when worn. Wear supportive shoes with grip.
- Go to the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights first, before the tour groups arrive from the ships.
- Rhodes is one of the sunniest places in Greece. Carry water, wear a hat and plan shade breaks, especially at Lindos.
- Shop away from Sokratous Street for better prices and less pressure; side lanes have more interesting crafts and fewer touts.
Cruise lines that visit Rhodes
Often on the same itinerary
Rhodes cruise FAQs
Can you walk from the Rhodes cruise port to the Old Town?
Yes. Ships dock just outside the Old Town walls, and the nearest gate is a five- to fifteen-minute walk depending on your berth. No shuttle or taxi is needed for the Old Town.
Is Lindos worth visiting on a Rhodes cruise stop?
Yes, if you have at least five hours and don’t mind heat and a steep climb. The acropolis views and St. Paul’s Bay are spectacular, but you trade a relaxed Old Town day for about two hours on the road.
Is Rhodes a tender port?
No. Rhodes has a deep-water harbor and cruise ships dock alongside, so you walk straight off the ship and into town.
What is the closest beach to the Rhodes cruise port?
Elli Beach, at the northern tip of Rhodes Town, is about a 20- to 30-minute walk or a short taxi ride. It has sunbeds, cafés and a diving platform offshore.
Did the Colossus of Rhodes really stand over the harbor?
Not as popularly pictured. The giant bronze statue did exist in ancient times and stood somewhere in the city, but historians agree it could not have straddled the harbor entrance. It fell in an earthquake within a century of being built.
Updated November 2026 by the BookMyDreamCruise editorial team. How we research and fact-check.
Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, NASA POWER climate data.