Rhodes 3-day itinerary

Enter through the D'Amboise Gate into the medieval walled city — UNESCO World Heritage and the finest medieval town in Europe. Walk the atmospheric Street of the Knights (Odos Ippoton). Visit the Palace of the Grand Master (€8) — originally a Byzantine citadel, rebuilt by the Knights of St. John, with stunning mosaic floors from ancient Kos. The sheer scale of the fortifications is extraordinary.

Lose yourself in the Old Town's maze of 200+ narrow lanes. Explore the Jewish Quarter around Plateia Evreon Martyron (Square of the Jewish Martyrs) with its seahorse fountain memorial. Visit the Ottoman-era Süleymaniye Mosque and the Turkish Bath (hamam, €5). Lunch at Hatzikelis in the old fish market for fresh seafood on the harbour wall (mains €12–18).

Walk the medieval walls from the Palace to the Clock Tower (€2.50, includes a drink) for panoramic views over the Old Town and harbour at sunset. Dinner at Mama Sofia on Orfeos Street for traditional Rhodian dishes — pitaroudia (chickpea fritters), stuffed vine leaves, and lamb kleftiko (€10–16). End at a rooftop bar on Sokratous Street watching the medieval skyline glow.

Take the KTEL bus from Rhodes Town to Lindos (1 hour, €5.50 each way). This sugar-cube village tumbles down a hillside beneath a spectacular ancient Acropolis. Climb to the Acropolis of Lindos (€12) — a Doric temple perched on a sheer cliff 116m above the sea with 360° views of the coastline. The climb is steep and hot, but the panorama from the top is the best on the island.

Cool off at Lindos Beach or the more secluded St. Paul's Bay — a perfect sheltered cove framed by cliffs where St. Paul supposedly landed in 51 AD. Swim in the crystal-clear water and rent a sun lounger (€8). Walk through Lindos village's whitewashed lanes, admiring the "captain's houses" with their pebble-mosaic courtyards (kalderimi). Lunch at Mavrikos for upscale Greek (mains €14–20).

Watch sunset from the Acropolis viewpoint above the village (you don't need to enter the site — the viewpoint is free). The sun setting behind the bay with the ancient columns silhouetted is magical. Take the evening bus back to Rhodes Town (last bus around 9pm). Late dinner at To Marouli in the Old Town for meze and local wine, or grab a gyros from a Nea Agora stall (€3–4).

Rent a scooter (€20–25/day) or take a bus to Ancient Kamiros (35 min, €5) — one of the three ancient cities of Rhodes and the "Pompeii of Greece." The hillside ruins reveal an entire Hellenistic city layout with streets, houses, and a water system dating to the 5th century BC (€6). The site gets far fewer visitors than Lindos and the views over the Aegean are breathtaking.

Head to Tsambika Beach on the east coast — arguably the island's most beautiful beach with fine golden sand and warm turquoise water. It's backed by dramatic cliffs and the monastery of Tsambika perches above. Sun loungers cost €8 for two, or stake out a spot on the free section at the south end. The water is shallow and warm — perfect for a long, lazy swim.

Return to the Old Town for a farewell dinner. Splurge at Marco Polo Mansion — a boutique hotel with a candlelit Ottoman courtyard and Mediterranean-Greek fusion (mains €16–22). Or keep it simple at Nireas by the harbour for fresh grilled fish and a carafe of local wine. End with a final walk along the illuminated medieval walls, with the harbour lights reflecting on the dark water.