Rhodes gives you a medieval city at the gangway - no transfer, no tender and no need for a tour. The walled Old Town is the day; Lindos is the ambitious alternative. See Rhodes’s place page and the Greek Isles route.
Getting ashore
Ships dock at the Tourist Port beside the city walls. The nearest Old Town gate is a flat five-minute walk. Elli Beach is 25 minutes along the waterfront.
What to do in 6-10 hours
Walk the Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Master (€8-12), Archaeological Museum and Jewish Quarter - a three-hour loop. Add lunch and Elli Beach. Lindos is 50 km away: bus about €6 each way, taxi costly, ship tour €60-100.
Walking level
Old Town is flat but paved with rough cobbles; the palace has steps. Elli Beach is flat. Lindos is steep, hot and donkey-dependent, with 300 steps to the Acropolis - poor for limited mobility.
Excursion or independent
Independent for Rhodes town. Book Lindos through the ship if you insist, because road time is long; otherwise enjoy the city at the dock. The full trade-off is in ship excursion or independent.
What it costs
Old Town free; palace €8-12; museum €6-10; lunch €20-35; Lindos bus €12 return or tour €60-100. City day €35-60.
The five-minute version
- Old Town starts five minutes from the ship.
- Medieval loop takes three easy hours.
- Rough cobbles: sturdy shoes.
- Lindos is steep and 50 km away.
- Rhodes city is the better independent day.
- Tickets: buy Palace of the Grand Master entry on the Greek state's official e-ticket portal (etickets.tap.gr) to skip the Old Town ticket line.