Rhodes, Greece: Just Got Back

Rhodes, Greece

The medieval city of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage site and formerly the site of the Colossus of Rhodes --- one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We got off the ship about 7:30 am and walked into town, bypassing the first Gate and entering the city at the main Marina Gate. At that hour shops are still closed and almost no one is around. We enjoyed wandering the near-deserted streets of this old town which dates back to 407 BC. We ventured up the cobblestone Street of Knights and came upon the Palace of the Grand Masters which had just opened at 8:00 am. A €10 combo ticket is valid for the Palace and the Archaeological Museum.

After exploring the Palace, we walked past the Temple of Aphrodite and exited the walled city to catch the first Rhodes Little Red Train (€7), a 45 min tour "around the more out of the way sights of Rhodes town". The "station" is on Pl. Eleftherias in front of Aktaion bakery (a worthy stop in its own right for inexpensive sandwiches and Greek baked goods). Unfortunately, as of May 2, it hadn't yet opened for the season, so we walked back towards the walled city and ended up taking a fascinating 1 mile walk around the outside of the city walls, primarily circumnavigating the Palace of the Grand Master, past strewn stone cannonballs, before reentering the ancient city via a moat entrance near the Gate of St Antonios.

Back on the street inside the walled city, we found ourselves surrounded by interesting souvenir shops and cafes. Looking up, we saw the Medieval Clock Tower Roloi and were drawn to it. Upon arrival, we found the entrance guarded by a pretty local woman who required €5 to pass. Inasmuch as we were parched and the tribute included a free drink at the tower's shaded courtyard bar, and free wi-fi, in addition to accessing the tower's 360-degree panoramic views and picture-taking opportunities, we gladly handed her our Monopoly money and went in. This was a bargain. It was a great place to enjoy a couple bottles of Mythos beer and unwind in the middle of the day.

After our respite, we headed for the Archaeological Museum to make use of our combo ticket. This is a huge and interesting museum with lots to see. The more you explore, the more you'll find and the more you'll want to look. About 90-minutes later we found our way out and headed back to the ship. The streets were packed and highly festive with shops and cafes lining our route out to the Gate of Virgins, which is closer to the ship and is a different route out than we came in. Lots of beer (some in big glass boots) and Greek food specials were advertised by the cafes along the route. Hint: avoid a potential scam and confirm the price of the big glass boots of draft beer before you imbibe.

Complete, very detailed review of entire cruise and precruise preparation:

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/eastern-mediterranean.html

Thank you for posting your pictures and comments.

Thanks for the great review and lovely photos.

I'm intrigued at the 'Rhodes Little Red Train tour' - was a good way to see some of the town? Did you enjoy it? It seems like an inexpensive way of getting a quick tour of the town.

Thanks

We too were intrigued enough to seek out the Rhodes Little Red Train tour. Unfortunately, as of May 2, it hadn't started running yet. Note that it runs outside the ancient wall, not inside. I understand that the best time to take it is in the morning before it gets too hot or crowded.

In case anyone didn't know already... it just looks like a train. It has wheels and runs on the road like a Disney parking tram. It doesn't run on tracks.

We too were intrigued enough to seek out the Rhodes Little Red Train tour. Unfortunately, as of May 2, it hadn't started running yet. Note that it runs outside the ancient wall, not inside. I understand that the best time to take it is in the morning before it gets too hot or crowded.

 

In case anyone didn't know already... it just looks like a train. It has wheels and runs on the road like a Disney parking tram. It doesn't run on tracks.

Excellent - hopefully it’s running by the 20th July when I’m there. Many thanks :D