Rhodes old and new town

Rhodes town is one of the main tourist attractions on the island with the same name. Undoubtedly you will visit this here during your stay on the Island. If it is not for the beach and the nightlife, then it is for the many interesting sights that can be found here from days long past.

Rhodos stad is een van de belangrijkste toeristische trekpleisters op het gelijknamige eiland. Ongetwijfeld zul je tijdens je verblijf op Rhodos een bezoek aan deze stad brengen. Is het niet voor het strand en de uitgaansgelegenheden, dan is het wel voor de vele interessante bezienswaardigheden die hier te vinden zijn uit lang vervlogen tijden.

Rhodes town can be divided into 3 parts

• the medieval part
• the antique part
• the modern part

Rhodes town is one of the best preserved medieval fortified towns on the list of UNESCO and therefore more than worth to be discovered. Walking through the narrow streets with the cobblestones, you can admire the imposing knights’ buildings, the ramparts, moat, Byzantine churches and minarets. Undoubtedly you get the feeling that time seems to have stood still here. This part of the city could thus be the setting for a film …. The whole breathes a very relaxed atmosphere, even though you also notice that Rhodes Town is now a lively place. However, the old city is worthy of further exploration!

Within the walls of the fortress you will also find the Palace of the Grand Masters, dating from the 14th century. The walls are made of beige sandstone, originating from Archangelos.

The palace consists of 205 impressive rooms and lounges and houses a unique collection of 16th and 17th century furniture. Beautiful Roman mosaic floors from Kos are also exhibited here.

Also worth a visit is the Melina Merkouri theater, located on the moat of the medieval city. Here, concerts, theater and dance performances are organized throughout the summer with the beautiful backdrop of the bastions of the fortress wall in the background. A tour with a guide is recommended when you want to get to know this part of the city extensively. You will visit the Archaeological Museum, which is housed in a building that was also the Gothic hospital of the Johannites.

Admire the various mosques that were built during the Turkish occupation and discover the inns of the crusaders, located on the famous Ridderstraat (Ippoton).

The bustling center of the medieval city is now Hippokratus Square. Here is the Sokratesstraat, the city’s shopping center. Around the square are many bars, restaurants and nightlife, making it always fun here.

The NEW TOWN

Most tourist facilities and entertainment venues are located in the modern part of the city. During the day you can enjoy here on one of the terraces. And in the evening you can enjoy the vibrant nightlife of Rhodes town here.

When visiting Rhodes town it is also worth to visit the famous Mandraki harbor with a visit. Mandraki was one of the five ports that existed on Rhodes in ancient times. Nowadays, dozens of yachts arrive daily and day boats leave to, among others, Lindos and Symi. Next to the harbor are the three stone Byzantine windmills that are often photographed. Just like the two pillars on the head of the harbor, on both of them an image of a deer (symbol of the island of Rhodes). The pillars replace the enormous Kollos of Rhodes that existed in ancient times.

And do you like shopping? Then, apart from the numerous small shops in the city in the imposing complex of the Nea Agora, near the harbor, you will find a beautiful shopping center.

Finally, the Rhodini park, located only 3 km away from Rhodes town. You will find several beautiful gardens rich in flowers, picturesque lanes and rustic ponds. Wonderful to take a rest after a day in the city! And when you are on holiday with children, a visit to the small zoo here, including the famous deer of Rhodes, is also recommended. In the park you can also see part of the remains of the old dead city with, among other things, the tomb of Ptolemy, carved into a rock.