Greece - Korina Miller [415]
When the Roman Empire split, Rhodes joined the Byzantine province of the Dodecanese. It was given independence when the Crusaders seized Constantinople. Later the Genoese gained control. The Knights of St John arrived in Rhodes in 1309 and ruled for 213 years until they were ousted by the Ottomans, who were in turn kicked out by the Italians nearly four centuries later. In 1947, after 35 years of Italian occupation, Rhodes became part of Greece along with the other Dodecanese islands.
Getting There & Away
AIR
Olympic Air (Map; 22410 24571; Ierou Lohou 9) has flights across Greece and the Dodecanese while Aegean Airlines ( 22410 98345; Diagoras airport) offers flights to Athens, Thessaloniki, Iraklio and Rome.
For more on flights between islands, Island Hopping.
BOAT
Rhodes is the main port of the Dodecanese and offers a complex array of departures to Piraeus, Sitia, Thessaloniki and many stops in between. Dodekanisos Seaways (Map; 22410 70590; Afstralias 3) runs daily catamarans up and down the Dodecanese. Tickets are available from the kiosk at the dock. In Rhodes Town you’ll also find the Sea Star ticket booth for ferries to Tilos and the ANES ticket booth for long-distance ferries to Athens.
The EOT Click here in Rhodes Town can provide you with current schedules. Tickets are available from at Skevos’ Travel Agency.
Two local ferries, the Nissos Halki and Nikos Express, run daily between Halki and Skala Kamirou on Rhodes (€10, approximately 30 minutes), including a daily car-carrying caïque.
Two local ferries, the Nissos Halki and Nikos Express, run daily between Halki and Skala Kamirou on Rhodes (€10, one hour).
Island Hopping.
International
There is a daily catamaran from Rhodes’ Commercial harbour to Marmaris, Turkey (50 minutes), departing at 8am and 4.30pm from June to September. In winter, sailings twice weekly at 2pm. Tickets cost €36 one way plus €15 Turkish port tax. Same-day return tickets are only €1 more. Open return tickets cost €46 plus €29 tax. There is also a passenger and car ferry service on this same route (car/passenger €95/49 including taxes, 1¼ hours), running four or five times a week in summer and less often in winter. Book online at rhodes.marmarisinfo.com or contact Triton Holidays.
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
The Diagoras airport is 16km southwest of Rhodes Town, near Paradisi. Buses depart regularly between the airport and Rhodes Town’s Eastern Bus Terminal (Map) from 6.30am to 11.15pm (€2.20, 25 minutes). On Sunday, buses stop running at around 11.45am.
BICYCLE
A range of bicycles is available for hire at Bicycle Centre (Map; 22410 28315; Griva 39; per day €5).
BOAT
There are excursion boats to Lindos and Symi (€22 return) daily in summer, leaving Mandraki Harbour at 9am and returning at 6pm. An older boat heads to Diafani on Karpathos, departing at 8.30am from Mandraki Harbour and returning at 6pm. From Diafani, a bus will take you on to Olymbos. By tickets on board.
BUS
Rhodes Town has two island bus terminals, located a block away from one another, and each servicing half of the island. There is regular transport across the island all week, with fewer services on Saturday and only a few on Sunday. You can pick up schedules from the kiosks at either terminal or from the EOT office Click here. Unlimited travel tickets are available for one/two/three days (€10/15/25).
From the Eastern Bus Terminal (Map) there are regular services to the airport (€2.20), Kalithea Thermi (€2), Salakos (€4), Ancient Kamiros (€4.60) and Monolithos (€6). From the Western Bus Terminal (Map) there are services to Faliraki (€2), Tsambika Beach (€3), Stegna Beach (€3.50) and Lindos (€4.50).
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
There are numerous car- and motorcycle-hire