The medieval Old Town of Rhodes is one of the most important monuments of the island and the largest UNESCO protected area in Rhodes.

The history of the Old Town's intricate streets dates back to the 7th century, although most of the oldest surviving monuments date from the 14th century, when the city was ruled by the Knights of St. John and later the Ottoman Empire.

The old town is surrounded by 4 km of massive and well-preserved walls with beautiful gates.

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Rhodes Old Town is one of the best preserved of its kind in Europe!

Top attractions not to be missed

We were fascinated by the Old Town and visited it perhaps 5 times during our visit to the island. But the truth is that we stayed 3 nights right in Rhodes Town.

If you're staying in one of the seaside resorts, take a half-day or even a full-day trip here.

The Palace of the Grand Masters of the Order of the Johanites

• An imposing fortress and symbol of knightly power in Rhodes.
• Inside you'll find a museum with mosaics, artefacts and beautiful inner courtyards.
• Ideal for history and architecture lovers.
• Detailed information and our photos here.

Knights Street

• One of the best preserved medieval streets in Europe.
• It connects the Palace of the Grand Masters with the former Knights' Hospital.
• Surrounded by inns of the various national languages of the Order.
• Detailed information with our photos here.

Ruins of the Church of Our Lady of Burgh

• A place with a magical atmosphere.
• The 14th century church was destroyed during the Second World War.
• Detailed information with our photos here.

Clocktower Roloi

• The highest point of the old town with a panoramic view of the entire historic core.
• Historic tower from the 19th century.
• Detailed information with our photos here.

Archaeological Museum

• A rich collection of ancient and medieval artifacts.
• The building itself is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
• Admission is at 10 eur and detailed opening hours can be found on the official website: archaeologicalmuseums.gr

A walk through the moat of the walls

• Although the ramparts as such are usually inaccessible, there is a walking trail through the moat around the entire Old Town.
• It is less than 3 km long in total.
• A great opportunity to feel like you are in the Middle Ages - surrounded by massive walls with no contact with the civilized world.

Suleiman and Sindrivan Mosque

• Two 16th century mosques, each at one end of Socrates Street.
• The interiors are unfortunately not open to the public.

Experience the bustling shopping streets and the quiet backstreets

The busiest streets on the whole island stretch from the eastern edge through the centre to the western edge of the Old Town:

• Aristotle Street.
• Socrates Street
• Orpheus Street

Here you'll find a huge number of tourist restaurants and souvenir shops.

However, just turn down any side street and you'll find yourself in a quiet world of medieval alleyways, with just you and lots of street cats.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Rhodes Town.