The Greek island of Rhodes, is a wonderfully pink kind of a place. As I sat in the taxi from the airport to the village of Archangelos, the sky was blushing with a rosy glow- which tinted the landscape with the same warm blush. Along the roadside and up into the dry hills were pops of bright Barbie pink hibiscus flowers, bursting open like fireworks. I kept my eyes peeled for goats, but none appeared. It was the first evening of my 3 days in Rhodes (and four nights), and goats or no goats, all these shades of pink were soothing my stresses after a delayed flight and a very chaotic airport.
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Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, a dry archipelago speckled with pine forests, which are far closer to the Turkish coastline than the mainland of Greece. And although this stunning island has a fascinating history woven with ancient Greeks, medieval knights, and the Ottoman Empire, these days it’s more often visited for its family resorts and party towns like the notorious Faliraki. I’d come to spend 3 days in Rhodes partly because it was so easy to reach from England; there are plenty of flights between Rhodes and London, and although I’d considered getting a ferry from there to a quieter island, I didn’t want to waste what little time I had to explore.
I love Greece, in fact there’s nowhere in this country that I’ve visited and not loved: from the brilliant green islands of Corfu and Lefkada, to the sprawling metropolis of Athens, the volcanic speck of Santorini and the tranquil countryside of the Peloponnese. Most of these travels in Greece have been as a solo traveller. But I was still unsure about Rhodes, and what I’d make of its holiday atmosphere in late June.
3 Days in Rhodes: Where I Stayed
After some confusion locating the Airbnb (the taxi driver took my phone, which had the host on speaker, to yell into it in Greek until we spotted Charikleia waving to us from a street corner ahead), I was in. And this place was absolutely gorgeous.
A footpath led through a little garden filled with fragrant herbs, past an old bread oven and up to the front door. Inside, one cavernous but cozy room looked the same as it had done for years and years, following the single-roomed set up of traditional rural homes in Rhodes. Beds were on raised platforms on each side of the room, reachable by little wooden staircases and shrouded from view with a single curtain, and as well as a table and chairs in the middle, there was a small seating area close to the floor, decorated with colourful embroidered rugs and cushions.
But the most beautiful part of all? That would be the plates, adorning the walls in one of the grandest shows of crockery I’d ever seen. (Not that I’ve seen many ‘shows of crockery’, unless you count The Great Pottery Throw Down.) Charikleia explained that it was traditional back in the day that on her wedding day, a bride would arrive in her new home with a collection of hand-painted plates to be hung on the walls. She proudly showed me photos from the village in years gone by, and said I was welcome to have a look through the old photos whenever.
I’d wanted to find a more traditional place to spend my 3 days in Rhodes, and oh my goodness me I had most certainly found it. I couldn’t have picked a better spot.
After a quick tour of the kitchen and bathroom, which included instructions for watering the basil and greeting the cat that came wandering through daily, Charikleia moved on to the food.
“Now. I brought for you some fruits.” She picked up each fruit as she announced it. “Nectarine. Country of origin: local. From here, Rodos, Greece. Another nectarine. Country of origin: local. Also from here, Rodos, Greece. Bananas. Country of origin: not Greece. Sorry.”
“No need to apologise, it’s really fine! I’m very grateful.” Nobody had ever apologised to me for the nationality of a banana before.
“Now, you must be hungry. It is late. Your flight was long. I have made for you: moussaka! Greek moussaka. And-” she whipped a tea towel theatrically off of its hidden contents- “traditional bread! It’s very delicious; we make it in the clay oven like outside.”
What an absolute gem this woman was.
3 Days in Rhodes: My Rhodes Itinerary
Day 1: Lindos
Full disclaimer here, pals. Day 1 of 3 days in Rhodes, was the 27th June. And the 27th of June, is actually my birthday. You might think it’s a bit of a strange one, to fly all the way to another country to spend your birthday alone, but that’s just the way I roll these days. I spend so much time working away from England, that I’ve missed not just other peoples’ birthdays, but weddings, christenings and funerals too. The majority of friends and family are super duper understanding, but despite that when it comes to my own birthday I definitely feel a level of guilt at the prospect of celebrating it at home. Once upon a time I had big birthday gatherings or meals or parties, but these days I find it tricky to be enthusiastic about celebrating, when I’m so rarely there to celebrate anyone else.
So this year, I was very happy to spend my birthday solo. And exploring the beautiful little village of Lindos.
Lindos is a must-see destination on any Rhodes itinerary; not only is it extremely pretty, but there’s a beautiful beach down at the foot of the village, and a breathtaking ancient acropolis overlooking the entire beautiful spot. The acropolis is one of the most-visited historical sites in Greece, although when the Knights of St John took control of the island- which they then kept for around 200 years- they built a castle surrounding the ancient temples, houses and walls.
By late June the weather in Rhodes was already stiflingly hot, so when I left the bus in Lindos I practically sprinted across to a small shop to buy a bottle of water, resisting the urge to simply douse myself in it. I made my way into the winding alleyways of the village, which are filled with classic whitewashed houses, and cobbled streets. Cars can’t fit through these lanes, but every now and again a moped or a motorbike would rumble past. Away from the main streets lined with souvenir shops, jewellery stores and boutiques, not many people ventured- so despite Lindos clearly being a popular place, it was very easy to escape the crowds and mingle solely with the cats who padded softly in the shadows.
After lunch- a spinach pie and a fresh orange juice in the shady courtyard of The Village Cafe– I began the trek up the hill to the Acropolis. It was hot. It was sticky. There wasn’t a whole lot of shade. But I was, undoubtedly, loving it. I spent the afternoon clambering over the ruins, up stone staircases and through crumbled archways. Visiting such ancient places always makes me feel rather small in the grander scheme of THE ENTIRE WORLD HISTORY, and the views across the village in one direction, and down to St Paul’s Bay in the other, were stunning.
Later that evening, I broke my own rule of solo travelling and went out for dinner. Let me explain, pals: normally I restrict myself to breakfast or lunchtime meals out only. They’re somehow far less awkward than an evening meal by yourself, mostly because earlier in the day isn’t generally a busy time. But I’d been in Lindos so long that I was absolutely starving and in need of some kind of sustenance; I also hadn’t been to a supermarket yet because I’d been so eager to be up and out in the morning.
I found a local taverna in Archangelos just as dusk was setting in, took a seat, and ordered a few things from the menu. Within five minutes of me ordering, the restaurant was completely full with a combination of large groups talking over each other in sociable joy, and a few English or German couples who seemed to have run out of things to say to each other. The owner was eyeing me with suspicion, and any new group who entered looked accusingly over at me as they were turned away. I actually felt really, really awkward, and downright terrible for taking up a whole table for just little old me. Scarfing my entire meal, and wine- which in fairness, one of the waiters had graciously filled almost to the top- as fast as I possibly could, I paid the bill as swiftly as I possibly could, left a generous tip, and got the heck out of there.
Did I get lost on the way home? Why yes, yes I did. Luckily Archangelos is a small place; even though everything looks different in the dark, it didn’t take me long to get back on track.
Day 2: Rhodes Town
I didn’t have much of a grand plan for my 3 days in Rhodes, and was generally taking each day as it came. But on day 2, after a coffee in the shade of the garden and before the heat was too intense, I headed back to the bus stop to catch a bus to Rhodes Town.
And I’m telling you now: Rhodes Town is a whole different vibe from Lindos. This city may well have been founded by the Greeks, but it’s the medieval Knights Hospitallers who’ve truly left their mark on the streets of Rhodes. And while Lindos had been fairly chilled, Rhodes was packed with visitors.
I headed into the Old Town and spent the day getting thoroughly, and enjoyably, lost. The tiny alleyways open up into squares lined with cafes and restaurants, and old churches and mosques- most built after the fall of the Knights Hospitaller- have towers and minarets rising above the rooftops like lighthouses. The whole area is encased within some sturdy walls- in some places they’re up to 12 metres thick- and surrounding those walls is a now very dry moat. It seems like they really took defence very seriously around here.
The Palace of the Grand Master is the crowning glory of all this, although to be completely honest I spent so long wandering the streets, taking photos, and perusing stacks of handmade Greek plates in pottery shops, that by the time I entered the courtyard of the Palace, there was only half an hour left to buy a ticket. I opted out; I’ll be back in Rhodes one day, for sure. What astounded me the most about the whole set-up was that the leader of the Knights of St John was called the Grand Master, in the style of a Jedi or some kind of cult. Nice.
In search of a more pleasant dining experience than my all-round rather rushed meal the night before, I discovered an absolute gem. The outdoor courtyard of Nireas was shaded underneath a leafy pergola strung with fairy lights (not that they were on, it was the middle of the day), and although there were a couple of tables taken, it was definitely not a crowded time to be there. In fact, as is often the case when one solo woman sits down to eat in a restaurant, three other women eating alone chose to come on down to Nireas as well. Four of us, of all different ages, sat at individual tables reading books and occasionally looking up to watch the world go by, and it was an all round joyous experience. Nireas is known for its incredible seafood, which I can definitely vouch for. And I stuck around for pudding, which was absolutely delicious too.
Day 3: Beach and chill day
Having spent my first two days in Rhodes gallivanting across the island, I decided the third day should be a much more chilled out affair. I was also, in all honesty, craving a bit more of an off-the-beaten-path experience. I was really glad to have seen Lindos and the old town of Rhodes, but I love hiking and exploring the quieter parts of the world. Archangelos was also a much busier village with a newer vibe than I’d been expecting; it’s known for being a traditional kind of a place, but a lot of the older houses were hit by an earthquake and replaced with new buildings.
I spent the morning at Tsambika Beach, swimming in the gloriously cool and clear water, and slurping on frappes to add to the chill. Rhodes was hotter than the Caribbean, and to avoid burning to a crisp I even splashed out on a beach chair and parasol.
An Indian barman came to make the hard sell- “2 chairs one parasol €25.”
“But there’s only me! What if I don’t need 2 chairs!?”
“Ten euro and I’ll throw in a drink.”
It was a done deal.
I made my way back in the afternoon, to spend a few hours learning music for work and packing. Rhodes was beautiful, but it’s a really massive island which somehow felt more commercial than other parts of Greece I’d visited- even compared to super-busy Santorini. I think that’s partly because it’s such a popular destination for families, but also- let’s face it- because I’d been sticking to the tourist hotspots, which are considered the must-see destinations of Rhodes. And not only that, but it was during the busy summer season when Rhode is flooded with holiday-makers. What on earth did I expect!?
As the sun was sinking lower into the horizon, I set off back out again, determined to find something different. Into the village’s little labyrinth of alleyways, past the intricate wedding-cake white tower of the Church of Michael the Archangel, nodding hello to the many cats who were out and about at the same time. Then up and up and up, scrambling over loose rocks and dusty ground, weaving in and out of the tough, low shrubs springing up here and there, all the way to the walls of the ruined castle which overlooks Archangelos.
The wind was intense.
But from the crumbling castle walls, the view across the village and the rest of the island was incredible. Even whilst attempting to not swallow mouthfuls of my own hair. A tattered Greek flag was being whipped into a frenzy above where I stood, and a tiny orthodox church was nestled into a little hollow behind, wizened branches of hibiscus curving over it protectively. I strode across the open space inside the walls, peering out of a stone window towards the sea, the sky melting back to the familiar blushing pink that I’d seen on my first evening in Rhodes.
There wasn’t a single other soul around. (Not even a solitary goat, I was slightly disappointed to note, although there were plenty of goat droppings around, as evidence of their existence.)
This was actually my favourite moment of my entire 3 days in Rhodes. Glorious.
Day 4: 3 days in Rhodes comes to an end
The next morning it was time to get on out of there, and I woke up to the light shining gently in through the chimney in the roof, feeling altogether very happy about my decision to spend 3 days in Rhodes. I was packed, I’d had my morning coffee, and I was in and out of the shower before 7am, ready to face the day. I slid the door to the bathroom back so I could step out into the hallway, and just as I did a large cockroach scuttled noisily across the stone floor in front of me. (It truly was noisy; I could hear its every footstep. In fact it might as well have been wearing a pair of stilettos.) I heard it hit the wall with a click, and stood frozen in absolute horror.
At this point I was still wrapped in a towel, and time was ticking for me to leave the house and catch my flight.
But what’s a gal to do when she’s trying to get dressed at the same time as there’s a monstrous beast of a cockroach skedaddling blindly here there and everywhere? Each time I tried to step into the hallway, it sprinted across again, bouncing off the walls with a tap and changing direction at the speed of light. We did a merry dance for approximately twenty minutes, with me trying desperately to keep an eye on the cockroach’s location whilst pulling my clothes on and getting the hell out of there as fast as I possibly could.
To be clear: this gorgeous traditional home was definitely a very clean, very well-kept place. But the reality is, that in hot countries you’re going to come across a few roaches. And sometimes, especially when there are little gaps around the doors to let the air circulate, bugs will be able to get inside. This is not the first time I’ve said hi to a cockroach in a place I’ve actually been staying: in Las Vegas, New Orleans and Florida I’ve seen roaches aplenty, and there was an absolutely gargantuan cockroach sitting on the door to our apartment in Hanoi, Vietnam. It happens. In the cases of Vegas and New Orleans, the level of cleanliness was questionable, but in this case I do not at all hold the owner of the Airbnb responsible for an insect just living its insect life.
Creepy though it may be.
And if anything, it really did help me to get to the bus stop with plenty of time to spare. Good on you, little cockroach. Thanks for the helping hand.
3 days in Rhodes was the perfect amount of time to get a taster of the island, but there’s definitely so much more to see here. Rhodes is a lot bigger than I’d anticipated, so although I had no problem getting around with public transport, I also do feel that you’d need to hire a car to make the most of everything this little pink paradise has to offer. Car or no car, and goats or no goats, Rhodes didn’t have the same mesmerising affect on me as other Greek islands have done. Butmy stay here as a solo traveller was the perfect introduction to the Dodecanese islands.