Travelling to Rhodes for Seven Days

Greece had a very interesting approach to salvaging the summer tourist season in 2020 – immediately after landing in the country, everyone was granted testing for Covid-19, which helped the country to avoid a decrease in visitors as well as the difficulties resulting from importing the infections to the islands. The cost of a single private test amounts to 100 euros per person, which can’t be considered negligible, so many families were glad and relieved they could pick the safe Greek islands for their summer holidays this year. If other countries follow in Greece’s footsteps next year, then they won’t have to worry about the loss of income in the tourism sector.

I wanted to visit Crete this year, but my fellow traveller had already been to the island three times, so she managed to convince me that I’ll definitely find something to my liking on Rhodes ten years after my first visit and that I’ll be fine. And how right she was! Since we were cutting it “ultra close” (the last minutes 48 hours before departure when we had to send the Greek government the information required for entering the country), there wasn’t exactly much to choose from – so we picked the cheapest accommodation and booked it right away. There was finally also a charter flight available from the domestic airport, which was really practical, since we didn’t have to search for a transfer to the nearby airports in the neighbouring countries. When I came back from Portugal in August, I was frantically searching for a new transfer because the one with a shuttle from Vienna that was supposed to be hundred percent guaranteed was cancelled the day before. I contacted at least a dozen operators, half of which confirmed the transfer and then cancelled it after a few hours. In other cases, I would’ve had to wait at the airport for at least four hours. Instead of enjoying the last day of my holiday I had to spend the time organising my trip back home.

Cheap accommodation in Greece doesn’t come with much comfort, but the only important things are cleanliness and being able to get a good night’s sleep and take a warm shower in the evening. You spend the rest of the time at the beach anyway, or maybe exploring the remnants from the ancient world. You should definitely read the reviews and check the location before booking your accommodation.

What to do in Rhodes for a week?

Upon arriving on the island, try to get to the nearest beach as soon as possible and take a swim in the warm Mediterranean. Take in the sun’s warming rays on a long sandy beach and simply disconnect. My fellow traveller and I stayed in a quiet and remote area in Faliraki, our accommodation being one of the few ones that were still open before the end of the season. It was October and we had those few hundred metres of sandy beach all to ourselves... My tip if to end your first evening in Rhodes with a glass of local wine to treat your tastebuds until they can’t take it anymore.

Visiting the principal city

You can basically spend all day exploring the city of Rhodes or spread your visit throughout a couple of mornings or afternoons. If you enjoy the quiet and like your photos to include as little people as possible, then you should book an easy Sunday morning for your trip to the city, when most locals will head to the beach. There’s an air-conditioned bus going connecting Faliraki and Rhodes every half an hour. In theory, the island has a relatively well-established bus network, but travelling from far north to the far south of the island will take almost half a day, so it’s best to rent a car or a four-wheeler. There are also organised tours, though, with some English knowledge, a map and an unlimited data plan, you can avoid those and explore the island on your own.

It’s perfectly safe to rent a vehicle when the season ends (proverbially reckless Greek drivers and rompish tourists disappear in autumn) and use it to explore the entire island. The two of us paid about 150 euros for the smallest available car with two containers of petrol for the period of four full days. There was no parking fee on the island in 2020 and we had no trouble finding a parking spot. Regardless of who you talk to, everyone will tell you to pay extra for a full insurance when renting a car, so the costs won’t triple in case something happens. And even if you’re a careful driver, your car can still get a bumper bruise when someone isn’t careful while parallel parking, causing the costs to skyrocket.

Remnants of the ancient times

You should visit the crowded Acropolis in Lindos as early as possible or right after opening hours start, because otherwise you’ll be stuck in a queue extending a few hundred metres. That’s because the number of simultaneous visitors is limited due to safety measures. History buffs must definitely visit the ancient remains of castles and places, such as Monolithos, Kritinia, Kamiros, Filerimos and Ialyssos. Even in the old town you can take a walk along the ruins dating back thousands of years, and you can even touch them – priceless! PS Did you know even Mussolini built a villa in Rhodes, one he would move into when he grew old? The villa is now quite dilapidated, but you can take a quick peek, if you’re brave enough (but be very careful, as the building is falling apart!).

Natural landmarks

If you’ve got plenty of time on your hands, make a circular route across the entire island and visit all the beaches Rhodes has to offer. Beach hopping is an excellent idea if you decide to go exploring. The beaches differ by water temperature and colour, the structure of pebbles and sand, length, width, number of visitors and we could go on. Drive all the way south to Prasonisi (sadly, it was impossible to walk to the southernmost point of Rhodes due to the too strong current) and swim in the mixture of the currents of two seas. You can do about the same in the island’s northernmost point, but be careful not to get blown away. Though most holidaymakers focus on the beaches in the eastern part of the island, those in the western part are beautiful as well and offer unforgettable sunsets. If you have time to spare, spend a late afternoon by visiting the Kallithea high-class resort. Searching for butterflies in the valley of butterflies, Petaloudes, in October will be fruitless quest, but the green oasis will still provide a refreshing chill while climbing up the steps and panting at 30 degrees Celsius.

Cuisine

Discovering Greek cuisine definitely shouldn’t stop simply at ouzo, Greek salad, or gyro with tzatziki sauce! You should complement each meal with the magnificent baklava, but also try the various sea food delicacies (fresh fish, clams, squid, octopuses), meat dishes (moussaka, pastitsio, souvlaki) and vegetable treats (dolmadakia, taramasalata, various spreads, salads and pies). If you don’t know what the names of these daily specials mean, simply take a few moments and google the pictures of each dish while waiting for some cold beer (and a piece of advice – besides the baklava, I was also completely mesmerised by galaktoboureko, which took over the sweet part of my breakfast since day one).

Have you also visited Greece in the last couple of years? Which Greek island do you think we should visit next time? Join us on Instagram and Facebook and give us your feedback. We look forward to your thoughts!