🇬🇷 Rhodes, Greece — Cruise Port Guide
Step off the ship and straight into the Middle Ages: Rhodes greets cruisers with a walled UNESCO Old Town built by crusader knights, sun-baked ramparts, and a harbour once guarded by the legendary Colossus.
Updated September 2026
Quick facts
Getting ashore
When to visit Rhodes
May-June and September-October offer warm sunshine without the crowds; Rhodes is one of Europe's sunniest islands. July and August regularly exceed 30°C, so start early and carry water, especially for the shadeless Lindos acropolis climb.
Getting back to the ship on time
The Old Town is so close that back-aboard risk there is minimal, but independent trips to Lindos are a different story: infrequent return buses, summer traffic, and taxi queues can eat your buffer. Leave Lindos at least 2-3 hours before all-aboard or book a ship excursion.
All-aboard is ship's time — check it in the daily programme, and set your watch to it.
Things to do in Rhodes
Palace of the Grand Master
The Knights' 14th-century fortress-palace, rebuilt under Italian rule, with grand halls, ancient mosaics, and museum collections.
Street of the Knights (Odos Ippoton)
A remarkably intact cobbled medieval street running from the Archaeological Museum up to the Palace, flanked by the knights' inns.
Lindos & its Acropolis
Whitewashed village 50 km south crowned by a clifftop acropolis with the Temple of Athena Lindia and sweeping bay views.
Medieval Walls & Moat Walk
Stroll the dry moat gardens or the rampart circuit for impressive views of the fortifications, gates, and bastions.
Mandraki Harbour
Photogenic old harbour where the Colossus supposedly stood, now marked by deer statues, stone windmills, and the fort of St Nicholas.
Elli Beach
Rhodes Town's main pebble-and-sand beach with clear water, sunbeds, and a diving platform, an easy walk from the Old Town.
Popular excursions
Anthony Quinn Bay swim stop
Emerald cove made famous by The Guns of Navarone, ideal for a dip.
What to eat
- Pitaroudia (chickpea fritters)
- Melekouni (sesame-honey bar)
- Souvlaki
- Moussaka
- Grilled octopus
Weather by month
Best time to visit: May–Oct (dry summer)
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59° | 48° | 5.9" |
| Feb | 59° | 48° | 3.9" |
| Mar | 63° | 50° | 2.8" |
| Apr | 68° | 55° | 1" |
| May | 75° | 62° | 0.6" |
| Jun | 82° | 69° | 0.1" |
| Jul | 87° | 73° | 0" |
| Aug | 87° | 74° | 0" |
| Sep | 83° | 69° | 0.3" |
| Oct | 76° | 63° | 2.4" |
| Nov | 68° | 56° | 3.5" |
| Dec | 61° | 51° | 6.1" |
Local phrases
A little history
The Colossus of Rhodes, a roughly 33-metre bronze statue of the sun god Helios and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, stood near the harbour until an earthquake toppled it in 226 BC.
The Knights Hospitaller (Order of St John) ruled Rhodes from 1309 until 1522, when they surrendered to Suleiman the Magnificent after a months-long Ottoman siege.
Rhodes Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval walled towns in Europe, still inhabited within its 4 km circuit of fortifications.
The Street of the Knights (Odos Ippoton) is lined with the 'inns' of the Order's seven langues, national chapters where knights lodged according to their home language.