Where should I stay when I visit Rhodes, Greece?

May 12, 2005 9:47 AM

For our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I want to take a trip to Greece. We narrowed it down and decided that the island of Rhodes looks great. The question is - how to get there and which village to stay in?

First, is the overnight ferry to Rhodes from Athens worth it? This would save us a bundle on airline tickets plus the bonus of a little more sightseeing, but if it is a hassle to find a room in Athens and get the boat tickets arranged, we can fly straight to the island.

Second, which village should be stay in? From the pictures I’ve seen, Lindos looks wonderful, but I’m a little scared of the chair-to-chair beachfront. We want to spend lazy days lying on the (preferably nearly empty) beach consuming mass quantities of fish, rice and wine. Some basic snorkeling and ruins would be great, as well as easy access to a day trip in Turkey. Long walks around beautiful markets and fishing villages is also on the agenda. We are not against renting a car/scooter to get around and visit other villages. We are NOT interested in loud nightclubs, resorts or packed beaches.

Since we are staying about 10 days, would a hotel or a studio apartment be best? Is air conditioning needed if we are going in April/May? How difficult is it to find vegetarian food? Does anyone have a recommendation on a good travel agent we can contact in Greece to arrange things like the ferry tickets and apartment rentals? We would, of course, like to keep costs down, but are planning on spending 50-60 Euros a night on accommodations (is this too little for a clean room close to the beach/city center?)

I’ve found a lot of good information at Greece Travel and Lonely Planet, but if anyone has any other help for us, thanks!

posted by dual_action to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

Firstly, where are you travelling from? The US? If you can get a direct flight to Athens the ferry might be nice - provided you can get a cabin. Be warned: Greek ferries are pretty basic, for the most part, and pre-booking a cabin can be tricky to impossible. Having said that I've never actually done it myself. I used to just slum it on deck and in the seated areas with the rest of the backpackers. Overnight is hard, though. You'll want a cabin, I suspect.

Another thing to consider (again, depending on where you're coming from) would be to fly to one of the major European airports (London etc.) and then direct to Rhodes. There are many cheap charter flights from London to all of the major Greek airports. This may work out better than going via Athens.

Lindos is very pretty but also very touristed. I haven't been there for quite a few years but you do need to be prepared for the fact that it's the primo destination (with the possible exception of Faliraki, where you definitely don't want to go, given your stipulated requirements). However, given that you're going comfortably out-of-season, you may well find it perfectly acceptable. Rhodes has a longer season than many of the Greek islands as it's such a popular destination, but Greece is never too busy in late April/early May. Mid-June to mid-September is the crazy period.

Beaches: between Lindos and Faliraki there is a whole slew of beaches; some more suitable to your requirements than others. I remember Traganou was one of the more attractively secluded ones. If you stay in Lindos and rent a car or bike, you can try different ones each day until you find your favourite. The distances are not excessive. I think I remember Pefkos (very close to Lindos) being nice, too. The comment on this link seems to match my memory.

Accommodation: at the time you're going things should be relatively cheap. It's low season. So you might want to go for a hotel for convenience - especially if you decide to stay in Lindos. If you don't mind having things a bit more basic and you're after something more of an experience (at budget cost, too) it's possible to stay with Greek families who rent out rooms to tourists. There are probably websites to help with this although I always did it by simply looking for people touting for business where the ferry docks. However, don't expect luxury, and given that you're going out of season you may have to seek them out rather than the other way around. if you decide to try this there are always travel agencies near the dock who can give you phone numbers.

Do look at apartment options too, though. If you want to just come and go as you please and like the idea of getting your own food and cooking it up at home, these can be great. That way you can also deal with any vegetarian issues. Speaking of which...

The Greeks aren't exactly big on vegetarianism but they are very big on fish, and as you say you eat fish you shouldn't have a problem. Plus, there's always the tzatziki, the olives, the Greek Salad, the hummus, the melitzanasalata (aubergine/eggplant dip), the spanakopita (spinach and feta pies), omelettes for breakfast... it's not really hard to be veggie out there - certainly not for ten days! And the great thing about those simple Greek dishes is they suit the climate so well. Of course, it isn't exactly going to be megahot at the time you're going... so you won't need to bother with air conditioning.

Sorry this is so rambling, but you asked a lot of questions and Greece is a huge love of mine. I've spent a lot of time out there and visited almost fifty of the islands. I hope you have a good experience. The key is to relax and to be relaxed about things. The Greek way is pretty laid-back and you do need to be prepared for that.
posted by Decani at 10:26 AM on May 12, 2005

Faliraki is to be avoided at all costs - unless, of course, you want to share your holiday with hoardes of drunken Brits who have absolutely no consideration for the feelings of others and who want nothing more than to get drunk, get laid and play loud music.

You should be able to find veggie food in most Greek restaurants - spinach & feta filo pie, Greek salads, stuffed vine leaves, great breads, as well as omelets/fries, which are pretty universal in most tourist restaurants.

An alternative to Rhodes, on the mainland and therefore easier to get around and see more of Greece, is Sounion. It's a pretty magical place and is unlikely to be overrun with tourists.
posted by essexjan at 10:30 AM on May 12, 2005

Yes, I'm sorry I forgot to include that we are flying from the US. I didn't think to try a flight from another country to Rhodes, thanks for that tip. Also, your information is great! Exactly what I'm looking for. We are very excited about this trip - I've lived abroad before, but my husband has never been out of the US and some laid-back time off is exactly what we are looking for.
posted by dual_action at 10:38 AM on May 12, 2005

I'd just add that - in case you didn't notice - there are links on that map I linked. You can click on the beaches for more details. E.g, check out Traganou.
posted by Decani at 11:25 AM on May 12, 2005

If you don't want somewhere too tourist-y (i.e. very few nightclubs, easy access to everywhere without crowds, etc) then have a look at Lesvos (aka Lesbos) - beautiful place, with heaps of things to do and see. No crowds, no traffic, no noise...

Some pics on my website if you're interested...
posted by Chunder at 1:35 PM on May 12, 2005

Chunder: I was thinking of suggesting alternative islands for dual_action and Lesvos would have been high on my list - along with Samos, Chios (a little-visited gem), Alonissos and the ever-reliable Crete.
posted by Decani at 5:48 PM on May 12, 2005

Oh, wow, thanks everyone! We haven't spent nearly enough time looking at the other islands and now we have some great recommendations. I'm glad we started planning early - now I have no idea where we are going to visit. Chunder, you have some wonderful pictures and your trip looks fantastic; it's just what we are looking for.
posted by dual_action at 8:18 PM on May 12, 2005

Air conditioning in Rhodes is a must, even in May; it can get really hot there. I don't know how many apartments have it, but hotels surely do.

Rhodes is so close to Turkey that you can see it across the water, so I would definitely try to take a trip to nearby cities like Bodrum. There's a regular ferry service that looks like it should be good. You may also want to visit Istanbul if you have the time, and it may be easier to fly there instead of Athens and then take a smaller plane from Istanbul to Rhodes. Otherwise, flying to either Athens or Tel Aviv and then to Rhodes is probably your best bet.

Definitely visit the Rhodes Jewish museum in Rodos, housed in a synagogue that was built in 1577 and which is slowly being restored by the community's American descendants. My husband's mother's family is from Rhodes and old photos and plaques with their family names on them are all over the museum. :-) I think the curator gives walking tours in English about the history of La Juderia (the Jewish Quarter), too.

Also, my husband's relatives have warned me that when in Greece (including Rhodes), do not have any of that lovely pottery shipped home to the US from the stores, or else it probably won't ever arrive. Bring it home well-wrapped in your luggage instead.

I'll probably be in Rhodes this October with my husband, my husband's Rhodesli grandma, and a friend--we're hoping to celebrate the high holidays at the old synagogue with a bunch of other Los Angeles based Rhodes descendants--so please report back with any tips or suggestions. Have a great trip and happy anniversary!
posted by Asparagirl at 11:14 PM on May 12, 2005

Bah. Air-conditioning is only a "must" in May if you're a big softy who doesn't like a bit of warmth, Asparagirl!

The evenings are quite cool in May and October. And you'll be out during the day so why bother with it? Still, it's a matter of personal taste, I suppose. But I wouldn't advise dual_action to worry too much about it. I've survived two entire summers in Greece with no AC and it only became a problem during July and August, and only then occasionally. I remember having to take some cold showers in the middle of the night.... but April/May? Nah. Not unless the weather is freakish.
posted by Decani at 5:16 AM on May 13, 2005

I suppose AC wouldn't be that big of a deal if you are used to sweltering NY summers, Decani! I live, unfortunately, in Wyoming and while it gets hot, we have very little humidity (that fabled 'dry heat'). I have relatives in NJ and when I've visited in the summer, my feet swell so large I can't put my shoes on! AC might be something I need to look into.
posted by dual_action at 6:00 AM on May 13, 2005

Well, be aware that the heat in Greece tends to be dry rather than humid, too. Seriously, check out those temperatures on my link. If you want to be supersafe, by all means look for AC. But I really don't think you need to worry too much.

Also, it should be pointed out that if you want AC, you'll be looking at high-end hotels. AC really isn't big in your standard Greek home and building so you'll be significantly limiting your accommodation options by looking for it.
posted by Decani at 7:26 AM on May 13, 2005

a big softy who doesn't like a bit of warmth

Guilty as charged. :-) And my husband, despite being the one of us with 500+ years of Rhodesli and Turkish genes, is even worse than I am about tolerating heat, mainly because the man sweats like you wouldn't believe...
posted by Asparagirl at 10:18 PM on May 14, 2005