Sightseeing · Rhodes Town

The Old Town of Rhodes: A Walk Through 2,400 Years of History

Step through the Gate of Amboise and the modern world falls away. The Old Town of Rhodes is the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe — a living UNESCO World Heritage Site where Crusader knights once marched and where, today, you can sip a freddo espresso in a 600-year-old courtyard.

Most visitors give the Old Town a rushed afternoon. That’s a mistake. Behind the souvenir-lined main drag lies a labyrinth of silent alleys, hidden hammams and Byzantine churches that reward anyone willing to get a little lost. This guide shows you how to do it properly.

Why the Old Town of Rhodes is unmissable

Founded in 408 BC and fortified by the Knights of St John in the 14th century, the Old Town is wrapped in four kilometres of honey-coloured walls. It’s one of the best-preserved medieval citadels on the planet, and unlike a museum, people still live, work and raise families inside it.

The Street of the Knights

The Avenue of the Knights (Ippoton) is the showpiece — a perfectly preserved Gothic street climbing toward the Palace of the Grand Master. Each “inn” along it once housed knights from a different European tongue: France, Italy, Spain, England. Walk it early in the morning before the cruise crowds arrive and it’s almost eerily quiet.

What not to miss inside the walls

• Palace of the Grand Master — mosaic floors and a fairytale silhouette.
• Archaeological Museum — set in the medieval Knights’ Hospital.
• Süleymaniye Mosque — a reminder of the Ottoman centuries.
• Hippocrates Square — the buzzing social heart, best at dusk.
• The town walls walk — elevated views over terracotta rooftops.

Get lost on purpose. The best corners of the Old Town have no signpost and no entry fee.

Best time to visit

Arrive before 10am or after 6pm to dodge both the heat and the cruise-ship surge. Spring and early autumn offer warm light, thinner crowds and comfortable walking temperatures — our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Rhodes breaks it down. While you’re exploring the centre, don’t miss our pick of the best beaches in Rhodes for an afternoon swim.