Rhodes for a day

It depends on what you're willing to do, and willing to spend. You can take a local bus to Lndos & back, but then you would not have time to explore old town.... and you might miss something. The museums might close at 3. AND --- (I can't say for certain), they have been having oppties to Walk on TOP of the wall ... you get the tickets at the Grandmaster palace. When I was there in 2009? it was only 2x a weeek, and then it became M-F@ 10 am You'll have to e-mail Rhodes Tourist nfromation (or ask on the Rhodes section of Trip advsior greece forum), to find out. If you can , this is a real THRILL. However, I don't think it would be safe then to try public transit to Lindos & back... we did the 2 things on separate days because we were not on a Cruise (just one reason I never do those).

If you're willing to pop for a taxi rental, (maybe 2 couples to split the cost), you could do Old Town 7 - 11 or so, then get a taxi to Lindos, and back. That way there wouldn't be the itme-consuming waste for a slow public bus. To find out the cost taxi, I sggest you ask the qustion(s) on T rip Advisor Rhodes forum. Important -- give the relevant facts: DATE of visit, and time ashore. You might also try Google for Rhodes Taxi rate for 4 hour trip Rhodes Town-Llindos-return. You'll get some linkes you can follow up.

Thank you, Janet... I have kept on reading and while we'd love to go to both, I think we'd be cutting Old Town short and should just enjoy that town and not worry about getting up to Lindos on this trip. I hear you about cruises... it's a mixed bag, but sometimes we do those just because it's less planning headaches, etc. I think we'll stay in Rhodes city...thanks for your input!

Glad to hear you'll Give Rhodes City more time ... and I can warn you about some things... Here is a good Map online --- you should print it out if you do not have a good guidebook (Side note -- I'm always amazed at people who will spend upwards of $10,000 on a trip but not even pop $4.00 for a used guidebook on Amazon!! if you get "ROUGH GUIDE" you can just pull out the sections that apply to your ports, & bind them with Duct Tape and voila! Guide-ettes!).

http://www.planetware.com/greece/15-top-rated-greek-islands-gr-zzz-11.htm#RHO — this website has maps for 15 top sites… scroll down till you get to #4 - Rhodes when u click the Old Town Map it gets huge & shows all the sites. PRINT!! My tips:

•CRUISE PATHWAY — Cruise crowds enter first gate in the Wall, and Roar up a sTReet to a big Square (right under #32 on Map) This street is FULL of Sovenir JUNK and the square is for Cruisers … mobs mobs mobs get away as soon as you can, and Do NOT eat there… overpriced and not good. Instead head North 2 streets for sightseeing...

•SIGHTS - Museum, (free, worth 20 minutes or more… the building, courtyard & terrace is IT more than the contents)… then up Street of the Knights (26 27) … all very nice, vry restored. Some have nice "backyards" filled with flowers. The Grandmaster palace is Very photogenic .... and entirely fake! ( the real one burned down in the 1800s, and Mussolini’s architects built this one based on what they thought he would like) Contents are authentic, gathered from around islands that Mussolini had control of, from WW I to WW II -- but the building is 1930.

•WALL WALK — do check before your trip to see if it’s on for your day, if so, you line up outside gRandmaster & buy tick at their office… they open a door in the nearest Wall “tower’” and you go up steps inside. The wall is 50? feet high or more, and 30 feet across … on the top there’s grass & bushes, even small trees@

•AWAY from CROWD — If you walk down Pythagoras to Omiru… you get to the streets that are really old, and are butted up against the wall. At #35, there a break in the wall and you go into a walled courtyard, with several nice cafes, and ruins, there’s n “ablutions” font (where muslims washed hands before prayer)… and ruins of the Baths of Suleiman. This is waay away from the cruise crowds. As I say, nice little cafes, for omelettes & Pizzas. If you want a Greek lunch, back on Pythagoras, a place called KOSTAS has a nice back garden and authentic Greek food. Don't order too much!! (Greek "side dishes" are intended for sharing & are huuge ... a "greek salad" is more than enough for 2... order no mains, 3-4 sides, and that's Lunch! for 2!)

•ANCIENT GREEK RUINS — if you go OUT of the wall to the West (Tower 13 or 14 on map) and walk directly WEST on DIagoridin about 1 km (a little more than 1/2 mile) you will come to something AUTHENTIC .. It's called "Smith Hill" for some British Admiral, but actually its the ruins of the ancient Greek settlement … temple columns, ruins, AND a stadium for races! NObody goes there, it’s magical!!!

hey Janet you never told us about Smith hill. Anyway we took a shared taxi to Lindos but on our return didn't have any time in Rhodes town. Just get off the ship and visit old town Rhodes. Here are some image of both.
Lindos and Rhodes http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157634754696058/

Thank you so much, Janet! I'm printing your entire email and the contents. Extremely helpful!! Many thanks!!

Incredible pictures, Stan- many thanks!! Can't wait to go!!

Glad to help! Don't forget to print that map ... it's a lot more useful than ones the boat will hand out... if they supply any that is ...

Was in Rhodes last week and got the bus schedule to Lindos, and the tourist office kiosk inside the gate, tiny little bilding, was VERY helpful with prices and a good map. (My ship did not have any decent maps, just a hard to read one with suggested things to do).We decided to take a taxi to Lindos, up the MANY steps in the blistering Greek sun to their Acropolis ( about 250 steps I believe), took the pictures and walked down- took an hour. grabbed a souflaki and a cold water and drove back to the side entrance to the Grandmaster's in Old Town. Then walked the Street of Knights and back to the ship.
We spent 70 euros on the taxi for 2 of us for about a 3 hour excursion from the port, just about half of the ship's excursion price, but we had no shopping, no going to the beach. The taxi fare is established, so you aren't being ripped off.
Old town Rhodes is a fine pleasant place to get lost in back streets and find sweet little dress shops or handmade purses or little floaty outfits perfect for ship life. The big commercial squares are quite as delightful, find the back ones and the ones where people live for a new perspective. I like Rhodes, but you could do Od Town ( and then wander into New town where the designers and real peole live) or get out of town to Lindos, and not feel regret. I have been there twice and wold enjoy a return trip.

Thanks, Melissa! So good to get input from someone who was just recently there!

Thank you, everyone -- I have found these posts very helpful, too. It will be one of our cruise ports in October!

Shirley, I opted for expediency ( the taxi) instead of the public transportation bus ride. I saw people waiting by the side of the road for the bus--too hot for me in August with no shade ( though rode the bus all over Rome and the metro/bus in Athens and it was hot there, too). You CAN do botheasily if you splurge on the taxi-- and the taxi will take you to the closest point to the Acropolis of Lindos, where you still have a steep climb. We did not explore the little town, and we did not get to swim or sun on the beautiful beach & gorgeous water- maybe next time. The taxi driver gave us good advice about the bus and the taxi, and would have taken us to Smith's Hill except I wanted to get back into a certain part of town. Hit the TI at the port-- it is off to the side of the gate- and note the fixed fares for taxis, if you take that option. This was my second time to Rhodes and I like it.