Rhodes is bigger than most people expect, and where you sleep shapes the whole trip. Here is how the island breaks down, and who each area really suits.
Rhodes is not a small island. It runs roughly 80 km from tip to tail, and the drive from the airport in the north to the far south takes well over an hour. So the question of where to stay in Rhodes matters more than on most Greek islands. Pick the right base and your days are spent on beaches and in villages; pick the wrong one and you spend them in a hire car.
We are a family-run hotel in Lindos, so we have a bias, and we will be upfront about it. But guests ask us this question every week, and the honest answer always starts with “what do you want from the trip?” Here is how the island breaks down.
Rhodes at a glance: how the island is laid out
Rhodes Town sits at the northern tip. It contains the walled medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, plus the busier New Town around Mandraki harbour. The airport is about 15 km south-west of town.
The east coast is the island’s sunny, sheltered side: long beaches, calmer water and a chain of resorts and villages running south through Faliraki, Kolymbia and Tsambika down to Lindos, about 50 km from Rhodes Town. Beyond Lindos, the south gets progressively quieter until you reach Prasonisi at the very tip.
The west coast faces the open sea and the prevailing summer wind. It is greener and wilder, with hill villages, wineries and ancient Kamiros, but fewer swimming beaches.
Rhodes Town: best for history, food and connections
If you want to walk the Street of the Knights at night, visit the Archaeological Museum and eat somewhere different every evening, Rhodes Town is the obvious choice. It is also the island’s transport hub: buses to almost everywhere leave from beside the New Market, and boats to Symi and the other Dodecanese islands depart from the harbour.
Stay in the Old Town for atmosphere: boutique guesthouses in restored stone houses, cobbled lanes and quiet squares after dark. Stay in the New Town for modern hotels, the town beach and easier parking.
Good for: culture lovers, short stays, travellers without a car, anyone combining Rhodes with island-hopping. Less good for: beach holidays. Elli, the town beach, is lively and convenient, but it is a city beach.
Faliraki and the north-east coast: best for a lively beach holiday
Faliraki has a long sandy beach, water sports, a water park nearby and plenty of bars. It has calmed down a lot compared with its reputation, and the coves just south of it, including Anthony Quinn Bay and Ladiko, are some of the prettiest swimming spots on the island. Kallithea Springs, the restored Italian-era spa, is close by.
Good for: groups of friends, families who want facilities, and anyone who wants the beach and the bars in one place. Less good for: a traditional Greek village atmosphere.
Kolymbia, Afandou and Tsambika: best for quiet beach days
This central stretch of the east coast is calmer and more spread out. Tsambika beach, with its fine sand and shallow water, is one of the most popular on the island, and the monastery on the headland above it has a view worth the climb. Kolymbia is also the turn-off for the Seven Springs, a shady spot for a hot afternoon.
Good for: families with young children, couples who want to relax, drivers. Less good for: nightlife and walkable dining. You will want a car here.
Lindos: best for beauty, beaches and evenings
Lindos is the Rhodes you have seen in photographs: a whitewashed village of captains’ houses and pebble-mosaic courtyards, piled up beneath the Acropolis on a rock above two bays. The village itself is car-free, which is part of its charm. You walk everywhere: to the main beach, down to Saint Paul’s Bay, up to the Acropolis, out to dinner on a rooftop.
The one thing to know about Lindos is its rhythm. From late morning to late afternoon, coaches and cruise excursions bring day visitors from Rhodes Town. By early evening they have gone, and the village becomes quiet, lamp-lit and genuinely romantic. Staying overnight means you get the early mornings and the evenings, the two best parts of the Lindos day. Our guide to a perfect day in Lindos shows how to use those quiet windows.
Good for: couples, honeymooners, photographers, anyone who wants a beautiful base with beaches on foot. Less good for: travellers who want to explore the whole island every day. Lindos is central-south, so the north and west are an hour or more away.
Pefkos, Lardos and the south: best for peace and space
Just south of Lindos, Pefkos (also spelled Pefki) and Lardos are small, relaxed resorts with good beaches and a mostly returning crowd. Further south, Kiotari and Gennadi have long, uncrowded shingle-and-sand beaches. At the very tip, Prasonisi is a sand spit where two seas meet, and a magnet for windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Good for: long, lazy beach holidays; repeat visitors; people who like empty space. Less good for: anyone without a car, or anyone who wants a buzz in the evening.
The west coast: best for wind, wine and villages
The west coast, from Ixia and Ialyssos south towards Kamiros and Monolithos, is where you go for mountain villages, the wineries around Embonas and the dramatic castle ruins at Monolithos. Ixia and Ialyssos are close to Rhodes Town and the airport, with big resort hotels facing the sunset, but the sea here is often choppy in summer.
Good for: windsurfers, sunset lovers, travellers on a short stay near the airport. Less good for: calm swimming on windy days.
So where should you stay in Rhodes?
A simple rule of thumb:
- First visit, one week: split it. Two or three nights in Rhodes Town, then four or five in Lindos.
- Couples and honeymooners: Lindos, or a quiet stretch of the east coast.
- Families: the Kolymbia and Tsambika stretch or Faliraki, for easy sandy beaches.
- No car: Rhodes Town, or Lindos if you are happy to take the bus or a transfer for trips.
- Short break: Rhodes Town, to keep travel time down.
If you are weighing the two most popular bases against each other, our full comparison of Lindos or Rhodes Town goes into more detail, and how many days in Rhodes will help you decide how to split your nights.
Why we think Lindos is worth it
Lindos Comfy Suites is a 21-suite hotel on the edge of the village, run by the same family since 1989 and fully renovated in 2016. The main square is about a five-minute walk away, Saint Paul’s Bay about ten, and private parking at the top of the property means you never have to drive into the pedestrian lanes. If Lindos sounds like your kind of base, have a look at our suites and book direct with us at comfysuitesrhodes.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Rhodes for first-timers?
It depends on what you want most. Rhodes Town is the best base for history, restaurants and transport. Lindos is the best base for a beautiful village, beaches and a slower pace. Many first-timers split their stay: two or three nights in Rhodes Town, the rest in Lindos.
Is it better to stay in Lindos or Rhodes Town?
Stay in Rhodes Town if you want museums, the medieval Old Town, nightlife and easy bus and ferry connections. Stay in Lindos if you want whitewashed lanes, the Acropolis on your doorstep and beaches you can walk to. They are about 50 km apart, roughly an hour by car.
Where should couples stay in Rhodes?
Couples tend to prefer Lindos and the quieter east coast. Evenings in Lindos are calm once the day-trippers leave, the setting is romantic, and Saint Paul's Bay is a short walk from the village.
Where should I stay in Rhodes without a car?
Rhodes Town is the easiest base without a car, because it is the hub for island buses and boats. Lindos also works well: the village is pedestrianised, the beaches are walkable and there is a direct bus to Rhodes Town.
Which side of Rhodes is less windy?
The east coast, from Faliraki down to Lindos and beyond, is generally calmer and warmer for swimming. The west and north-west coast catches the summer meltemi wind, which is why it is popular with windsurfers.
