Rhodes: What to Know Before You Go

Short answer: always choose the sheltered Eastern Coast of Rhodes (Kallithea, Anthony Quinn Bay, Tsambika, Lindos) for calm, warm swimming and snorkelling, buy the standard fare Combined Ticket covering the Palace of the Grand Master and three Old Town museums, and wear cushioned shoes for the rounded river-pebble mosaic streets (chochlakia) of Rhodes Town and Lindos.

The Golden Geography Rule: Calm East Coast vs Breezy West Coast

Shaped like a 78-kilometre-long spearhead pointing north toward the Aegean and south toward Crete, Rhodes has two completely different coastlines separated by the 1,215-metre spine of Mount Attavyros:

• The Northern Tip (Rhodes Town): where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, holding the UNESCO Medieval Old Town, Mandraki Harbour, the Acropolis of Rhodes and the city beaches of Elli and Akti Miaouli.
• The Eastern Mediterranean Coast (Calm, Sheltered & Warmer): completely shielded from the prevailing north-westerly summer Meltemi wind. Here lie all of the island's famous swimming bays: Kallithea Springs, Faliraki, Ladiko, Anthony Quinn Bay, Tsambika Beach, Stegna, Haraki and Lindos / St Paul's Bay.
• The Western Aegean Coast (Breezy, Wild & Best for Sunsets): exposed to cooling sea breezes (ideal for windsurfing at Ixia/Ialyssos), holding the ancient ruins of Filerimos, Ancient Kamiros, Kritinia Castle and dramatic sunset cliffs at Monolithos, before both seas collide at the southern sandbar of Prasonisi.

Luggage in the Old Town & The standard fare Combined Museum Pass

Motor vehicles cannot enter the 11 medieval gates of Rhodes Old Town (except licensed resident/service vehicles early in the morning); if your boutique hotel is inside the walls, ask reception which gate (such as d'Amboise Gate, St Athanasius Gate or Marine Gate) is closest so you roll your bag as little as possible over the cobbles. At the Palace of the Grand Master ticket desk, ask for the Special Combined Ticket, which covers the Palace, the Archaeological Museum (Hospital of the Knights), Our Lady of the Castle and the Decorative Arts Collection for three days.