Rhodes Old Town Is Car-Free — Drive the Loop in 2026

Rhodes’ Old Town, one of the best-preserved medieval walled cities in Europe, is entirely car-free — its stone streets were built for knights on horseback, not modern traffic, so a car stays parked outside the walls. The island itself rewards driving: the full coastal loop runs roughly 230 km and takes about four hours without stopping, taking in the beaches of the east coast, the acropolis at Lindos and the windswept southern tip at Prasonisi.

But Rhodes is more than the Old Town. The island is 80 km long, the east coast has a string of beaches and the ancient acropolis at Lindos, and the southern tip at Prasonisi is one of the windiest spots in the Aegean. A car opens all of that up. Without one, you are stuck waiting for buses that come twice a day to half these places.

Do You Need a Car?

Depends entirely on what you want from the trip.

Staying in Rhodes Town and doing the Old Town, Mandraki harbour, the aquarium? No car needed. Walk everywhere. The New Town is flat and compact, taxis are cheap, and there is nothing to park near anyway.

Wanting to see Lindos? A car helps, but the bus from Rhodes Town runs frequently in summer (about 1 hour each way, €5-6). Parking at Lindos itself is a nightmare in July — a single lot at the top of the village, long queue, and a steep walk down regardless. Some people prefer the bus for this reason alone.

Wanting to do the full island, west coast beaches, Prasonisi, the monastery at Tharri, or the castle at Monolithos? Rent a car. Public transport barely reaches the west coast, and some of the best spots have no bus service at all.

A scooter works for short trips — Faliraki, Kallithea Springs, the east coast as far as Stegna. For the full island, a small car is the more comfortable choice. Wind on the west coast ridge road can be brutal, and the distance makes a scooter tiring after a few hours.

Parking Near the Old Town

The Old Town gates stay closed to vehicles. Delivery trucks enter through Amboise Gate before 7 a.m. and that is it for motor traffic inside.

Commercial Harbour lot — east side of the walls, near St. Catherine’s Gate. The biggest lot, partially shaded, €3-5/day. This is where most tourists park. Gets full by mid-morning in peak season, but spaces usually open up after lunch.

Mandraki Harbour — along the waterfront near the windmills and the deer statues. Metered spots, blue-zone. About €1.50/hour. Good for a quick visit but not practical for a full day. The walk from here through the New Town to the Old Town gates takes about 10 minutes.

South of the walls — past Koskinou Gate, along the road towards Rodini Park. Free street parking. The catch is distance — 15 minutes on foot to reach the Old Town, and in summer those spots disappear early. Try before 9 a.m.

If your hotel is in the New Town, just walk. Everything within the tourist zone of Rhodes Town is reachable on foot in under 20 minutes.

The Island Loop Drive

The full circuit of Rhodes is about 230 km. The east coast road from Rhodes Town south to Lindos is the busier, more developed side — resorts, beaches, tavernas every few kilometres. The west coast is wilder, emptier, and windier.

Most people drive it clockwise: south along the east coast, across the bottom to Prasonisi, then back up the west coast.

Rhodes Town to Lindos — 50 km, about 1 hour. Good two-lane road, well-signed. Traffic is heaviest between Faliraki and Kolymbia. Lindos appears dramatically on a hillside as you approach from the north. Park in the designated lot above the village (follow signs). The walk down to the acropolis and the beach is steep.

Lindos to Prasonisi — 45 km, about 50 minutes. The road narrows south of Lindos. Fewer tourists, quieter beaches (Pefkos, Gennadi). Prasonisi at the southern tip is a sandbar connecting a small island to the mainland — a famous windsurfing and kitesurfing spot. When the tide is right, you can drive across the sand to the island side, though rental companies officially discourage this.

Prasonisi to Monolithos — 40 km up the west coast. This is the emptiest stretch. The road climbs into the hills with views over the Turkish coast on clear days. Monolithos castle is a short hike from the road — ruined walls on a rocky peak, spectacular at sunset.

Monolithos to Rhodes Town — 95 km, about 1.5 hours. Through Siana (famous for honey and souma, the local spirit), Embonas (wine villages on the slopes of Mount Attavyros), and Kamiros (ancient Greek ruins, less crowded than Lindos). The road improves north of Kamiros and the last 30 km back to town are fast.

Roads on Rhodes

The main east coast road is in decent shape. Smooth asphalt, proper lane markings, street lights through the resort towns. It was resurfaced not long ago and drives like any standard European two-lane road.

The west coast road is narrower, less maintained, and has sections without a centre line. Nothing dangerous, just slower. You will average 50-60 km/h instead of 80.

The rough bits are access roads to isolated beaches. The track down to Fourni Beach, for example, is unpaved and steep. A small car can manage it slowly, but you will hear the underside scraping. Anything off the main road on the south-west side of the island is similar — dirt, gravel, potholes. These are not roads that require a 4x4, but they do require patience and low speed.

Watch for goats. That sounds like a joke. It is not. Goats on the road are a genuine hazard on rural Rhodes, especially in the south. They appear around blind corners in groups of 20 and have zero concept of right-of-way.

Getting to Rhodes

By air — Diagoras Airport (RHO), 14 km south-west of Rhodes Town. Flights from Athens (45 min), Thessaloniki, and dozens of direct European routes in summer. All major rental agencies have desks at the airport. The drive into town takes 20-25 minutes.

By ferry — Blue Star Ferries and Dodekanisos Seaways connect Rhodes to Piraeus (13-18 hours depending on route and stops), Kos, Symi, and other Dodecanese islands. Ferries dock at the Commercial Harbour, right next to the Old Town walls. You can bring a car on the ferry from Piraeus, but the crossing is long and expensive — it almost always makes more sense to rent locally.

From Turkey — small ferries run between Marmaris and Rhodes (50 minutes). Foot passengers only for most services. You cannot practically bring a car across.

Speed Limits in Greece

Rhodes has no motorways. The fastest you should be driving anywhere on the island is 90 km/h on the main coastal road. In practice, most of the road is 70 km/h or lower due to villages, curves, and resort areas with reduced limits. Speed cameras exist near Faliraki and on the approach to Rhodes Town.

Day Trips Worth the Drive

Fuel

Petrol and diesel are widely available in Rhodes Town and along the east coast. Expect to pay €1.85-2.00/litre for petrol — island prices run about 10 cents above mainland Greece.

The west coast and southern interior have fewer stations. Between Theologos and Monolithos there is one station in Siana. Fill your tank before heading south or west. Most stations outside Rhodes Town close between 7 and 9 p.m. The BP station near Diagoras Airport tends to stay open latest.

Required Equipment

Greek law requires all vehicles to carry:

• Warning triangle
• Reflective vest (must be accessible inside the cabin, not in the boot)
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher

Rental cars should have these included. Check before you leave the lot — if you get pulled over and something is missing, the fine lands on you, not the rental company.

Emergency Numbers

Rhodes General Hospital is in Rhodes Town, about 2 km south of the Old Town walls. For anything serious, you will be directed there regardless of where you are on the island.

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