If you’ve had enough of the beach and want to see a different side of Rhodes, the island’s traditional villages should be on your itinerary.

There’s a certain magic to Greek village life that no beach or ancient ruin quite replicates. Whether it’s the narrow-cobbled streets, the old men at the kafeneion, or that delicious aroma of Greek food, something peeks your senses and curiosity.

Here are the villages worth making the detour for.

Lindos

The most visited village on the island, and deservedly so. Lindos is spectacular: whitewashed houses with pebble-mosaic courtyards, narrow streets too tight for cars, Byzantine churches, and the acropolis looming over everything from its clifftop. It was once one of the most powerful city-states in the ancient Mediterranean, and the ruins of the acropolis and the Doric Temple of Athena Lindia make that history tangible in a way that’s hard to explain until you’re standing there.

The acropolis is open daily from April, with summer hours running 8am to 8pm. Adult admission is €20 during the summer season, with free entry for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18. Book your timed entry slot online in advance — the queues in high season are serious, and the midday heat on the climb up is not something you want to experience while waiting in line. Go early.

St Paul’s Bay at the foot of the acropolis is one of the most beautiful small beaches on the island — calm, sheltered, and with that cliff backdrop. It gets busy but the setting carries it.

Filerimos

Just 8 km from Rhodes Town, Filerimos sits on a 267-metre hill on the site of the ancient city of Ialysos — and it’s far more than a quick stop on the way somewhere else. The hill itself is the attraction: a cypress-lined avenue leads to a giant concrete cross with sweeping views over the west coast, while the other path takes you to the monastery, the ruins of a Greek temple, a Byzantine baptistery, the underground Chapel of St George, and the remains of a Byzantine fortress.
One thing nobody tells you before you arrive: the hill is populated by peacocks. Dozens of them, roaming freely around the site. It’s a slightly surreal addition to an already atmospheric place, and kids love it.

The monastery is open daily in summer from 8am to 8pm. In the winter, it opens from 8:30am to 3:30pm but is closed on Tuesdays. Admission is €10 for adults, and free for visitors under 25 from EU countries. Dress modestly if you’re going inside.

Kritinia

In the southwest of the island, Kritinia is a small, quiet village that most visitors drive straight past. As you leave the village, a road leads up to the Venetian Castle of Kritinia, a 15th-century fortification perched on a steep rock with commanding views over the surrounding coastline. The combination of medieval and Byzantine architecture makes it one of the more interesting castle ruins on the island, and the view from the top justifies the short climb on its own.

The Folklore Art Museum just outside the village is worth a look for traditional costumes, decorated plates, and local crafts. It’s the kind of small, unhurried museum that has mostly disappeared from more tourist-heavy parts of Greece.

Embonas

Up on the slopes of Mount Attavyros, at around 850 metres, Embonas is the wine village of Rhodes and also the highest village on the island. It’s the most important grape-producing village on the island, and if you visit around harvest time you’ll find the streets full of baskets and courtyards spread with raisins drying in the sun. The local tavernas are excellent. So, come hungry. And the house wine, served by the carafe, is the point. The village is also known for souma, a distilled spirit made from grapes, which you’ll find offered in most places. The embroidery shops and folk museum are a bonus.

It’s not the prettiest village architecturally, but the atmosphere is genuine in a way that the more polished tourist villages aren’t, and its relatively remote position has kept it largely untouched by tourism.

Archangelos

Located on the eastern coast about halfway down the island, Archangelos is one of the largest and most traditional villages on Rhodes. Local artisans still shape clay by hand here, and village life follows rhythms as old as the stone ovens where bread still bakes communally. The pottery workshops are the main draw: you can watch, buy, and occasionally have a go yourself. And the handwoven carpets sold in the village shops are worth picking up if you have room in your luggage. The medieval Castle of Saint John and the Church of the Archangel Michael are both worth a look while you’re there.

Getting to Rhodes

Rhodes is well connected by air from across Europe, with direct flights from the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, and other European hubs throughout the summer season. The flight from London takes around three and a half hours. From the US, you’ll connect via Athens or another European hub.

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If you’re already island-hopping, ferries run from Piraeus in Athens — the journey takes around 15 hours overnight on Blue Star Ferries (on the conventional ferry). Rhodes is also connected to the neighboring Dodecanese islands including Kos, Symi, and Patmos, making it an easy addition to a wider Aegean itinerary.

Where to stay

Rhodes Town is the ideal base. The UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town is one of the best-preserved in Europe and worth at least a couple of days of your time. For something closer to the villages covered in this article, the area around Lindos has a good range of boutique hotels and puts you well-placed for the southern and eastern parts of the island. If you want easy access to Filerimos and the northwest, staying closer to Ialyssos keeps the drive short.

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