Yacht Charter Rhodes

Yacht Charter in Rhodes

Rhodes is the largest and most historically significant of the Dodecanese islands — a destination of extraordinary medieval beauty, excellent sailing conditions, and remarkable archaeological richness that rewards exploration by sea more than almost any other island in Greece. The medieval Old City of Rhodes, enclosed within 4 kilometres of massive fortified walls built by the Knights of St John in the 14th and 15th centuries, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest examples of medieval urban planning in Europe. For yacht charter, Rhodes serves as both a major destination and the southern terminus of classic Greek island itineraries, with easy access by sea to the Turkish coast and the northern Dodecanese.

The Medieval Old City

The Old City of Rhodes is the most intact medieval fortified city in Europe. The Street of the Knights, a straight cobblestone avenue lined by the inns of the eight langues (national chapters) of the Knights of St John, leads from the harbour to the Palace of the Grand Masters — a magnificent restoration of the original 14th-century palace, now housing an extensive mosaic collection from the nearby island of Kos. The commercial harbour below the walls, where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood astride the entrance according to ancient accounts, is still guarded by the towers of St Nicholas and the Gate of the Mills. The old harbour is used today by charter yachts, excursion boats, and the occasional cruise ship.

Lindos and the Acropolis

Lindos, on the east coast of Rhodes 55 kilometres from the capital, is one of the most beautiful ancient sites in the Aegean — a Doric acropolis perched on a 116-metre cliff above a perfect natural harbour, its Temple of Athena Lindia and Hellenistic stoa visible for miles in every direction. Below the acropolis, the village of Lindos is a maze of whitewashed Byzantine and Ottoman houses, many of them decorated with black-and-white pebble mosaics (chochlakia) — a local art form unique to this part of the Dodecanese. The anchorage below the acropolis, in St Paul's Bay where the apostle is said to have landed during his voyage to Rome, is one of the most beautiful in the Aegean.

Island Hopping from Rhodes

Rhodes is an ideal base for exploring the southern Dodecanese. The Turkish coast around Marmaris and Datca is just a few hours away by sea — the border crossing is straightforward and the combined itinerary exceptional. Symi, a small island north of Rhodes with a beautiful neoclassical harbour town of ochre and terracotta houses, is 90 minutes by fast boat. Tilos, Nisyros, and Astypalea offer progressively quieter and more remote sailing grounds for those willing to venture further north.