Rhodes in 4 days: Old Town, Lindos, the west coast and Symi

Four days is the right length for Rhodes: long enough for the medieval town, the island's best village and a loop of the west coast, short enough that you will not run out of things to do. The Rhodes travel guide explains the island. If Rhodes is one stop on a longer trip, the Greece guide shows how it links with Athens, Crete and the other islands.

The plan assumes two bases: Rhodes Town for the first two nights and the east coast or Lindos for the last two. That avoids a long drive back and forth each day. The where to stay in Rhodes guide compares the bases, and the sections below say which day needs a car. It also assumes a visit between May and early October, when boats, beaches and open sites line up. Outside that window, ferries, restaurants and some sites run limited hours.

Times are typical visit lengths, not guarantees. Greek sites keep their own hours and closing days, which change by season, so check the official pages before you go. If the wind blows hard, swap days so the boat or the exposed beaches fall on a calmer one.

Start at about 8:30am, before the tour groups reach the walls. Enter through one of the gates and walk to the Palace of the Grand Master, the big fortress at the top of the hill that the Knights built and the Italians rebuilt in the twentieth century. Inside, the rooms hold mosaics and furniture, and the courtyard is the place to see the scale. Check the opening hours and ticket arrangements on the culture ministry page.

Walk down the Street of the Knights, a straight cobbled lane lined with the inns of the different Knights' tongues. It is one of the island's best-known sights and quiet early in the morning. From there, wander the lanes toward the harbor and the old Jewish quarter, and stop for a coffee in a small square before the day heats up.

Mid-afternoon is for the heat. Take a long lunch in the shade, or swim at the city beach just outside the walls. In the late afternoon, walk the top of the walls if they are open, or the harbor and Mandraki, where the old windmills stand by the water. For dinner, eat in the New Town or the lanes behind the main squares rather than on the busiest street, and choose a place where Greeks are eating. See the Rhodes Town guide for more on the walls, harbors and the city beach.

Rent a car in the morning, or book a driver or tour. The road to Lindos runs along the east coast for about an hour, past beaches and bays, and the best approach is to leave early and reach the village before the tour buses. Park outside, walk in and climb to the acropolis first, while the stone is cool and the lanes are empty. The climb has steps and uneven stone, so wear shoes with good grip and bring water.

The acropolis has the remains of an ancient temple, a medieval fortress and a view over the bay. Allow about an hour and a half with the climb, and check the opening hours and ticket arrangements before you go. After the acropolis, walk down through the lanes, which are packed with shops and small restaurants, and swim at the beach below the village or at the nearby bay with its small chapel.

On the way back, stop at Tsambika or another east-coast beach for an afternoon swim, and drive back to Rhodes Town or on to your second base. If you are moving to Lindos or the east coast for your last two nights, this is the day to check in. Our Lindos guide covers the village and the beaches in more detail.

Day three is a loop on the quieter side of the island. Start early and drive to the ancient city of Kamiros on the west coast, a hillside of Doric ruins above the sea. It is less visited than Lindos and easier to walk, and the best view is from the top of the site. Allow an hour or two, and check the official hours.

Then drive inland to Epta Piges, the Seven Springs, a shaded valley with a stream, plane trees and a short tunnel, which is a cool break in the heat. If it is the summer season, the Valley of the Butterflies is another shaded stop, where moths gather on the trees. Keep noise down and do not clap, because disturbed moths use up energy they need.

In the late afternoon, return by the west coast, which is windier and catches the sunset. The beaches here are rougher than on the east coast, so swim where there are signs and lifeguards, and check the wind before you stop. If you are tired, skip the second valley and spend more time at one beach.

For the last day, choose one of two. The first is a day boat to Symi, the neoclassical harbor island to the north. Boats leave from Rhodes harbor in the morning and return in the late afternoon, which leaves time to walk the harbor, climb the steps to the old town and swim. The boat type decides the crossing time, so check the timetable. See Rhodes or Crete if you are still deciding whether Rhodes suits your trip.

The second is a drive to Prasonisi, the sandy spit at the southern tip, where two seas meet and the wind often blows. It is a haven for windsurfers and kitesurfers, and a long, sandy beach for everyone else. Allow a day, because the drive is long and the road has few services. Check the wind forecast before you set off, and bring water, sun protection and something to eat.

Rhodes is sunny most of the summer, but spring and autumn can bring rain and wind. If a boat is cancelled, spend the day in the Old Town museums, which hold the finds from the island and the story of the Knights, and visit the shops and cafes in the covered lanes. The Archaeological Museum in the old Knights' hospital is one of the best, though you should check the opening hours first.

If it is simply windy, shift your beach day to a sheltered bay on the east coast and leave the exposed west coast for another day. Many guesthouses can advise on which beaches are calm. In very bad weather, ferries may be delayed or cancelled, so keep a day of flexibility before a flight home.

You can base in Rhodes Town for the whole trip and do days two and three by tour, but a car for those two days gives you the most freedom. Buses link Rhodes Town with Lindos and the east coast, with fewer services to the west and south. Taxis are plentiful in the town and expensive for long distances, so agree the price before you go. The Getting around Greece page covers cars, buses and ferries.

Roads are generally good but narrow in the villages, and parking near Lindos is tight in summer. Drive slowly on the bends, watch for scooters, and never drive after drinking. If you plan a scooter, check that your license and insurance cover it.

Set up data with the connectivity guide and compare cover in the travel insurance guide before you book non-refundable tickets. If you are choosing dates, read best time to visit Greece, and for a base compare the areas in where to stay in Rhodes.