The photograph above is of the Museum of Modern Greek Art in Rhodes New Town.
In early September 2024, my wife and I holidayed in Rhodes new town. We also visited Rhodes old town, and here are some of our holiday memories.
Key takeaways from our holiday in Rhodes New Town
- Extreme heat made it essential to seek out shaded areas for comfort.
- Gabriel Charitos Square provided a peaceful atmosphere, abundant date palms, and an excellent restaurant.
- We visited major attractions in the new town, including the Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes-Aquarium Museum and the Museum of Modern Greek Art.
- The impressive New Market, built in the 1920s, is located next to the medieval old town.
- In the medieval area, we enjoyed the restored historical windmills and the 15th-century Saint Nicholas Fortress at Mandraki Harbour.
- The old town dazzled us with its winding alleys, picturesque courtyards, and historic buildings.
- All aspects of our journey, from flights to hotel stay and transfers, went smoothly, making the trip very enjoyable.
Lots of shaded streets and precincts in Rhodes New Town
Day temperatures averaged 32°C with constant sun, so we focused on finding shady spots in Rhodes new town.
Nikiforou Mandilara, shown in the photo, is a charming, shaded pedestrian precinct in Rhodes new town.
Another view of Nikiforou Mandilara
Gabriel Charitos Square
A three-minute walk from where we stayed is the peaceful and charming Gabriel Charitos Square. The square is named after the First Mayor of post-war free Rhodes. Gabriel Charitos was elected in 1946.
The square is beautifully laid out with a central recreational park surrounded by date palms. It is bordered by modern hotel blocks and restaurants. We enjoyed excellent meals at the Olive Restaurant. This is not an affiliate link, but South Coast View is pleased to recommend places with excellent service and food.
Gabriel Charitos Square was our go-to place for morning and evening walks. One side is shaded by tall blocks at certain times of the day.
Many date palms in Gabriel Charitos Square in Rhodes New Town
The Museum of Modern Greek Art is in the background of this photograph.
The Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes-Aquarium Museum
At the most northerly point of Rhodes Island is the Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes-Aquarium Museum.
This imposing building has beautifully tended gardens, and in the background of the photograph, you can observe the mountainous coastline of southern Türkiye.
Cats look for shelter from the sun
We found this small church hidden near the Nikiforou Mandilara precinct mentioned earlier. Cats often relax on the church grounds on Rhodes, perhaps because fewer tourists pass through, leaving the grounds peaceful places to rest.
The grounds of some of these churches, like this one, are gated and often closed off when there is no church service in progress. More peace for these cuties, I am sure.
A holiday atmosphere prevails
We stayed in a busy area, and this scene from our room is typical of the hotel, shopping and restaurant area of Rhodes new town.
Our hotel was the Mitsis Petit Palais, and, again, because of the excellent service we received, I am happy to give this hotel credit. As always, South Coast View does not post affiliate links.
Moving towards Mandraki Harbour in Rhodes Old Town
This photograph shows the busy Mandraki Harbourfront in Rhodes Old Town, with its well-tended gardens. In the background, you can see the Saint Nicholas Fortress, which dates from the 15th century.
The fortress was built for the strategic defence of Rhodes City.
The New Market in Rhodes Old Town
Opposite the Mandraki Harbourfront stands the impressive New Market, featuring a striking 7-sided Moorish exterior built during the Italian occupation of the 1920s. While originally serving as a marketplace, it now houses souvenir shops and eateries. Inside, the market’s atmosphere feels neglected due to underinvestment in the building’s upkeep.
The New Market viewed from Rhodes harbour
The Royal Museums Greenwich has a photograph from the 1930s showing the market’s former splendour. Don’t let my comments about the New Market put you off from visiting this important historical building.
The ancient windmills of Rhodes
The associated photograph shows three restored windmills dating from the 14th century.
These iconic windmills used to grind corn from vessels moored alongside the 400-meter-long breakwater jetty.
The jetty offers magnificent views across the harbour and towards Rhodes’s old town.
Rhodes Old Town seen from the breakwater jetty
Rhodes Old Town and the New Market seen from the breakwater jetty.
Rhodes New Town to Rhodes Old Town
It took us approximately 15 minutes to leisurely walk from our hotel on Griva Street to Rhodes old town. You can view the route map on Google Maps. The walking distance from where we stayed in Rhodes new town to Rhodes old town is 1.4 kilometres (0.9 miles).
We finally made it to the spectacular medieval Old Town of Rhodes, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
The old town features a fascinating labyrinth of alleys and courtyards, home to numerous shops and restaurants.
It was a blisteringly hot day, and whilst we loved the old town, we felt it best not to stay too long in the roasting heat.
I’ll let the photographs below speak for themselves.
Photo Gallery – Rhodes Old Town
To navigate through the photo gallery, click or touch any image below.
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in Rhodes new town. If you want to stay out of the sun, choose your walks, as much as you can, within the many shaded streets and alleyways of the town.
How we got to Rhodes
We travelled with easyJet Holidays from Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, UK. The package included our hotel and mini-bus transfers (approx 50 minutes) to and from Rhodes Diagoras Airport. Every aspect of our holiday was perfect, and we will definitely return to Rhodes New Town.
External Links for Rhodes New Town – not affiliate links
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