Rhodes Town

We began our stay at the Sperveri Boutique Hotel in Rhodes Town after a five-night stay in Lindos. I arrived at our new place with few expectations, as I knew very little about Rhodes and expected an anticlimax. My indifferent mindset was soon put aside, however. The two places are very different, but Rhodes Town is a superb destination.

We chose the Sperveri Hotel after quite a lot of thought. Staying in the Old Town itself was a big draw, but this place looked fine and was only a ten-minute walk into the medieval centre. It also seemed sensible to think this would be a quieter option, but both areas were pretty quiet in the evening, as it was so early in the season. It was mid-April, and the vast influx of tourists was yet to arrive. Additionally, it was cheaper and cooler at this time of year.

The small hotel is a quiet back street; cars can’t get down it. They have done a wonderful restoration job. It was the photos on their website (and the reviews) that caused to choose it. It’s all so tastefully done. Whoever did the design knew what they were doing. There is an open area in the centre of the buildings. It’s where breakfast is served; there are occasional tables and a few sunbeds. There isn’t a pool as such, but there is a dipping pool you could sit in on a very hot day. It’s a relaxing setup with the tinkle of a water feature for the soundtrack. The staff, led by the delightful Eleana, were super welcoming.

Natalia was equally charming and served breakfast every morning. And what a breakfast. It made lunch superfluous. The menu varied as Natalia made a range of fresh pastries every day. Typically, it would start with fresh fruit, followed by bread, homemade jams, eggs with pancetta, Greek yoghurt, sweet and savoury pastries, all washed down with tea or coffee. That’s just a sample to give you an idea. I don’t think we ever finished one, and we took the cakes to our room for later in the day. It really set us up for our wanderings around Rhodes.

Though side by side, the old and new areas of Rhodes are quite distinct. They might be only ten yards apart but, architecturally, they are ten centuries distant from each other. Rhodes’ history stretches back thousands of years. It was founded in 408 BCE. Civilisations including Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman have all left their mark.

I like a medieval town, all the old stuff, that sense of history. I love it. Rhodes Old Town ticked all my boxes. It is pretty big, a chaos of narrow streets and alleyways. Many houses were clearly occupied, but many others were derelict, begging for refurbishment. It’s not easy finding your way about at first, but we were content to wander where our instincts took us. It’s never too long before you stumble across a shady square with a few bars and restaurants to check out.

Inevitably, some of the more obvious streets and squares, near the main entrances in the fortified walls, are very ‘touristy’. Their popularity is explained by the fabulous setting. It’s all so charming and scenic; inevitably, it draws people in. As well as the photographs on here, there are some more in the attached video link. There’s only so much one can say with prose!

We didn’t have a bad meal. Traverso is a very good Italian restaurant in the new part of the town; it’s not far from the beach. We had spaghetti carbonara and a salmon pasta.

Our hotel gave us a long list of recommendations. The fish restaurant, Nireas, was excellent. We shared a Seabass partnered with mixed vegetables. Rhodes, like Lindos, has a large population of cats. Eating fish made us quite popular with the local kitties who sat at our feet looking meek and vulnerable. Sadly, I was enjoying my fish too much, and they didn’t get a sniff.

Also in Rhodes Old Town is Mama Sophia, serving mainly Greek cuisine. It was recommended by our hotel, and it delivered handsomely. The mussels were in a rich tomato sauce. I had lamb chops beyond number. It was so good that we went back a second time. The Maitre D recommended a nearby bar called Socrates’ Garden. It is a very pretty spot and a relaxing place. Customers are seated under the shade of trees, and there’s a water feature and flowers. It was a perfect for a sunny afternoon. It does get busy, but the staff work hard and you will get served quickly enough. At only €4.80 a large beer, I was impressed. You’re not being ripped off.

We walked up to the Acropolis one afternoon. There’s not much left of the temple, only three columns on a substantial plinth area. However, the nearby stadium is very impressive. It reminded me of the Circus Maximus, but here a lot of the seating remains. We weren’t impressed by the beaches, perhaps because they had not been made ready for the punters. Quite a bit of storm damage was evident. They seemed to be doing a big cleanup during our stay. They couldn’t be leaving it as we saw it.

The town repays the casual wanderer. The harbour is fine and there’s a fabulous Orthodox Church by the harbour; the Church of the Annunciation. Do not miss it! The artwork and icons inside are gorgeous. Light a candle for me. Quite unexpectedly, and it’s a bit incongruous, the new town has a red-light district down one seedy street. There are pole dancing performances, sex shops, and strip clubs to cater for every taste. I noted one male stripper went under the stage name ‘The Colossus of Rhodes’.

The last day of any holiday is often a bit of a washout. You know the homeward trek awaits. It can overshadow and spoil the tail end of your vacation. So, for a final flourish, we took a boat trip over to Symi.

We had toyed with the idea of staying there, so a bit of a ‘reccy’ seemed a good idea. It only takes 1 hour and 20 minutes from Rhodes and the ferry costs €32 per person. If we return to Rhodes, and I think we will, a few nights on Symi will be part of our itinerary. It gets lots of day-trippers, but… I’ll put it this way. Perhaps you have a dream of Greece. Of a sleepy quayside and crystal waters. Of cosy tavernas in the warm sunshine, a feta salad and a glass of chilled white wine… You are dreaming of Symi.

Should you go?

A thought that strikes me is that Rhodes Town isn’t far from the airport. So, like Corfu Town, this is a great option for a long weekend. I think we saw the beach at it’s worse, it just needed tidying up. I couldn’t tire of walking round the old town. It would be the classiest pub crawl on Earth. We do want to go again; the only caveat is we’d go on the ‘shoulders’ of the holiday season. Spring or Autumn. Many local people, including taxi drivers, hotel staff, and bar owners, all said the same thing: in summer Rhodes is very busy and very hot. Not for me. It might be for you.