Beautiful Abroad
Greece · Beautiful Abroad guide

Rhodes

A highly usable island base combining a medieval old town, city beaches, Reformer Pilates, coworking, recovery, food and practical services.

The place

Rhodes Town is one of the rare Mediterranean places where a monumental historic city and an easy modern seaside base genuinely touch. Inside the medieval walls are the Street of the Knights, Ottoman buildings, courtyards and the Palace of the Grand Masters; outside them, Mandraki and New Town open toward cafés, ferries and city beaches. Rhodes was important long before the Knights — the ancient harbour was once associated with the Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders — and centuries of Byzantine, Hospitaller, Ottoman and Italian rule remain visible in the city.

World Heritage city

UNESCO lists the Medieval City of Rhodes for the exceptional fortified town created by the Knights of St John from 1309 to 1523, including the Palace of the Grand Masters and Street of the Knights.

The vanished landmark

The Colossus of Rhodes stood in the ancient city in the 3rd century BC. Its exact position is debated, but its connection to Rhodes’ harbour remains part of the island’s identity.

Why it works for Beautiful Abroad

For actual living, New Town/Elli and the Mandraki edge beat sleeping deep inside the medieval lanes: you keep the history close but gain swimming, Reformer, coworking, recovery, groceries and easier luggage/ferry logistics. Rhodes is one of the more complete island bases in the network because daily life and a major historic centre coexist within walking distance.

Where to live

  • New Town / Elli / Neochori ↗Best blend of everyday sea access and urban infrastructure; avoids medieval Old Town sleep friction. Caution: Some streets are lively in peak season; choose quieter block.
  • Mandraki / Old Town edge ↗Excellent lifestyle ecosystem and Rodos Park access while remaining close to New Town. Caution: Old Town interior can be awkward with rolling luggage.
  • Medieval Old Town interior ↗World-class atmosphere for visits. Caution: Cobble/stone, tourism and luggage friction make it weaker as the primary Base.

Stay a while

  • Rhodes Island Elli Beach Apartments ↗Best beach-first longer-stay option: 2-minute walk to Elli, spacious apartments, balconies, lift, washing machine and central access. Excellent no-car; 7 min Mandraki and 2 min beach.
  • New Town Apartments ↗Strong central apartment stock with kitchens, Wi-Fi, AC and very high location score; practical for longer Rhodes Town living. Excellent New Town access; beach and Old Town walkable.
  • Esperia City Hotel Apartment ↗Hotel-serviced apartment with fully equipped kitchenette, dining table and Wi-Fi; good hybrid of hotel ease and self-catering. New Town location suitable for Elli and Mandraki.
  • Elli City Apartment ↗4-minute walk to Elli Beach; full kitchen, washing machine, balcony, elevator, Wi-Fi and AC. Strong daily-swim + practical-living fit. Selected for Base walkability and self-catering practicality.

Eat well

  • ONO Vegan & Vegetarian ↗Dedicated vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Rhodes Town open across breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner with wine/cocktails; strong repeatable healthy anchor.
  • Loveat — The Pure Concept ↗Wellness-oriented Rhodes Town café/restaurant focused on seasonal, minimally processed food.
  • Kerasma ↗Creative Greek/Mediterranean restaurant in a restored mansion with direct online booking; polished but repeatable dinner in the Base.
  • Mama Sofia ↗Established family restaurant in Old Town with fresh homemade Greek/Mediterranean food; useful classic evening option.

Recovery

Bodywork, thermal, recovery technology and the things worth making time for.

  • SAUNA + COLDRodos Park Wellness Spa ↗The city anchor: sauna, aroma steam, hammam, ice fountain and private Jacuzzi, with external visitors explicitly welcomed for a fee.
  • BODYWORKRhodes Massage ↗Professional massage that comes to you or works from the studio, with direct booking.
  • PHYSIONG Evexia ↗Massage and physiotherapy — therapeutic rather than spa-oriented.
  • HAMMAM + BODYWORKSunrise Boutique Spa ↗An independent boutique option at the New Marina for massage and hammam.

Work from here

  • Rhodes Project Coworking ↗Proper remote-work option with fiber internet, screens/laptops, lockers, printing, video conferencing, kitchen and patio.
  • Monk Coffee / The Pure Roasters ↗Current 2026 remote-work testing ranks it Rhodes’ strongest café for laptop work; use for shorter sessions, with Rhodes Project for calls/deep work.

Movement

  • Body & Soul ↗Current official site explicitly lists Pilates Reformer alongside TRX, yoga and aerial yoga; strong visitor-contact lead close to town.
  • My Oxygen Pilates Studio ↗Dedicated Reformer offering with an official free-first-session callout; useful high-confidence apparatus alternative.
  • Studio 8 Rhodes ↗Full apparatus depth: Reformer, Cadillac and Wunda Chair explicitly documented; excellent complement to standard group Reformer.
  • My Oxygen — Yoga ↗Official weekly schedule includes yoga alongside multiple fitness classes, making this an easy add-on to the traveler gym pass.

Beauty + practical life

Water + outdoors

See

The art, architecture or place you shouldn’t leave without seeing.

  • Medieval Old Town + Palace of the Grand MasterWalk it early, before the day boats arrive.
  • Archaeological Museum / Knights' HospitalThe building is as good as the collection.
  • Lindos AcropolisGo at opening or late; the climb is exposed.

Community

If you want people around you.

Join

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Where you can go next

Blue Star Piraeus → Rhodes

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