Rhodes cruise port guide

Arrival & Getting Ashore

Getting to the centre: Start at the Tourist Harbour cruise pier for the nearest gate in the Old Town walls; the municipal minibus continues along the waterfront to City Hall in the new town.

• Walk: about 10 minutes from the pier to the nearest Old Town gate; realistic for most walkers, with historic paving inside the walled city.
• Shuttle: free municipal Akandia–City Hall minibus, with a Tourist Port stop.
• Public transport: the same municipal minibus serves Tourist Port, Kolona, Twin Kiosks and City Hall, €0 one way.

Prices checked 2026-09-08. Sources: Celebrity Cruises: Rhodes, Municipality: free minibus.

Orientation, not a walking route

Cruise ships berth at the Tourist Harbour, also called the central port. The Hellenic Ports Association confirms dedicated cruise piers and space for excursion coaches and taxis. Mandraki and the other harbours have different roles, so use the return location supplied by your ship when arranging a pickup.

The association's published port brochure gives approximately 1 km to the town centre. The shorter walk above ends at the nearest gate in the Old Town walls.

Follow the permitted route out of the secured port area. Taxis wait at the port for passengers who prefer a vehicle or want to travel farther across the island.

The minibus is a public municipal service. Its waterfront stops offer an alternative to walking all the way to the new town. Use the municipal route information for the return service to Tourist Port.

About this port

Rhodes makes a rewarding walking day: the cruise harbour puts you beside a fortified town with enough streets, museums and courtyards to occupy a whole call. The Medieval City of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1988. Its buildings preserve several chapters of the island's history, including the Knights of St John and Ottoman rule.

For a first visit of a few hours, concentrate on the old town and choose one museum. Lindos is a separate excursion involving a substantial road journey; trying to give both places equal attention leaves little room for delays or a relaxed lunch.

Getting Around

Explore the walled city on foot, leaving time to look beyond its busiest shopping streets. Comfortable shoes are useful for historic paving and the approaches to monuments. Passengers needing step-free access should check the particular museum and entrance rather than assume that the entire old town has the same conditions.

For east-coast journeys, including Lindos, consult KTEL Rhodes for the current service and boarding point. Check the return journey before purchasing an outward ticket, including the time needed to regain the cruise berth. A pre-arranged taxi or organised excursion makes a multi-stop outing easier to control.

Things to Do

Follow the Street of the Knights to the palace. The street and the Palace of the Grand Master provide a useful focus for an old-town walk. The palace housed the Grand Master and the order's administration. Much of its present appearance reflects twentieth-century restoration, and its interiors include mosaic floors brought from Kos. Full admission is €20 for the palace, with a separate €5 ticket for the wall walk. From 1 November to 31 March, the palace closes on Tuesdays and the wall walk is closed (prices and seasonal closures checked 2026-10-15). Check the palace operator for current hours before you visit.

Choose the Archaeological Museum for ancient Rhodes. Housed in the former Hospital of the Knights, it combines the medieval building with sculpture, jewellery and other archaeological finds. The Bathing Aphrodite statuette is among its notable exhibits. Full admission is €10. From 1 November to 31 March, the museum closes on Tuesdays (price and seasonal closure checked 2026-10-15). Check the museum's visitor page for current hours before planning around an indoor visit.

Allow time simply to explore. The lower town's mosques and other Ottoman buildings broaden the picture beyond the Knights. Make a short circuit through its streets and squares, then choose somewhere to eat before returning towards the harbour.

Make Lindos the day's main excursion if you go. Its acropolis contains the sanctuary of Athena Lindia and later fortifications. The operator gives about an hour by car from Rhodes city, before the approach on foot. The acropolis has a separate €20 full-admission ticket and closes on Tuesdays from 1 November to 31 March (price and seasonal closure checked 2026-10-15). Check Lindos visitor information and leave a generous return margin. The UNESCO inscription described above covers Rhodes's medieval city; it does not confer World Heritage status on Lindos.

Getting back to your ship

For east-coast journeys, including Lindos, consult KTEL Rhodes for the current service and boarding point. Check the return journey before purchasing an outward ticket, including the time needed to regain the cruise berth. A pre-arranged taxi or organised excursion makes a multi-stop outing easier to control.

Practical Information

Greece uses the euro (€), and Greek is the official language. Dial 112 in an emergency. Carry your ship's contact details and the documents its crew instructs you to take ashore.

Bring water and sun protection, and plan breaks during exposed walks. Check each attraction's current opening information, especially around holidays.

Frequently asked

Can you walk from Rhodes cruise port to the Old Town? Yes. It is about 10 minutes from the Tourist Harbour pier to the nearest gate in the Old Town walls. Historic paving continues inside the walled city.

Is there a free shuttle from Rhodes cruise port? Yes. The municipality's Akandia–City Hall minibus stops at Tourist Port, then serves Kolona, Twin Kiosks and City Hall.

How much is the Rhodes Tourist Port minibus? €0 one way: it is free. The municipal public service links the waterfront with City Hall.

Do cruise ships dock or tender in Rhodes? They dock at the Tourist Harbour, also called the central port. Use that location when arranging your return pickup.