So when the Ixian Grand Hotel invited me to explore this beautiful part of the world, I was thrilled.
Before visiting Old Town I had spent 3 amazing days at the Ixian. The food, hotel staff, suite and pool had combined to create the perfect Dodecanese marriage, but I still had a hunger for more.
Well two hungers to be precise, more food and also culture.
Street of the Knights, old town of Rhodes, Greece 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/Y7cP6Q5NVn
— Greek Heritage (@greece_heritage) October 30, 2023
First impressions of the Old Town of Rhodes:
The Old Town of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it is visited by thousands of travellers every year.
Palace of the Grand Master is an awe-inspiring fortress that looms ominously over Old Town. Originally built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 14th century, it is often cited by Greek tourist boards as the definitive must-visit spot.
The intricately designed back alleys and buildings are beautifully preserved and a great way to experience what life was like in the past.
First impressions for me though? Well, I’d wager some folks would get bored after 15 min and others would be content to spend an entire day there.
But which category did I fall under?
My Old Town experience:
Food was on my mind. And lots of it.
Despite being thoroughly treated by the Ixian Grand Hotel over the prior few days, I had a hunger for more.
After roaming around the streets for an hour or so, I landed on the first restaurant – yes, first. A quaint tiny little Greek place tucked behind one of the cobbled streets. It was early in the day, so I fancied fish and white wine.
Several locals had urged me to try the Dodecanese alternative of ouzo or raki over the previous two days. But ‘proper’ souma. I’ll be blunt, it is essentially white spirit, as I was essentially starting at two menus by this point.
A cunning ploy by the staff to be fair, as I proceeded to order the mussels and octopus, the most expensive items on the menu, but equally delicious.
This was the prelude to my final Rhodes lesson. But we’ll come on to that.
Old Town is a bouncing, bustling, little spot brimming with, dare I say it, tourists. But in all fairness, it seems to be designed that way.
The bars for example. One place has a flag for every country in the world and will set it on your table if you tell them where you’re from. Genius marketing, playing on an idiot’s love of country.
So after I finished a pint opposite my Welsh flag, I headed to my second and final restaurant of the day for something, heavier.
It was a steakhouse slap-bang in the middle of Old Town. Unlike bars and pubs, I have always held the belief there should be a different playbook for restaurants. Keep to yourself/table.
This restaurant was bouncing with people from all walks of life, friends, families and a weirdo sitting alone in the middle, me. I couldn’t have been in a better spot to people-watch.
The downsides of Old Town:
Sadly it was at this point when the experience started to get sullied.
I looked at the chuffing expensive bill and noticed I’d been charged for a couple of items I never had, so I called over the waiter and got them removed. Now I was slightly miffed.
Despite that, my next recommendation awaited – the nearby village of Faliraki, as Lindos was on the complete opposite end of the island.
For that, I needed a taxi. Sigh.
After a 20-minute wait at a taxi rank just outside the city walls, myself and two strangers were told to get in a minicab. Faliraki is 23 minutes away from Old Town, according to Google. When we got in, we were told “50 Euro for taxi”, this later translated to “Everyone sharing this taxi pays 50 Euros each.” 150 Euro, for a 23-minute journey.
I’m not saying that every cab driver would try this, but if you’re going to get a taxi, agree on a price beforehand, get a bus instead, or risk your mortgage.
Rhodes, or rather, Old Town, was an incredible experience and one that I will never forget for both good and bad reasons. My hotel, the Ixian Grand Hotel, was sensational, as were my trips out to places such as Old Town.
It is without question, stunning. An area of the world you will never likely stumble across again with a fascinating history to back it up.
But on the downside, it does have its problems. Old Town in the summer months is jam-packed with tourists which then births another problem, rip-offs.
Amidst the many, many souvenir shops, bars and restaurants, you need to have your wits about you.
But if you can manage that, I have no doubt the experience will be unforgettable, for the right reasons.
