The Rhodes Old Town and its medieval city at a glance
The Old Town of Rhodes was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988, under criteria (ii), (iv) and (v). The listing covers the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master and the Great Hospital. It is also an inhabited town, so you share the lanes with residents, shops and cafés.
The sights fall into three groups: the street of the knights' inns, the palace with the city walls, and the Archaeological Museum in the former knights' hospital. Each has its own ticket. The Old Town is a separate visit from the Acropolis of Lindos, which lies further down the coast, see our Lindos guide.
The Street of the Knights
The Street of the Knights is the best-known lane in the Old Town. The UNESCO description names inns of the knights' Langues, among them France, Italy, Spain and Provence, along it. Their medieval facades give the street its look.
The street has been restored and used over the centuries, so do not expect every stone to be unchanged. Walk it in the morning or late afternoon if you can, and follow it up towards the palace. The quieter side lanes, like the one below, are worth the detour.
Our picks: Old Town
A palace ticket with audio tour, a guided walk and a short boat trip from Rhodes Town.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Guided walk through Rhodes Old Town
Three hours with an English-speaking guide. Entry fees are not included: the Palace of the Grand Master costs €20 and the Archaeological Museum €10.
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Grand Master's Palace ticket with audio tour
Palace entry and a smartphone audio tour, but no live guide. You bring your own phone and headphones. The official palace ticket alone costs €20.
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Glass-bottom boat cruise from Rhodes Town
A 45-minute trip with an audio guide in German and English and access to the bar. The 18:30 departure has no diving show.
Check availability →Rhodes Old Town tours and tickets
Guided walks of the Old Town, Rhodes city tours and day trips that start from the city, with live prices and availability.
Palace of the Grand Master
The palace is the main monument of the Old Town and the one that needs the most time. Plan on a ticket of its own.
The Palace of the Grand Master is a museum and monument with its own entrance fee. In 2026 an adult ticket costs €20 and a reduced ticket €10. The fortification walls are listed separately at €5, reduced €3.
From 1 April to 31 October the palace opens daily from 08:00 to 20:00. From 1 November to 31 March it opens from 08:30 to 15:30 and is closed on Tuesdays. The last entry is 20 minutes before closing. Expect closures on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Orthodox Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December.
The exhibitions inside have their own hours. In summer the Byzantine exhibition is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 to 17:00. The exhibition called Ancient Rhodes 2,400 is currently listed as closed. In winter both are closed. Heritage sites can also close at short notice for weather: on 14 October 2026 Lindos, the palace and the museum closed from 12:30 because of a storm warning. That closure applied to that day only.
Tickets and opening hours compared
Adult prices and regular hours for 2026. Reduced tickets are listed where known.
| Place | Adult | Reduced | Summer hours (1 April to 31 October) | Winter hours (1 November to 31 March) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace of the Grand Master | €20 | €10 | Daily 08:00–20:00 | 08:30–15:30, closed Tuesday |
| City walls walk | €5 | €3 | Monday to Friday 12:00–15:00, closed Saturday | Closed |
| Archaeological Museum | €10 | – | Daily 08:00–20:00 | 08:30–15:30, closed Tuesday |
The walk on the walls is not the same as strolling around the town: the wall walk has a ticket of its own and short hours. Buy each ticket on its own. Do not rely on a combined ticket for the palace, walls and museum without confirming it at the desk.
Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes sits in the former hospital of the knights. The admission is €10 in summer and in winter. The main building follows the palace's pattern: daily 08:00 to 20:00 from 1 April to 31 October, and 08:30 to 15:30 from 1 November to 31 March, closed on Tuesdays. The last entry is 20 minutes before closing.
Some sections have shorter hours. In summer the prehistoric collection is open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00. The epigraphic exhibition and the Villaragut house open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00, and a small exhibition of archaic vessels opens on Sunday from 12:30 to 15:00. In winter the prehistoric, epigraphic and Villaragut sections are closed. The museum is closed on 1 January, 25 March, Orthodox Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 and 26 December.
Free admission and reductions
The state grants free admission to young EU citizens up to 25 years and to children from non-EU countries up to 18 years, with proof of age or origin. There are further groups, for example visitors with disabilities, so read the state's rules if you think you qualify.
Free days are 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September and 28 October. In winter, from November to March, the first and third Sunday of the month are free. Some museum pages mention only the first Sunday, so check on the day before you plan around a free entry. This site is independent and does not sell tickets. The state runs an official online ticket portal for its sites.
The walled city of Rhodes
The old city of Rhodes lies behind medieval walls and is still a place where people live.
The medieval town of Rhodes: lanes and walls on foot
The medieval town is easiest to see on foot, and walking the streets is free. The palace, the wall walk and the museum each have a ticket of their own, see the table above. Old Rhodes rewards a slow pace, with the Street of the Knights on one side and the quieter side lanes on the other.
Rhodes Old Town opening hours
Walking the streets is free, but the sights keep their own hours. The palace and the museum open from 08:00 to 20:00 in summer and from 08:30 to 15:30 in winter, closed on Tuesday. The wall walk runs on weekdays from 12:00 to 15:00 in summer and is closed in winter.
Rhodes Old Town hotels: what to check
Rhodes Old Town hotels stand inside a lived-in UNESCO town, so car access and street noise differ from one property to the next. Check both before you book. The where to stay guide compares the Old Town with Lindos, Faliraki and the south.
Planning your visit
Practical points for a day in the Old Town.
Walls and gates
The medieval walls surround the town. The wall walk has a ticket and limited hours, see the table above.
Roadworks near the New Market
Since 11 September 2026 building work at the New Market (Nea Agora) has changed the bus and pedestrian area. In Averof Street, between Papagou and Gallias, the boarding area for city and long-distance buses has moved. The planned duration is three months.
Airport and buses →Time of year
Summer hours are long, winter hours are short and Tuesday is closed from November. Check the weather and season guide before you fix a date.
The harbour
Mandraki harbour, with its windmills and the deer columns, is part of the town's waterfront. Read about it in our guide to the Colossus of Rhodes.
Staying in town
Hotels in an inhabited UNESCO town differ a lot. Check each property for access and street noise before you book. See where to stay.
Rhodes Old Town: frequently asked questions
Is the Old Town of Rhodes a UNESCO site?
Yes. It was inscribed in 1988 under criteria (ii), (iv) and (v). The listing covers the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master and the Great Hospital.
How much is the Palace of the Grand Master in 2026?
An adult ticket costs €20 and a reduced ticket €10. The city wall walk is priced separately at €5, reduced €3.
What are the palace opening hours?
From 1 April to 31 October it is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00. From 1 November to 31 March it is open from 08:30 to 15:30 and closed on Tuesdays. The last entry is 20 minutes before closing.
Can I walk the city walls?
The wall walk has its own ticket. In summer it is open Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 15:00 and closed on Saturday. In winter it is closed.
How long should I plan for the Old Town?
Give the palace about half a day with a walk along the Street of the Knights. Add the Archaeological Museum if you like museums, and keep time for the lanes and the harbour.
Is the Old Town the same as Lindos?
No. They are different places with separate tickets. The Old Town is the medieval city of Rhodes, while the Acropolis of Lindos is a village site further along the coast.