Rhodes tours: the main types
Rhodes has more day trips than most islands of its size. They fall into a few types: bus trips to Lindos and the interior, boat trips along the coast, the crossing to Symi, walking tours of the Old Town and self-drive safaris. This page helps you choose a type and read a listing. It does not rank operators.
One rule saves most disappointments. A tour is a ride, a guide or a boat, and an entry ticket is a separate thing unless the description says so. The Acropolis of Lindos has its own entry rules, and a transport offer is no proof that the ticket is included. The same goes for the Palace of the Grand Master.
Types of Rhodes excursions compared
What each type is good for and what to look for in the description.
| Type | Good for | Check before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Bus day trip to Lindos | Visitors without a car who want the acropolis and the village in one day | Whether entry is included, pick-up point, time left in the village |
| Boat trip along the coast | Swimming stops, bays such as Anthony Quinn Bay, a day on the water | Departure harbour, which stops are named, food and drinks, weather rule |
| Day trip to Symi | The harbour town and, with extra transport, the monastery of Panormitis | Return time, whether Panormitis is part of the trip, ferry or boat |
| Old Town walking tour | A first visit with history and a guide | Meeting point, whether palace and museum tickets are extra |
| Nature trip | Butterfly Valley, Seven Springs and Filerimos in one outing | Season for the moths, entry fees, steep paths |
| Jeep or quad safari | Off-road driving in the interior | Driver age and licence rules, insurance excess, shared vehicles |
A simple rule: if you have a rental car, Lindos and Kallithea are easy to do alone. If you stay in Rhodes Town and prefer not to drive, a bus tour or a boat trip saves the planning.
Our picks: tours compared
A speedboat to Symi, a catamaran day and a bus tour to Lindos.
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.
Catamaran day cruise with lunch and drinks
Six hours with a Mediterranean lunch buffet, wine and beer from noon, soft drinks, snorkelling gear and a shower on board. The listing names no exclusions.
Check availability →
Speedboat day trip to Symi
Return speedboat crossing and free time on Symi. There is no guided tour.
Check availability →
Lindos and Seven Springs by bus
Hotel pickup and return, transport and a driver for about seven hours. Entry fees are not included, so the Lindos Acropolis ticket (€20) comes on top.
Check availability →Rhodes tours and excursions
Boat trips, Lindos, Symi, the Old Town and nature days, with live prices and availability.
What to check before you book
Descriptions differ. These points decide whether a tour is good value.
Entry tickets
Lindos costs €20 for adults and €10 reduced in 2026, the Palace of the Grand Master €20 and €10, the Archaeological Museum €10. Check whether the description lists the entry as included or as an extra you pay on site.
Prices of the sights →Pick-up and meeting point
Some trips collect you at your hotel, others start at a fixed harbour or office. Choose by the pick-up that fits your base, not by the price alone.
Guide or only transport
A bus transfer is not a guided tour. Look for the words guide, audio guide or driver in the description and see what each one covers.
Swim stops and time
Do not assume a swim stop. Read the stops that are named and how much free time you get at each place, in Symi as well as at the beaches.
Season and weather
The water park near Faliraki plans to close on 26 October 2026, and Lindos switches to winter hours on 1 November. Archaeological sites can close at short notice in a storm, as on 14 October 2026 from 12:30. Look for a cancellation or rebooking rule.
Weather guide →Lindos on your own
Lindos lies about 50 km from Rhodes Town, and the national tourism organisation gives 1 hour 40 minutes by bus from the central station. By car it is about an hour without traffic. Parking in Lindos is often quoted at about €7 per stay, but this is only a rough guide. Check the current rate on site.
Lindos guide →
Symi: tour or ferry?
A day on Symi works two ways. You can book a boat trip as a package, or take the line ferry on your own and spend the day at the harbour town. The operator Dodekanisos lists fast catamarans (Dodekanisos Express and Pride) at €32 per person one way in 2026, and the conventional ship Panagia Skiadeni at €24 one way. The list allows price changes by season and demand. Another operator, SEBECO, lists a sample sailing of 80 minutes on 20 October 2026.
A visit to Symi Town does not include Panormitis automatically. The monastery lies in the south-west of the island and is reached by a separate bus or boat. The Symi guide has the fares, the departure points and the Panormitis details.
Tour or on your own?
The honest trade-offs.
Pros of a tour
One booking, a fixed timetable, a driver or skipper and often a guide. This helps if you travel without a car or for a short stay.
Cons of a tour
The day is fixed, and you cannot stay longer at a place you like. Entry tickets are often extra, so the total can be higher than the headline price.
Pros of going alone
You choose the time, so you can reach Lindos early or the palace at its quiet hours. Ferry and entry prices are published by the operators.
Cons of going alone
You plan buses, parking and opening hours yourself, and the New Market works in Rhodes Town have changed the bus boarding area since 11 September 2026.
Rhodes island tours: by boat, by bus and on foot
Tours in Rhodes come in three main forms: boats along the coast, buses to Lindos and the interior, and walks through the Old Town. Pick the form that matches your base and your appetite for driving.
Boat tours around Rhodes
Rhodes boat tours usually offer swimming stops and a day on the water, with bays such as Anthony Quinn Bay on the route. Boats leave from harbours such as Mandraki or Kolona, so choose by the departure point that suits your base. Do not assume a swim stop: read the stops that are named and what food and drinks are included.
Boat excursions to Symi
The best known of the boat excursions from Rhodes is the crossing to Symi, by speedboat package or by line ferry. The Symi guide has the fares and the departure points.
A Rhodes walking tour of the Old Town
A Rhodes walking tour suits a first visit, with history and a guide. Check the meeting point, and whether the tickets for the palace and the museum are extra.
Rhodes tours: frequently asked questions
Is the entry ticket included in a Lindos tour?
Not necessarily. The acropolis has its own entry, €20 for adults and €10 reduced in 2026. Check the description for what is included.
How long is the ferry to Symi?
A sample sailing listed for 20 October 2026 took 80 minutes. Fast catamarans and conventional ships differ, so check the time of your sailing.
Does a Symi day trip include the Panormitis monastery?
Not automatically. Panormitis is in the south-west of the island, with a separate transfer. Look for it in the description.
Are tours possible in winter?
Some are. Sights move to winter hours from 1 November, with Tuesday closures at the palace and Lindos. Seasonal attractions such as the water park close earlier.
Do children get a reduced fare?
It depends on the operator. SEBECO lists free travel from 1 month to 4 years and 50 percent off from 5 to 10 years. Do not assume the same discount on other ships. Check the child fare when you book.
Is visitrhodos.org a tour operator?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no link to ferry companies, the Municipality of Rhodes or any tour operator.