Lindos tumbles down a hillside on the east coast of Rhodes. Whitewashed lanes and terracotta roofs sit below an ancient acropolis on the cliff, with a sandy bay on either side. Couples will find plenty of romance in the lamp-lit rooftops and small hotels, and families do well on its gentle, shallow main beach. Plan on three days, with room left for a long lunch.
Where should you stay in Lindos?
Lindos splits into distinct areas, and the one you pick shapes your days. The core of the village is protected, with no hotel blocks and no cars, so wherever you stay, you'll be walking.
The Old Town
The cobbled, car-free heart of the village is where you'll find most of the shops and many of the restaurants, all steps from your door. Mansions built by wealthy sea captains now house boutique hotels. Melenos Art Boutique Hotel, in a 17th-century Lindian stone mansion, is the grand address. F Charm Hotel is a small, hip adults-only option that is usually about five minutes on foot from St. Paul's Bay. Stay here if you want to step out the door into the evening buzz. The trade-off is the daytime crush, when the day-trip boats are in and the main lanes fill. Lindos Old Town is car-free and its lanes have stone steps and uneven surfaces, so allow extra time on arrival if you have luggage.
The back of town
Tucked uphill from the crowds, this calm part of town leans against rocky outcrops. The walk into the center takes about 15 minutes, which feels longer in summer heat, and Lindos Beach is about twice that. Caesar's Gardens Hotel and Spa has 16 rooms in whitewashed buildings among olive trees and rosemary, with two freshwater pools. Noema, a little further along the hill, has big terraces and sweeping views from some of its rooms. Budget travelers like Chrysa Studios, at the back of the Old Town, for its views and nearby parking. This is the spot for couples who want a quiet pool by day and a romantic dinner out at night.
Down by the bays, and for families
With children, villas and larger hotels on the bays outside the village can be easier than staying among the lanes, which have many steps. Lindos Beach Boutique Villa gives you private space close to the sand. For bigger groups, Lindos Sun Hotel has triple and quad rooms. Lindos Allure Villa has six beds across two bedrooms, plus a jacuzzi.
The main road and the outskirts
Skip it. The big all-inclusive resorts sit further around the main road, some in Vlycha Bay ten minutes to the north, and they have huge pools. From most of them you can't walk into Lindos. A few run golf buggies into the village, so ask before you book, since otherwise each dinner out means a taxi ride.
What are the best things to do in Lindos?
Lindos is made for slow days, and the summer heat sees to that. In summer, do your walking first thing in the morning and from late afternoon on. Give the hottest hours to shade, a pool or a long lunch.
The Acropolis
The acropolis sits about 380 feet (116 meters) above the village on a hill of cypresses and pines, and you can see it from almost everywhere. The layers stack up as you climb. Athena Lindia has been honored on this rock since around 900 B.C., and the Doric temple standing today dates from the 4th century B.C. John built a castle over the top of it all. You pass through a medieval gate and between two surviving watchtowers to reach a Greek temple.
The climb from the village takes under 15 minutes, about 250 stairs on stepped lanes with almost no shade. Wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water. Access is on foot or by mule. The views repay the effort: white roofs on one side, and on the other St. Paul's Bay, shaped like an upside-down heart from up there.
2026 prices: full admission is €20. Entry is free on March 6, April 18, May 18, the last weekend of September and national holidays. The site is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from the start of April. Closing time then moves earlier through the fall: 7:30 p.m. from the start of September, 7 p.m. from mid September, 6:30 p.m. from the start of October and 6 p.m. from mid October through the end of the month. From November 1 through March 31 it is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays. It also closes on January 1, March 25, May 1, Easter Sunday, and December 25 and 26. There is no access for people with disabilities. In high summer, go late in the day for cooler air and golden light, leaving at least an hour before closing.
The Old Town on foot
Start at the main square, easy to spot by the big plane tree in the middle of its roundabout. It has the tourist office, public toilets, a taxi rank and a small fountain of cool drinking water for refilling your bottle. Go early, before the lanes fill. Bougainvillea spills over white walls, and arched doorways hide courtyards. The small details are the point: pebble mosaics, rustic doorbells, hidden passages.
The main route is lined end to end with trinket shops, but good ones sit among them, selling handmade leather goods, jewelry, embroidery and ceramics. Kori Lindos, in the center, stocks locally made jewelry, soaps and olive oil. Thanos Leathershop sells handmade sandals and bags. Pestemal Lindos sells pestemals, light woven towels in cotton, linen or bamboo that double as scarves or sarongs. For a treat to take home, buy melekouni, a sweet sesame and honey snack.
The Church of Panagia
The Greek Orthodox Church of Panagia stands near the middle of the Old Town and is one of Lindos' top sights. It has bone-white walls and a pebble mosaic floor. Inside, vivid frescoes of saints and biblical scenes cover the walls and the domed ceiling, most of them painted in 1779 by Gregorios of Symi. Look for the unusual image of Saint Christopher painted as a Roman soldier with a dog's head, a rare example of Byzantine iconography in Greece. Covering up is expected, so bring a light scarf for your shoulders and arms.
The ancient theater
The rows of seats and the circular orchestra are still clear, and it once held about 1,800 spectators.
On the water
Boat trips leave from the bay, and many visitors use them to reach the smaller coves. The Hippo, a yellow semi-submarine, leaves from St. Paul's Bay on two- and three-hour tours to Lion Head Cove and Navarone Bay. You watch the reef life from an air-conditioned lower cabin, then stop for a swim and a snorkel. Bring snorkel gear too, since the rocky edges of both bays tend to be calmer than the sand and full of sea life.
What are the best beaches in Lindos?
Lindos Beach
The main beach lies directly below town on the north side. It's small, sandy and shallow, ringed with sunbeds, parasols and tavernas with their feet in the sand, which makes it the easy choice for families. It gets busy once the day-trip boats arrive from Rhodes Town in the late morning. Go early, or take a table at a beach café and swim from there. Boats, canoes and inflatables are for hire.
Pallas Beach
A small rocky outcrop separates Pallas from the far end of Lindos Beach. Reaching it means walking through town and down stone stairways, which keeps it quieter. Snorkelers should walk just past it to the sea caves, where fish swim around the rocks.
St. Paul's Bay
Round the headland on the south side, this near-enclosed bay of clear turquoise water has, many would say, the best view in Lindos. Tradition holds that the Apostle Paul landed here in A.D. 57. The tiny whitewashed chapel at the end of the bay is a favorite for local weddings. There are bathrooms, sunbeds and parasols, but the loungers here are pricey. To save money, skip them and arrive at golden hour from the amphitheater side. The snorkeling off the rocks is excellent, and lionfish have been spotted here. Tambakio, on the water's edge, serves modern Mediterranean food with a chilled glass of rosé.
What should you eat in Lindos?
Rooftop dining is the signature, and it deserves the reputation. You dine above the village by lamplight, looking across at other guests eating on neighboring whitewashed roofs. With thirty or forty restaurants in town, most visitors find a table without much trouble. Reserve if you have your heart set on a particular table, such as one against the railings with a clear view.
The seafood is excellent, often delivered straight from the boat, and menus run to octopus, mussels, shrimp, lobster, swordfish and squid. Mezze platters, souvlaki and pasta are everywhere. Vegetarians eat well from Greek salads, tzatziki, hummus, pita and falafel, though meat-free main courses are few. Ordering a mix of starters and sides is a good way to eat.
- Mavrikos: a family-run classic on the main square since 1933, with modern takes on Rhodian cooking and a white pebbled courtyard. Settle in for a lazy long lunch on a vine-covered terrace and order something from the modern takes on traditional Rhodian cuisine.
- Kamariko Taverna: homely Greek cooking in the same family since the 1890s, under the traditional Lindian arches it's named for. Order the moussaka.
- Mythos: a pretty taverna on the main square, good for sharing plates. Ask for a roof seat with the acropolis view.
- Cesar Meze Bar: a gourmet hotspot with creative meze and a wine list that, bar the Champagne, is entirely Greek.
- Melenos and Byzantino: rooftop restaurants with acropolis views, for a romantic or splurge evening.
- Almyra: a chic beachfront restaurant with a farm- and ocean-to-table approach and experimental Mediterranean dishes.
- Pallas Beach Taverna and Lindos Yacht Club: easy beach lunches with the sea at your feet.
For coffee, order a freddo cappuccino, an iced coffee topped with silky whipped milk. Ginger, the last café on the hillside before the sand, makes an excellent one, though it's usually takeaway only unless you're eating. Gelo Blu sells gelato for the hottest hours. For wine, Kava Kantina offers seats on the street and knowledgeable staff. You can pick three wines for a casual flight without committing to a full tasting. After dark, Cozze Champagne and Cocktail Bar, in the center of the Old Town, has an elegant veranda with a view of the acropolis. Its craft cocktails feature Greek gin and ouzo and come in seashell-shaped glasses.
Lindos sits at the top end of Rhodes pricing. Drinks are where bills jump, especially wine by the glass and bottled water in the busiest spots, so read menus properly.
How many days do you need in Lindos?
Three days is enough to see the village, both beaches and the acropolis at an easy pace. The heat slows the pace, so you'll likely do less each day than you planned. A fourth or fifth day leaves room for a day trip. The plan below puts the Old Town first, before the lanes fill, and saves the climb for the softer late-afternoon light.
Day 1: the village and the rock
Walk the Old Town early, coffee in hand, while the lanes are empty, and stop in the church for the frescoes. Spend the hot hours by your pool or at a shaded café. In the late afternoon, climb the acropolis and give it an hour inside. Come down for dinner, then finish with a cocktail at Cozze.
Day 2: the bays
Start at Lindos Beach early, then follow the shore to Pallas Beach for a quiet swim and a taverna lunch. Snorkel the sea caves just past it. In the late afternoon, take the path past the ancient theater to St. Paul's Bay.
Day 3: the southern coves, or a day on the water
With a rental car or scooter, head south to Plakia and the coves beyond, which are far quieter than Lindos Beach. Without one, browse the shops early and spend the afternoon on a boat trip. Either way, end with a wine flight at Kava Kantina and a last dinner on a rooftop.
If you have more time
Prasonisi, the southern tip of Rhodes, is about 50 minutes by car and one of Europe's best windsports spots, a full day out for anyone who wants to kitesurf. Rhodes Old Town, a walled medieval city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is easiest to see on the way to or from the airport. Most of the island is an hour or more away, so Lindos works best as a place to settle into.
When is the best time to visit Lindos?
September is the sweet spot. School holidays are over, the sea is at its warmest, prices ease and the heat is bearable. May and early June are warm, green and quiet, and often good value, though the sea can still feel a bit cold. Late June to August is peak season: hot, expensive and full, with a reliable Meltemi wind that kitesurfers love. October is lovely and quiet, but some places begin to close around the middle of the month. From November to April, Lindos largely shuts.
How do you get to Lindos and around?
Lindos sits about 31 miles (50 kilometers) down the east coast from Rhodes Town and the airport, roughly an hour by road. Direct flights reach Rhodes from many European cities. From Athens, the flight takes about 45 minutes, with daily Aegean Airlines service year-round. Overnight ferries from Piraeus take from 15 hours 40 minutes.
- By transfer: the simplest option, and often included in package holidays.
- By car: pick up a rental at the airport and drive straight down.
- By taxi: a daytime ride from the airport takes 50 minutes to an hour, with a small surcharge per bag over 10kg. Night fares are higher. There's no Uber or Bolt on Rhodes. Many taxis take cards, but it's wise to carry some cash as a backup.
- By bus, you can ride from the airport into Rhodes Town, then change there for the Lindos bus, which leaves from the KTEL eastern station. Take the municipal airport bus into Rhodes Town, then change to a KTEL east-coast bus to Lindos. The 064 line runs via Faliraki, Afantou and Archangelos, and with the connection the trip takes well over an hour. Buses let you off at the top of the village near the main road, so you walk down into the village from there. In summer, the last buses back can leave in the early evening, so a late arrival or a late dinner means a taxi. Check the timetable for the trips you plan to make.
Within the village, you walk. Paul's Bay, which are welcome in the heat. The cobbles can be slippery on the downhill stretches, so bring comfortable shoes. If you have mobility concerns, choose a hotel down by the bays.
What should Americans know before going?
The U.S. State Department describes Greece as a generally safe destination, though petty crime is common in popular tourist spots. Thieves also target rental cars to steal passports, valuables and luggage, so avoid leaving them in the car. U.S. citizens may enter without a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Your passport should have at least three months of validity beyond your planned departure date, and you should carry it or another photo ID at all times.
To rent a car or scooter, Greek law requires a valid U.S. driver's license and an international driving permit, even if the rental company doesn't ask for it. Motorcyclists must wear a helmet. Forest fires are common in the dry summer months and occasionally close roads. On buses, buy and validate a ticket, because riders without one can be fined up to 60 times the basic fare.
The currency is the euro. The Old Town has a couple of ATMs and a bank, and many visitors carry a credit card along with some cash. Tipping is a matter of choice, and many diners leave around 10 percent in cafés, bars and restaurants. Some restaurants add a gratuity to the bill, so check yours before you leave a tip.
Sources
- celebritycruises.com (https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/lindos-greece), checked October 18, 2026
- charlieontravel.com (https://charlieontravel.com/lindos-rhodes/), checked October 18, 2026
- lonelyplanet.com (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/greece/lindos), checked October 18, 2026
- manosgoing.com (https://manosgoing.com/lindos-village/), checked October 18, 2026
- greecetravelsecrets.com (https://www.greecetravelsecrets.com/things-to-do-in-lindos/), checked October 18, 2026
- U.S. Department of State (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Greece.html), checked October 15, 2026
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Odysseus (http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh155.jsp?obj_id=3312), checked October 15, 2026
- ktelrodou.gr (https://www.ktelrodou.gr/), checked October 15, 2026
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Odysseus (http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/eh255.jsp?obj_id=5028), checked October 15, 2026
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Odysseus (http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh155.jsp?obj_id=6301), checked October 15, 2026
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Odysseus (http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh355.jsp?obj_id=2383), checked October 15, 2026
- anek.gr (https://www.anek.gr/en-gb/destinations/rhodes), checked October 15, 2026