Rhodes town beyond the Palace and the Street of the Knights
A harbour with deer statues and windmills, the oldest synagogue in Greece and a hill with an ancient stadium and no queue at all — all off the main list, and all without a bus.
- Mandraki
- Deer statues
- Kahal Shalom
- A synagogue from 1577
The Palace and the Street of the Knights are what gets seen on the first two days; these three places are what's left once that's done, and none of them needs a bus. Mandraki is the harbour right next to the old town, Kahal Shalom is the oldest synagogue in Greece, in the La Juderia quarter, and the acropolis on Monte Smith hill is the ancient upper town three kilometres out, free to enter.
Mandraki — a harbour with deer, not the Colossus
Legend has it that the Colossus of Rhodes stood astride this harbour mouth, with ships passing between its legs — more recent research doesn't back that up, and the statue likely stood on land instead. What actually stands at the entrance are two bronze statues, a stag named Elafos and a doe named Elafina, on columns from the Venetian era. Behind them are three windmills from the 14th or 15th century, once used to grind grain brought in by ship. Free to enter.
Kahal Shalom — the oldest synagogue in Greece
The building was completed in 1577, in the La Juderia quarter, which once held six synagogues and prayer houses. The Sephardic community, descended from Jews expelled from Spain, spoke Ladino here for centuries. Kahal Shalom is the one synagogue on the island still occasionally used for services; inside is also the Jewish Museum of Rhodes.
The Acropolis of Rhodes — Monte Smith hill
The upper town of ancient Rhodes stood on this hill from the 5th century BC. At the top is a Doric temple to Pythian Apollo, from the Hellenistic era, excavated by the Italian Archaeological School between 1912 and 1945. Below the temple is an ancient stadium 210 metres long, fully restored — the largest monument on the hill. Free to enter, three kilometres south-west of the centre.
An order that makes sense
Mandraki and the synagogue fit into the same afternoon as the old town, since both are a walk from it. The acropolis on Monte Smith needs an outing of its own, a short ride or a longer walk, but none of the three needs a full day or a bus out of town.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Did the Colossus of Rhodes really stand over the harbour?
Probably not — more recent research suggests the statue stood on land, not astride the entrance as the legend has it.
Where is Kahal Shalom Synagogue relative to the old town?
In the La Juderia quarter, inside the walls — a few minutes' walk from the Street of the Knights, the same afternoon as Mandraki.
Is there an entry fee for the Acropolis of Rhodes?
No, entry to Monte Smith hill is free, all year round.
Ready for Rhodes?
Where to next
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How well does Rhodes suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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