top of page

Is Halki Worth Visiting?

Halki carries a UNESCO designation few islands can claim, Island of Peace and Friendship, and in 2023 it became the first island in Greece to run entirely on sustainable, zero-emission energy.

 

Halki sits about six kilometers west of Rhodes, and its only settlement, Nimporio, wraps around a horseshoe-shaped harbor lined with pastel neoclassical mansions built during the island's sponge fishing era. The village stays car-free, and Citroën donated a fleet of small electric vehicles as part of the sustainability project that made Halki the first GR-eco Island in Greece.

 

Horio, the abandoned old capital, sits on a hill about 40 minutes' walk from Nimporio, its stone houses left empty since residents moved down to the harbor in the 19th century. Above it, the ruined 14th century Castle of the Knights overlooks the island, and the nearby Church of Panagia holds frescoes dating back centuries. The Monastery of Agios Ioannis Alargas, patron saint of the island's sponge divers, sits a two hour walk or a short minibus ride from town, and pilgrims fill its courtyard each August for the island's biggest festival.

 

Pondamos, the island's main beach, sits a short walk from the harbor with white sand that rivals anywhere in the Dodecanese, while smaller beaches like Kania and Areta are reachable by water taxi. Boat trips also run to the uninhabited islet of Alimia, once a safe anchorage for the Rhodian fleet, where the ruins of a Knights' castle and an abandoned village sit alongside a saltwater lake.

 

Halki has no airport, so travelers fly into Rhodes and take a ferry from Kamiros Skala, a crossing of under an hour that runs several times a day in high season. It suits travelers wanting real quiet, walkable distances, and a slower pace than nearby islands offer, and a stay of a few days covers its beaches, history, and harbor without rushing.

Discover Greece Travel

Tours and Activities.jpg

Activities & Tours

Discover Greek Islands.jpg

Guides To The Islands

Book Flights to Greece.jpg

Book

Flights

Greece Travel Packages.jpg

Travel Packages 

Tours and Activities.jpg

Private Photoshoots

Book Greece Hotels.jpg

Book

Hotels

Greece Itinerary Creator Sidebar Square.jpg

Itinerary Builder

Book Ferry Tickets Greece.jpg

Book Ferry Tickets

Greece Travel Blog.jpg

Travel

Blog

Discover Popular Tours in Greece

Visitors walking the ruins of the Temple of Apollo overlooking the dramatic valley at Delphi with a tour guide explaining history.

Book a Full-Day Delphi Tour from Athens: Navel of the World

Guests lounging and swimming from a luxury catamaran off the Athens Riviera with blue sea views and Greek BBQ on deck.

Book a 5-Hour Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Athens with Traditional Greek Meal & BBQ

Travelers exploring Athens’ iconic landmarks including the Acropolis and city viewpoints during a full-day private sightseeing tour with panoramic views and historic surroundings.

Book an Athens Full-Day Private Tour

Adventure seekers driving ATVs and side-by-side UTVs through the rugged mountains of Heraklion, passing olive groves, dirt trails, traditional Cretan villages and scenic viewpoints under clear blue skies.

Book an Off-Road SxS, UTV & ATV Adventure Tour in Heraklion

Guests aboard a Santorini caldera catamaran enjoying food, drinks and scenic volcanic sea views during a daytime cruise.

Book a Santorini Caldera Cruise with Buffet and Drinks

Guests aboard a luxury catamaran cruising around Santorini’s caldera with clear blue waters and a sunset sky.

Book a Santorini Chasing Stars Premium Catamaran Cruise

From the Podcast

The Greece Chats Podcast goes beyond the guidebook. In this episode we sit down with the founder of Hoper to talk about island hopping by helicopter and how it is changing the way people experience Greece.

GetGreece mini logo
bottom of page