Getting from Athens to Rhodes

If you are heading to Rhodes from Athens you are going to the largest of the Dodecanese and one of the most historically layered destinations in Greece. The medieval walled city built by the Knights of Saint John is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, a place where you can walk the Street of the Knights and feel the weight of eight centuries of history. The island is large enough to absorb its enormous visitor numbers and still have quiet corners. Lindos and its acropolis are magnificent. The beaches on the east coast are long and good. The interior villages are largely untouched and Rhodes rewards people who look beyond the old town and the beach strip.

Take the ferry

The Piraeus to Rhodes ferry runs year-round with several weekly crossings, taking around 14 to 18 hours on conventional vessels. The overnight crossing is the practical approach if you want to travel by sea, with cabins available on the larger vessels. It is a long crossing and most people fly, but for those who want the experience of arriving by sea into Rhodes harbour it is a genuinely good journey.

Getting there by air

Both Athens and Rhodes have airports. Multiple daily flights connect the two cities with the journey taking around 1 hour. This is the fastest and most practical approach for most travellers and the one the vast majority of people take.

Your best option

Fly from Athens. Multiple daily flights make this one of the most effortless Dodecanese connections from the capital and the 1-hour flight is hard to beat. If you want to travel by sea the overnight ferry from Piraeus with a cabin is a comfortable crossing, but flying is the right choice for most people.