After the Rhodes Marathon: Lindos and Monolithos
The Route: Rhodes Town → Lindos → Monolithos → Rhodes Airport Logistics: Hire car or a driver, with the transfers split across three days. Lindos is about 1 to 1.5 hours from Rhodes Town, and the journey from Lindos to the south-west coast adds a further drive that should be checked on a current map. Marathon Month: April Duration: 3 nights
Rhodes Town ──(1-1.5 hrs by car)──> Lindos (2 nights) ──(car, check route)──> Monolithos (1 night)
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Rhodes Airport (RHO) ◄───────────────────(car)──────────────────────────────────────┘
The TUI Rhodes Marathon finishes in Eleftherias Square on a Sunday in April. This is the long way round the island, and it earns its extra nights through slow drives, seated meals and short walks, not through anything hard.
April on Rhodes. The south of the island is quiet in April, and some hotels and tavernas open late, so book ahead and confirm that your places are trading. Daytime temperatures are usually around 20°C with cooler evenings, and the sea is cold. Do not plan on a beach day or a boat trip. Hellenic Heritage has recorded weather closures at Rhodes sites in early April, so check the sites' pages before driving.
A hire car or a driver is the sensible choice for a route like this, since the south has little public transport and the bus timetable in April is a fraction of the summer one. The drive from Rhodes Town to Lindos takes roughly an hour to an hour and a half. If you collect the car at the airport, plan the return to the same place.
Nights one and two: Lindos
Lindos is a whitewashed village on the east coast, traffic-free, with lanes paved in pebble mosaic and an acropolis above it. The lanes are narrow and paved in polished stone, so wear shoes with grip, and the climb to the acropolis is by a stepped path with a steep final flight. Donkeys carry visitors up part of the way. Treat the acropolis as optional, check the Hellenic Heritage page for the current hours and prices (April hours are listed as 08:00 to 20:00, with admission of €20 (£17), or €10 reduced), and use the second day for it only if the legs are in better order. The beach on the bay is flat and a good place to sit.
Stay in a small guesthouse or a hotel at the edge of the village, and ask about steps and ground-floor rooms. Eat in the village's courtyard tavernas, where grilled fish, cheese pies and local pastries are the standard menu. Some places are closed outside the main season.
Night three: the south-west coast
The drive from Lindos to the south-west of the island crosses the southern tip of Rhodes, on quieter roads with little traffic. Check the route and the time on a current map, as the journey length depends on the road you take, and break the drive with stops for coffee. Do not hurry it.
Monolithos is a village on the west coast, and its castle stands on a sheer rock above the sea. The Knights of St John built it in the late fifteenth century. The path to the top is a stepped climb with a steep drop beside it, so the castle is optional and a better choice for a later, stronger day. The view from the car park or the village terraces is a fair substitute, and the village has a taverna or two. Regional tourism pages describe the village and the castle, but they do not confirm April opening hours, so check before relying on a meal or a visit.
Choose a hotel that is open in April and confirm breakfast and dinner arrangements. The west coast has fewer places than the east, and some close until May.
Getting to the airport
Rhodes Airport (RHO) is about 14 km from Rhodes Town and roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by car from Monolithos, depending on the road. Leave a margin for the drive and for returning the hire car, and check the fuel requirement. If you are travelling with luggage and have a driver, confirm the pick-up time the night before.