Kiotari, Lardos, Lindos: High Speed Boat Trip to Rhodes Town

Rhodes Town arrives by sea on this full-day trip from the island’s south coast. The boat follows the eastern shore past Lindos, Archangelos, Kolymbia, Afandou, Faliraki, and Kallithea, giving you a fine look at places you might otherwise see only from a road.

I especially like the six hours of free time and the chance to skip the roughly two-hour bus ride from the south. The boat has toilets and shaded cover, too. The main drawback is simple: you must organize your own day in Rhodes Town, and the 1.5-hour crossing each way leaves less time than a hotel-based city visit.

Key points to know

• The boat shows you Rhodes from a different angle: The route runs along the east coast, passing Lindos and several resort areas before reaching Rhodes Town.
• You get six hours ashore: That is enough for a focused visit to the Old Town, New Town shopping, Elli Beach, and perhaps one paid attraction.
• This is built for southern Rhodes: Pickup is available near Kiotari and Lardos hotels, making it useful if you are staying far from Rhodes Town.
• The ride takes 1.5 hours each way: The sea crossing is part of the experience, but it is still three hours of the nine-hour day.
• You explore independently: There is no listed guided walking tour, so bring a plan for your six hours.
• The practical details are good: Toilets, sun cover, several pickup points, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure make the outing easier to manage.

Why the boat is a smart alternative from southern Rhodes

If you are staying in Kiotari or Lardos, Rhodes Town can feel inconveniently far away. A road transfer takes time, and a standard bus day can leave you watching the clock before you have even reached the city. This trip replaces much of that road travel with a fast ride along the coast.

At $79 per person, the value depends on how much you want to see Rhodes Town. You are paying for the return boat journey and six hours in the city, not for a guided tour, lunch, entrance tickets, or a private vehicle. For a family or group, the total can add up quickly. For someone who wants an easy day trip without arranging transport, the price is more reasonable.

I like that the crossing is not just a transfer. From the water, you can look back toward the beaches, headlands, and resort towns of the east coast. The route passes Lindos, Archangelos, Kolymbia, Afandou, Faliraki, and Kallithea, each linked with its own local stories and traditions. You will not receive a full guided history lesson about every stop, but the view gives the journey a sense of place.

The day lasts nine hours. About three of those hours are spent on the boat, leaving six hours in Rhodes Town. That is a fair balance for a quick introduction, though it is not enough to see every museum, street, shop, and beach at a relaxed pace.

Finding the right pickup point in Kiotari or Lardos

The pickup arrangements are aimed at people staying along the south-east coast. The listed meeting areas include three points around Kiotari and Lardos:

• The beach under Rodos Maris or Rodos Village Mitsis
• The beach between Stafylia and Lindos Imperial Hotel
• The beach under Costa Lindia Hotel in Lardos

The supplied information uses both Rodos Maris and Rodos Village Mitsis when describing one pickup area, so confirm the exact beach access point before departure. The other named landmarks are Lindos Imperial Hotel in Kiotari and Costa Lindia Hotel in Lardos.

This is not a hotel-door pickup in the usual sense. The boat picks you up from the beach, so you need to reach the correct shoreline meeting point. Give yourself enough time to walk there, especially if your accommodation is uphill or set back from the coast.

Bring sunscreen. The boat offers covers if you need to get out of direct sun, but the sea reflects light and the crossing is long enough for a careless morning to become an uncomfortable afternoon. Comfortable clothes, water, and shoes suitable for walking in Rhodes Town are sensible choices, even though only sunscreen is formally listed.

The 1.5-hour ride north along the east coast

The boat ride is the first major part of the outing. From Kiotari or Lardos, it heads north toward Rhodes Town, passing much of the island’s best-known east coast. The route gives you a broad view of the shore rather than the close street-level look you get from a bus.

Lindos is the most memorable sight on this stretch for many people. Seeing it from the water offers a different perspective from a visit by road, especially if you have already seen photographs of its white buildings and famous hilltop setting. The boat does not stop there on this trip, so think of Lindos as part of the coastal scenery, not a second excursion.

Archangelos, Kolymbia, Afandou, Faliraki, and Kallithea follow along the route. These names may be familiar from hotel brochures, beaches, or previous island trips, but the sea view ties them together into one long coastal journey.

The trip is described as a high-speed boat transfer, but it is not an instant shuttle. Allow the full 1.5 hours each way. The crossing is useful for anyone who prefers a moving view to a long road ride, though anyone who dislikes boats should consider that three hours of the day are spent at sea.

There are toilets on board, and cover is available when the sun is strong. The crew is described as friendly and welcoming, with service available in Greek, English, and German. No individual guide names are provided, and this is best understood as transport with free time rather than a guided sightseeing cruise.

Six hours to make Rhodes Town your own

The boat arrives at Mandraki Harbour, a fitting entry point for Rhodes Town. From here, you can choose how much time to give the Old City, the New Town, the seafront, or paid attractions.

The most important decision is to avoid trying to do everything. Six hours sounds generous, but Rhodes Town has several distinct areas and you will lose time walking between them, stopping for food, browsing shops, and finding your way back to the harbour.

I would divide the day around your interests:

• Give the Old Town the largest share if this is your first visit.
• Add New Town shopping if you want modern stores and familiar brands.
• Choose Elli Beach and the Aquarium if you prefer the waterfront.
• Visit a museum or the 9D cinema only if you are happy to trade street time for an indoor attraction.

Keep an eye on the return departure. The boat’s scheduled return is an important fixed point, and a late return to Mandraki Harbour is not a small inconvenience when your transport back to Kiotari or Lardos is waiting offshore.

Walking the UNESCO-listed Medieval City

The Old City is the heart of this day trip. It is not a preserved shell with the streets closed to everyday life. It is a functioning, inhabited part of Rhodes, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage sight, where historic lanes and modern shops share the same space.

This is where the Crusader-era character of Rhodes becomes most apparent. The trip’s route follows the same broad maritime approach once used by Crusaders and Barbary pirates, but inside the walls you can experience the city at walking pace.

You will find museums covering history and art, along with streets suited to wandering without a strict plan. The value here is not just the number of sights. It is the chance to move between stone lanes, old buildings, shops, and working city life in one compact area.

I suggest setting aside enough time to walk rather than turning the Old Town into a checklist. The streets reward a slower pace, but six hours also requires discipline. If you spend too long browsing early in the day, you may have to skip the New Town or the waterfront.

The tour does not include a guide, entry fees, or a planned walking route. That gives you freedom, but it also means you should decide in advance which museum or landmark matters most to you. If you want a detailed historical explanation at every turn, this excursion may feel too independent.

New Town shopping, Elli Beach, and the Aquarium

Rhodes Town is more than its medieval center. The New Town offers modern shopping, including familiar names such as Starbucks and McDonald’s, along with designer stores. This can feel like a useful change after the older streets, especially if someone in your group prefers shopping to museums.

The trade-off is time. New Town shopping is not a must for everyone, and you may find it less distinctive than the Old City. It works best as a planned stop rather than an area you reach by accident after spending the whole day inside the walls.

Elli Beach gives you a chance to include the sea without returning to your hotel. The Aquarium of Rhodes is also listed as an option, making this a practical choice for families or anyone who wants an indoor attraction during the hottest part of the day. A 9D cinema is available too, though the details of its program and entrance cost are not provided.

I would not attempt the Old Town, a full shopping session, the Aquarium, Elli Beach, several museums, and the cinema in one day. Pick two or three priorities. The boat gets you to Rhodes Town efficiently, but it cannot create extra hours once you are there.

Is $79 good value for this Rhodes day trip?

The strongest value is convenience. From the south of Rhodes, you get a direct connection to the island’s main city without arranging a rental car or spending the day on a long road transfer. The coastal views also make the journey part of the outing.

The six hours in town are another plus. You have enough time for a worthwhile first look, and an eleven-year-old can manage the day without being dragged through an endless schedule. A family can choose a simple mix of Old Town streets, food, shopping, and one attraction.

The price is less attractive if you only want a short visit to Rhodes Town or if you already have transport included through another plan. You also need to budget for food, drinks, museum or attraction tickets, and shopping. None of those are included.

A useful detail is payment flexibility. You can reserve the place and pay later, and the booking can be canceled up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. One account of the trip describes paying a deposit first and the balance on the boat by card or cash, but confirm the current payment terms when booking because arrangements can change.

The return crossing and a realistic day plan

A practical schedule might look like this:

• Morning pickup at your selected beach point
• About 1.5 hours by high-speed boat to Mandraki Harbour
• Six hours to explore Rhodes Town
• About 1.5 hours back to Kiotari or Lardos

One reported schedule left Kiotari at 9 am, reached Rhodes around 11 am after additional pickups, departed Rhodes at 5:30 pm, and arrived back in Kiotari around 7:20 pm. Treat those times as an example rather than a guaranteed departure, since the activity asks you to check availability for the current start time.

The return ride can be a pleasant way to wind down, but it may feel long after a full day of walking. Save enough energy for the final crossing and keep your sunscreen handy. The boat’s cover is useful if the afternoon sun remains strong.

The crew and basic facilities help make the transfer manageable. Still, the experience is weather-dependent in the ordinary sense that any boat trip is, and exact timings may vary with pickup arrangements. Check the confirmed meeting time and location carefully.

Who should book this boat trip?

I would recommend it most strongly to people staying in Kiotari or Lardos who want to see Rhodes Town without committing to a long bus journey. It also suits independent visitors who enjoy choosing their own museums, shops, beaches, and meals.

Families can make good use of the flexible six-hour stop. The Aquarium, Elli Beach, familiar food outlets, and the option to skip a museum give you ways to adjust the day to different ages and energy levels.

It is less suitable if you want a guide explaining the Medieval City as you walk. It is also not ideal if you dislike spending time on boats, need a tightly scheduled list of included sights, or want a leisurely overnight stay in Rhodes Town.

Final verdict: book it for the coastal route and free time

Book this trip if you are based in southern Rhodes and want an efficient, scenic way to spend a day in the island capital. The best features are the coastal approach past Lindos, the six hours of independent time, and the welcome relief from a long bus ride.

Skip it if your main goal is an in-depth guided visit or if $79 feels high once you add meals and entrance fees. For most independent visitors staying near Kiotari or Lardos, though, the boat makes Rhodes Town much easier to reach and gives you enough time to get a real taste of the Old City.

FAQ

How long is the high-speed boat trip to Rhodes Town?

The boat ride takes about 1.5 hours each way. The full activity lasts nine hours.

How much free time do I get in Rhodes Town?

You get six hours of free time in Rhodes Town.

Where does the boat arrive in Rhodes Town?

The boat arrives at Mandraki Harbour.

Where can I board the boat?

Pickup is available from beach areas near Kiotari and Lardos, including the beach under Rodos Maris or Rodos Village Mitsis, the beach between Stafylia and Lindos Imperial Hotel, and the beach under Costa Lindia Hotel.

Is pickup included?

Yes. Pickup from the listed beach meeting points is included.

Can I visit the Old Town during the trip?

Yes. The six-hour stop is intended to give you time to visit the Old City of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage sight.

Can I go shopping in Rhodes Town?

Yes. You can use your free time to shop in the New Town, which includes designer stores and familiar food and coffee chains.

Are the Aquarium and Elli Beach included options?

Yes. The free time can be used to visit the Aquarium of Rhodes and Elli Beach. Any entrance fees are not specified.

Are there toilets on the boat?

Yes. Toilets are available on board, and covers are provided if you need shade.

What languages are available?

The host or greeter and service are listed as Greek, English, and German.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.