- HOME
- Dodecanese
- Rhodes
- Mandraki Harbour
Mandraki Harbour
Mandraki Harbour is the main harbour of Rhodes Town for travellers and from here you can catch ferries to Piraeus, Symi, Kos, Kalymnos, Patmos, and to Turkey.
The attractive Mandraki Harbour is the most northerly of Rhodes Town’s three harbours and by far the most interesting. This was the ancient ‘sheep pen’, the name in Greek being mandri, a name often used for small, encircling harbours. To the east is the Commercial Harbour, and beyond that is the Marina.
Mandraki was one of the five ports of ancient Rhodes. It was the naval port and was known as the ‘small harbour’ as opposed to the ‘great harbour’, the present Commercial Harbour. The entrance to ancient Mandraki could be sealed with chains.
Read our review of the Best Guidebook to Rhodes
Mandraki Harbour Boat Tours
Mandraki Harbour is the place to head to if you want to do any boat tours from Rhodes Town. Several boats offer island tours so ask around to find out exactly where they’ll take you and when you’ll come back. Some will simply take you to a remote beach and then return for you later in the day, while others visit several places and make a proper tour of it.
There are also different options if you want to visit the nearby island of Symi. Some are for day trips only, and you won’t be allowed to take anything more than a backpack with you. If you want to take luggage and are going to Symi to stay overnight or for a few days, you must find the regular ferry boats, in another part of the harbour.
Travel Tip
If you do plan to take the regular ferry to Symi to stay there, take the one which arrives in the evening. Sailing into the beautiful Symi harbour by night is a magical experience.
You can also go to several other Greek islands from Mandraki Harbour, including Kos, Tilos, Kalymnos, and Patmos, and also to Turkey. There are regular ferries to and from Piraeus, as well.
Ferries in Greece
Ferries in Greece has an excellent and very thorough website where, in addition to checking ferry schedules and times, you can also book tickets and get lots of useful information about travelling by ferry in Greece.
The Colossus of Rhodes
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Legend claims that the harbour entrance was spanned by the legendary Colossus of Rhodes, but there is no proof of this. Today twin columns bearing statues of Rhodian deer, a stag and doe, stand on either side of the harbour gap.
Mandraki Harbour Restored Windmills
A row of restored medieval windmills, symbols of the days when corn was ground at the harbourside, stands along the outer quay.
Fortress of St Nicholas
At the seaward end of the quay is the fortress of St Nicholas, built in the 1460s and now the site of a lighthouse. On its landward side the harbour is bordered by the busy Eleftherías Street, at the end of which is Plateía Vasileos Georgiou I. Here the Italians left a collection of interesting monumental buildings in a mix of Venetian, Gothic and Ottoman architectural styles.
Cathedral of St John the Evangelist
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
On the quayside stands the Ekklisía Evangelismoú, the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist. This was built in 1925 as a Catholic church while the Italians occupied Rhodes, and as originally called the church of San Giovanni dei Cavalieri. It uses the distinctively-coloured local sandstone.
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Where to Stay in Rhodes Town
Other Rhodes pages
Places to See in Southern Rhodes
Greece Travel Secrets’ guide to places to see in Southern Rhodes include Gennadi, Glystra, Pefkoi, Kiotari, Lardos, Moni Thari, Lindos, Kattavia and Prasonisi.
What to Do on Rhodes
If you’re wondering what to do on Rhodes then our suggested highlights include Rhodes Old Town, Lindos, Kameiros, and a visit to Symi.
Where to Eat in Rhodes Town
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to eat in Rhodes Town with fine-dining restaurants and inexpensive tavernas in the Old Town and the New Town.
Easter on Rhodes
During Easter on Rhodes Greece Travel Secrets publisher Mike Gerrard travels from Lindos to Kattavia to visit a monastery and spend Easter with a Greek family.
Rhodes Festivals and Events
Rhodes festivals and events include those celebrated throughout Greece like Easter and Greek Independence Day, and others that are unique to the island.
Rhodes
Travel advice, information on Rhodes in the Dodecanese, with ferries from Piraeus for Athens, Symi, Crete, Kos, Patmos, Santorini, and flights from Europe
Ottoman Rhodes
Several mosques in Rhodes Town offer a reminder of Ottoman Rhodes, along with a delightful Muslim cemetery.
Southern Rhodes Drive
This Southern Rhodes drive starts and ends in Lindos and takes in Gennadi, Kattavia, Monolithos and the chance to stop at several good beaches.
Where to Stay in Northern Rhodes
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Northern Rhodes with hotels and apartments in Faliraki and elsewhere from 5-star luxury to family-friendly.
Rhodes Food and Drink
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to Rhodes food and drink including the Greek words for meze, meat dishes, and fish dishes, and a guide to the best Rhodes wine.
Where to Eat in Northern Rhodes
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to eat in Northern Rhodes, including fish restaurants and roadside tavernas in Faliraki, Ixia, Kamiros and Charaki.
Best Rhodes Guidebook
The best Rhodes guidebook is undoubtedly the A-Z Travel Guide to Rhodes, including Symi, with a new revised and updated edition for 2022.
A Walk in the Old Town of Rhodes
This walk through the Old Town of Rhodes takes you through this World Heritage Site and along the main streets and past the city walls, palaces and mosques.
Rhodes Town Museums
Rhodes Town museums include an archaeological museum, Byzantine museum, a museum of decorative arts, and exceptional collections of modern Greek art.
Rhodes Town Old Jewish Quarter
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the Old Jewish Quarter, which you’ll see if you visit the Old Town of Rhodes.
Rhodes Weather
Rhodes weather is hot in summer and mild in winter, so read Greece Travel Secrets’ advice on the best time to visit Rhodes and why you should consider Lindos.
Lindos
Lindos is one of the main attractions on the Greek island of Rhodes, with its Acropolis, other ancient sites, beaches and historic captain’s houses.
Where to Stay in Rhodes Town
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Rhodes Town, including boutique and historic hotels in the Old Town and modern hotels in the New Town.
Where to Eat in Southern Rhodes
Greece Travel Secrets recommends its choice of where to eat in Southern Rhodes, including restaurants and tavernas in Lindos, Gennadi, Pefki and Monolithos.
Latest Posts
-
Athens Airport: New Curbside Pick-up Rules Take Effect June 7
In efforts to improve the passenger drop-off and pick-up experience and in view of the expected increase in international traveler arrivals, Athens International Airport (AIA) announced that it would… -
Study Reveals the Tourist ‘Types’ that Pick Thessaloniki for Holidays
Art lovers, active types and foodies are among the ‘travel tribes’ that select Thessaloniki, as their holiday destination, found a visitor profile study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels A… -
Greece to Protect Historic Athens Cinemas Ideal and Astor
The Greek Environment Ministry’s Central Council of Architecture (KESA) has decided to protect Athens’ Astor and Ideal cinemas designating the two historic landmarks as cultural monuments, said the Gr… -
Thessaloniki Metro Almost Ready, Greek PM on First Test Run
Thessaloniki’s highly anticipated metro, to serve almost 250,000 commuters a day once completed, is almost ready with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis taking a test ride this week. Mitsota… -
Thessaloniki Food, Nightlife Winning Over More Tourists
The nightlife and food are two of Thessaloniki’s strong points attracting more visitors to the northern port city, found a satisfaction study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association… -
Air Passenger Traffic to Greece Continues to Mark Sharp Rise
Passenger arrivals across all airports in Greece marked a sharp increase in the first four months of the year up by 7.4 percent compared to pre-Covid 2019 and by 38.4 percent over the same period in 2… -
Greece Among Top Choices of British easyJet Flyers this Summer
British holidaymakers flying on easyJet are picking Greece this year, according to a poll conducted by the budget carrier. More specifically, according to the survey carried out on 2,000 British adult… -
Uber Launches On-demand Boat Service on Mykonos Island, Greece
Ride-hailing company Uber recently announced that it will launch a new seasonal private charter boat service on the Greek island of Mykonos. Available from mid-June to October, “Boat” will be an on-de… -
Mykonos Tops Airbnb’s Most Searched Int’l Destinations by US Travelers in Q1
The Greek island of Mykonos is the top most searched for international destination by US travelers seeking Airbnb accommodation in the first quarter of the year, according to the Airbnb 2023 Summer re… -
Greece’s Regional Airports Outdo Pre-Covid 2019 Traffic Levels in April
Greece’s 14 regional airports exceeded pre-Covid 2019 levels last month handling a total of 1.6 million passengers, said managing company Fraport Greece. More specifically, according to Fraport data…
Why not join our Greece Travel Secrets Club? As a member you'll get emailed our regular Greece Travel Secrets Magazine for news, information, and inspiration for planning your travels in Greece.
As a welcome gift you'll also get a free e-book, Heaven on Earth. This contains 19 of Mike's favourite stories that he's written about travelling in Greece for newspapers and magazines over the years.
You'll find it over at Substack. Check out one of the Archive issues to find the Subscribe button.
CHECK OUT THESE COOL SANTORINI SANDALS!
BUY A JOURNAL TO RECORD YOUR OWN GREECE TRAVEL SECRETS!
FOLLOW OUR GREECE VIDEOS
ON YOUTUBE
Best Greece Guide
Of all the many guides to Greece we've seen, this is the one we recommend as best of all:
Greece Travel Inspiration
Buy our book of inspirational travel stories from our travels in Greece over the years.
Take a Look at Our Corfu Guide
FTC Disclosure : If you make a purchase via a link on this site, we may receive a small commission on the transaction - at no added cost to you. Thank you!
Latest Posts
-
Athens Airport: New Curbside Pick-up Rules Take Effect June 7
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
In efforts to improve the passenger drop-off and pick-up experience and in view of the expected increase in international traveler arrivals, Athens International Airport (AIA) announced that it would… -
Study Reveals the Tourist ‘Types’ that Pick Thessaloniki for Holidays
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
Art lovers, active types and foodies are among the ‘travel tribes’ that select Thessaloniki, as their holiday destination, found a visitor profile study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels A… -
Greece to Protect Historic Athens Cinemas Ideal and Astor
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
The Greek Environment Ministry’s Central Council of Architecture (KESA) has decided to protect Athens’ Astor and Ideal cinemas designating the two historic landmarks as cultural monuments, said the Gr… -
Thessaloniki Metro Almost Ready, Greek PM on First Test Run
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
Thessaloniki’s highly anticipated metro, to serve almost 250,000 commuters a day once completed, is almost ready with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis taking a test ride this week. Mitsota… -
Thessaloniki Food, Nightlife Winning Over More Tourists
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
The nightlife and food are two of Thessaloniki’s strong points attracting more visitors to the northern port city, found a satisfaction study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association… -
Air Passenger Traffic to Greece Continues to Mark Sharp Rise
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
Passenger arrivals across all airports in Greece marked a sharp increase in the first four months of the year up by 7.4 percent compared to pre-Covid 2019 and by 38.4 percent over the same period in 2… -
Greece Among Top Choices of British easyJet Flyers this Summer
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
British holidaymakers flying on easyJet are picking Greece this year, according to a poll conducted by the budget carrier. More specifically, according to the survey carried out on 2,000 British adult… -
Uber Launches On-demand Boat Service on Mykonos Island, Greece
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
Ride-hailing company Uber recently announced that it will launch a new seasonal private charter boat service on the Greek island of Mykonos. Available from mid-June to October, “Boat” will be an on-de… -
Mykonos Tops Airbnb’s Most Searched Int’l Destinations by US Travelers in Q1
May 18, 23 10:58 AM
The Greek island of Mykonos is the top most searched for international destination by US travelers seeking Airbnb accommodation in the first quarter of the year, according to the Airbnb 2023 Summer re…
No words or images to be used without prior permission.
We do not sell personal information: see our Privacy Policy.
California Consumer Privacy Act - CCPA: Sale Of Personal Information
Greece Travel Secrets does not sell any information it gathers for any reason. It has not collected or sold any personal information in the last twelve months or ever in the past.
This website was built using Site Build It!
