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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.
The Old Jewish Quarter is contained within the most easterly section of Rhodes Old Town, where Jewish merchants and artisans were permitted to live during the Turkish occupation of the island.
The focus of the area is Argyrokastro Square, also known as the Square of the Jewish Martyrs, as it was from that an estimated 1,604 Rhodian Jews were rounded up to be deported to concentration camps by Nazi forces in 1943. A simple tree-shaded monument records the fact in several languages.
Our Pick of Greek Islands Guides
Surviving Jewish
Synagogue
The square has a charming sea horse fountain and is flanked on one side by a handsome building, a 15th-century Archbishop’s Palace. A short way along Pindharou to the east, a right turn leads down Dosiadou Street and into Simiou Street, where there’s a surviving synagogue.
This was a reconstruction by the Knights of St John after the original was destroyed during the first Great Turkish siege. Inside there is a superb hokhlaki (pebble mosaic) floor.
Most of the Old Jewish Quarter is in the busy tourist areas of the Old Town, its main streets and squares crammed with gift shops, cafés, and restaurants. All roads lead to the crowded shopping street of Sokratous, via Ippokratous Square, notable for the dignified old building of the Kastellania, the medieval stock exchange.
Explore the Narrow Alleyways
Intriguing narrow alleyways lead off the main squares and you should take every opportunity to explore these. Some are purely residential but others contain hidden gems of restaurants and accommodation, as well as some specialist shops. Check out our Walk around Rhodes Old Town, which you can print out and take with you.
Some Cool Rhodes Souvenirs
I Love Rhodes t-shirt
Rhodes Coffee Mug
Rhodes Coasters
Rhodes Tank Top
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.
Best Time to Visit Rhodes
Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Rhodes, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
Rhodes Town Museums
Rhodes Town museums include an archaeological museum, Byzantine museum, a museum of decorative arts, and exceptional collections of modern Greek art.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Best Beaches on Rhodes
Greece Travel Secrets' choice of the best beaches on Rhodes, an island known for its beautiful sandy beaches.
Rhodes
Travel advice, information on Rhodes in the Dodecanese, with ferries from Piraeus for Athens, Symi, Crete, Kos, Patmos, Santorini, and flights from Europe
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 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 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.
Ottoman Rhodes
Several mosques in Rhodes Town offer a reminder of Ottoman Rhodes, along with a delightful Muslim cemetery.
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.
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.
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