Walking & Hiking In Rhodes: Breathtaking Short, Mid & Long Range Trails!

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Last updated on May 22, 2023 by Wandering our World

Rhodes is one of those islands we keep returning to because it has everything you could possibly want. From gorgeous beaches with warm water for swimming to fantastic cuisine in picturesque tavernas, Rhodes has it all. And to top it all off, this island also has some of Greece’s most spectacular walking and hiking trails too.

This island is home to breathtaking bays and quaint villages, spectacular peaks and panoramic views – all of which makes Rhodes a great island for walking. Because of that, hiking is one of our favourite activities when we visit.(Recommended: Camping in Greece).

Here we share some of the best hiking trails in Rhodes so you can enjoy hiking and walking on the island as much as we do. We’ve split them up into short, middle, and long distance, so there should be a route that suits everybody.

Each walk has something that makes it special – be that spectacular views, remote coves and bays, or hidden historical sights.

Happy hiking!

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Walking & Hiking In Rhodes: Short Distance Trails

1. Lindos Peninsula

This lovely 2.5 mile walk will see you navigate an easy trail that starts besideLindos beach, and will take you to a magnificent viewpoint thatlooksout over the peninsula and bay.

Then the trail meanders round to the Tomb of Kleoboulos and a disused windmill. Here you can see a gorgeous little cove where there’s the opportunity to have a dip in the turquoise-hued water.

Some parts of the trail are a little rocky and faint in places (but look out for red markings that guide the way), so proper footwear is needed, and there are only a couple of places to find shade. But this short walk shouldn’t take longer than an hour, including a quick dip in the southeast Mediterranean. You can see a map of the trail and where it starts here.

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2. Medieval Moat in Rhodes

The moat in Rhodes’ Old Town is one of the best examples of medieval fortifications in the world, and its total lengthof 1.4 miles can be walked.  

While the Old Town of Rhodes is tourist heavy, the entrance to the moat isn’t easy to find and so the moat tends to have very few people, making this is a great place to get away from the crowds.

To find the entrance go to the taxi stand in Mandraki Harbour which is opposite the New Market (Neo Agora in Greek). You should be able to see the old fortifications, now look out for a small sign on the stone that reads in Greek and English: ‘Entrance to the Medieval Moat’.

It’s free to walk in the moat, and this walk will take you under ancient bridges, past medieval towers, and stunning historic gates. All the while you’ll be protected from the harsh sun by many shady spots. It should take around one hour to walk and explore the moat.

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3. Aghia Soula Forest Loop

This walk takes you through forest at a slight altitude, so for much of the trail you have wonderful views down the hillside and towards the sea.

We love this 4.5 mile hike as the path is easy to follow, and apart from some loose rocks, it shouldn’t cause any issues for beginner hikers. Keep an eyeout for the Dama-Dama Deer – a protected species that’s native to Rhodes.

This forest loop should take around 1.5-2 hours to complete, and you can find a map of the trail here.

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4. Seven Springs

Situated in a protected nature zone, Seven Springs (Epta Piges) is a lake formed from sevenlittle rivers that run into it which later runs down a small pretty man-made waterfall.

This is less of a hike and more of a (free) tourist attraction, however the whole Epta Piges area has lots of little trails and places to explore, so it’s easy to spend an hour or two walking and enjoying the area. Even better, there’s many little rivers with shallow water so plenty of opportunities to dip your feet in the water and cool down.

You can park at the Taverna Epta Pige and follow the signs to the seven springs lake. There are two ways to get there, either take the path over a hill or you can go under it! A 200m narrow one-way tunnel takes you to the lake, but it’s not for the faint-hearted or claustrophobic!

Seven Springs is located around 1.5 miles from the resort village of Kolympia. Just putTaverna Epta Pige or Seven Springs into Sat Nav.

5. Archangelos – Tsambika Beach

This hike starts from the busy town of Archangelos and will see you make your way through valley and forest until you reach Tsambika Beach – regarded by many locals as the best beach on the island. It’s a great place to have a swim and grab a bite to eat.

By the time you reach the beach you will have walked approximately two miles, and if you’re feeling refreshed after a swim, then it’s possible to continue the walk to the Cloister of Tsambika. To get there involves a moderately steep climb up a hill to a peak of 340m.

Thatwill take another hour, but the views over Tsambika and across the sea are well worth it. You can see detailed instructions of this trail, and a map, at the following link.

Walking & Hiking In Rhodes: Middle Distance Trails

6. Crusader Castles Trail

This well-marked four hour hike (there and back) starts near Archangelos and will take you through barely visited Greek countryside to the ruins of two Crusader Castles! On the way you’ll come across some lovely sandy beaches perfect for a quick dip or picnic, and some great coastal scenery.

A map of the trail, and thorough description of the walk and where to go, can be found here. We found this walk to be tough going in places, so a decent level of fitness is needed. Keep an eye out for the goats that hang around ths trail too!

The trail ends at the 15th century Feraklos Castle which overlooks Charaki village. The village has several tavernas and restaurants so is the perfect place to stop for lunch or a well deserved Ouzo.

7. Akramitis Mountain

Without a doubt this is one of our favourite hiking routes in Rhodes. This lovely six mile trail will take you through forest, rocky outcrops, past wild flowers and grazing goats, and eventually up to the 825m summit of Akramitis. From there you’ll have wonderful views out towards the Aegean Sea.

It should take around 3-5 hours to go up and down, depending on your level of fitness and the number of photo stops you take. The trail itself isn’t usually busy and you’ll likely have the summit to yourself – which isn’t always the case on mountains in Rhodes as many have roads going up to the top.

All in all this is a very special hike, and probably the best mountain walk in Rhodes . See a map of the trail here.

8. Massari toMonastery Kamiri & Skoutoularis Gorge

This 11 mile trail is an easy hike that will take you to several landmarks within the space of 4-5 hours.

You will start at the pretty hill village of Massari and make a gradual and gentle ascent through olive and citrus groves before climbing through woodland to the 12th century Monastery Kamiri. This well kept monastery feels like an oasis of calm.

From there you then retrace your steps and take a short detour to Skoutoularis Gorge, an impressive natural feature which you can walk in if you’d like.

There’s then either the option to return back to Massari, or head to Kalathos village, which is a low-key settlement with a little sand-and-pebble beach that’s rarely visited by tourists. On the way you will cross the Italian Bridge which was built during the Italian occupation of Greece.

It’s a very enjoyable hike with the possibility to end at a taverna in either Kalathos or Massari. You can see a map of this trail, and a nice detailed explanation of each stage of the walk, at this link.

iStock.com/Izf

Walking & Hiking In Rhodes: Long Distance Trails

9. Attavyros Mountain

This is the highest mountain on the island of Rhodes, and while it’s not technically long distance it will still take around eight hours to hike up and down the 1215m summit.

The start of this hike is Agios Isidoros, a village surrounded by olive and citrus groves. From there you will begin your ascentof the mountain, which can be difficult and steep in places making this a trekone to avoid if you’re a beginner hiker.

The route itself is monotonous at times, but the reward for completing this 11 mile trek is the best panoramic views in Rhodes, and a huge sense of achievement!

You can see a map of the trail here. Look out for deer while hiking – many live in the area. There’s the ruins of a Temple of Zeus at the summit too, albeit it’s been eroded away to just a few rocks now.

Recommended for your walking and hiking in Rhodes adventure

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  • Wandering our World

    Hi and welcome to Wandering our World! This article was written by one of the Wandering our World team - a team of travel enthusiasts who live around the globe.