Start your day with a pickup from your centrally located Bodrum hotel or meet your air-conditioned vehicle at a convenient, pre-arranged location. Drive to the port and hop aboard a morning hydrofoil bound for Rhodes, the biggest of the Greek Dodecanese islands. The hydrofoil is around 30 minutes faster than the ferry so you’ll spend more time on the island and less on the sea.
Relax on the roughly 2-hour journey and on arrival at Rhodes Town, spend your time exactly as you want. All entrance fees, food and drinks are at your own expense.
Perhaps head first for the walled Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dating to the 14th century, this exquisite ensemble was built by the crusading Knights of St John and is Europe’s oldest inhabited city.
Delve into the maze of cobbled streets and admire the gorgeous sandstone architecture. Amble down the Street of the Knights, one of the world’s best-preserved medieval avenues, and view the historical Knights’ Inns, each used as eating quarters by the different orders of knights.
If you’re a history buff, visit the Palace of the Grand Masters, once home to the Knights’ Grand Master, to admire the grandiose interiors, remodelled in 1939 to appeal to Mussolini. Or perhaps walk around the imposing city walls to see their towers or gates.
While you’re here, roam the shops and boutiques, enjoy a typically Greek lunch at a taverna (own expense), and perhaps stroll along Mandraki Harbour to see its famous deer statues and stone windmills. Alternatively, you may want to sunbathe on Elli Beach or visit Monte Smith hill to take in the relics of Rhodes’ Acropolis and sweeping city views.
When the time comes, travel to the port for your return hydrofoil. Your trip ends back in Bodrum, with a drop-off at the original start point.