A while ago, when it was rainy and cold here in Brussels (like always most of the time), we decided that it was time to start chasing the sun again. So we set a date and start checking all the boxes:

• Less than 4 hours by plane
• More than 20 degrees Celsius in Spring
• With a good visit/rest ratio

We end up with a list of 10 places, check the plane dates and end up picking… well, there’s absolutely no suspense here, we picked Rhodes. As you may have understood between the lines, I had no clue what Rhodes was. Stop laughing, you’re probably not more fo an expert. So Rhodes is a Greek island at the very south-east of Greece, facing Turkey and bordered by the Mediterranean & Aegean seas. Understand: it’s always sunny.

So here we are, mid-May, flying over to Rhodes. First impression: man, this place is chill. The airport is tiny but not packed with people (okay, cheating a bit here, it was the “low season”) and I see palm trees already. Oh, and temperature’s above 20 degrees Celsius although it’s almost 7PM.

Second impression: man, I love this place.

Where we stayed

So we head to our hotel, the Boutique 5 Hotel, located 45minutes away from Rhodes city & airport. The Boutique 5 is a little gem situated close to the city of Lindos. What struck me when we arrived, along with the astonishing sea view and refined beauty of the hotel, is the genuine kindness and level of professionalism of the staff. We were directly pampered, offered a drink and explained all the amenities with so much benevolence we felt like we never wanted to leave that place, ever.

But that’s not it, during our whole stay, the service was outstanding. We had chocolates and treats waiting on our bed every evening, a massage in their amazing wellness center offered, greek specialties delivered to our doorstep… Of course, when you give me food and massages, I’m your man.

Talking about food, this review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention the hotel’s breakfast. Mother. of. breakfasts. Everything was so nicely disposed, varied and yummy, plus you get to eat on the terrace with nothing but blue in front of you: the pool and the sea.

The pool

What we did

Day 1: Lindos

On our first day in Rhodes, we decided to go check out that little town called Lindos, located a stone’s throw from the hotel. We had the best surprise when we got there, as we discovered an all-white Santorini-style view.

Top of Lindos

If I have one recommendation to make about Lindos, it’s to just get lost! There are no cars in the center, you can park on top of the city and then start walking from there. The narrow and white streets are so charming, just look around to be wowed.

Meow

Lindos’ Rainbird

After walking around for a few hours, we got super hungry and opted for a little restaurant called “The Melenos” which actually is the restaurant from the beautiful boutique hotel bearing the same name. We enjoyed an incredible roof-top dinner with probably the best view in Lindos, the food was delicious and the service was so smooth and lovely. Definitely a must-try if you’re in Lindos.

Melenos entrance

Day 2: chill and mezze

The second day of our trip was very cloudy and even a bit rainy, so we decided to sleep in and get massages, what else? The hotel’s Bliss wellness center has a huge inside pool, a fitness center and offers tens of different types of massages, we opted for the full body massage and it was a true moment of relaxation.

Cloudy day

Since the weather was getting stormy in the evening, we decided to explore the little villages close to the hotel to find a nice and local place to eat, and God knows we found the most Greek little diner: the Taverna Platanos. We sat inside because, well, rain, and were struck by how typical the place was! The whole village had gathered there and was eating, playing cards and watching soccer on the big tv while messing with each other in a warm, family-like vibe. Not to mention the outstanding food, probably the best greek food I ate during that trip.

Taverna Platanos

Day 3: Rhodes

For our last day in Rhodes, we decided to finally visit… Rhodes. We checked out of our fabulous hotel and headed to the UNESCO World Heritage City under a blazing sun (yay!). Again, the old city of Rhodes is (more or less) car-free, therefore you have to park outside of the wall. Once you’re in the old town, again, my only advice is to get lost! Rhodes is very different from Lindos but the streets are as crooked and inviting.

Street of the knights

The wall

Details

Rhodes arcades

After visiting the old town, we headed to the shore and the entrance of the old harbour of Rhodes to see the place where the Colossus of Rhodes used to be standing, hundreds of years ago.

Old harbour

Zzzz

No time to read but need a summary? There you go:

• How to go: There’s an airport right next to the city of Rhodes, where Ryanair operates, among others
• Where to sleep: Boutique 5 Hotel
• When to go: Spring, May & June probably are the best months to go to Rhodes, the weather is already amazing but with bearable temperatures
• What to visit: mainly Lindos & Rhodes
• What to eat: tzatziki, saganaki (grilled cheese), pork souvlaki, greek salad, garlic pitta bread,… and all the rest!