Wandering around Psaropoula*

If you want to keep your visit to Rhodes simple and relaxing, you may think of the possibility to just walk around the city. Apart from the Old Town, which is definitely the must-see, you can take a long seaside walk starting from Mandraki and continuing all the way round to Psaropoula Bay.

On your way you will see the Casino –and maybe try your chances there- and the Aquarium. Just after you turn left towards Psaropoula you will realize that this is the area where all the tourist construction development of the city took place. A series of luxury –or not that luxury- hotels stand beside the main road, all of them overlooking the blue sea and the Asian coast, when skies are clear enough.

Soon you will understand that nothing in this area is as picturesque as the houses and pedestrianized streets of the Old Town. However, there is no better place to be if you are a true sea lover. You can have a coffee or meal at one of the numerous cafes and restaurants enjoying the blue horizon and the ferries that go in and out of the island. And, if you are lucky enough, the summer breeze and waves will make the sea look like an exotic destination! The turquoise colors of the water make Psaropoula a total pleasure for the eyes in the summer. 

You can return to Mandraki through the streets of Psaropoula and then the city centre. Just after you turn left from the seaside road you will pass the one of the ‘nightlife streets’ of the area, where you will see lots of tourist bars and restaurants as well as souvenir shops and markets. You can then continue on the pedestrianised street that connects Psaropoula with the city centre.

If you need to have a coffee or snack break, ‘Koukos’ is a beloved place for eating and drinking by locals and keeps some of the island’s traditional character. This street will finally take you to the city, where you can follow any of the shopping streets to return back to Mandraki.

Art lovers might alternatively choose to visit the 'Nestorideion Melathron', the Modern Greek Art Museum of Rhodes. It can be found only a a hundred meters far from Psaropoula's main seaside road, at Symi Square -or 'Ekato Vagies* Square' as called by locals to its numerous palm trees. The visitors will have the opportunity to admire painting, engraving and sculpture collections that reflect Greek art of the 20th century.

*See Glossary in alphabetical order.