Rent a Car in Rhodes in Dodecanese with SimplyBook

Looking for car hire in Rhodes? Rhodes (Rodos), the largest of the Dodecanese islands in the southeastern Aegean, rewards travellers who explore it by car. When you rent a car in Rhodes you can move easily between the UNESCO-listed Medieval Old Town, the clifftop Acropolis of Lindos, and dozens of beaches and mountain villages that public transport reaches slowly, if at all.

SimplyBook connects you with trusted local agencies in Rhodes — compare prices, book online, and pick up your car at the airport. Whether you want a compact for the Old Town's narrow approaches or something roomier for family trips to the south, renting a car in Rhodes gives you the freedom to explore this island at your own pace.

Pick-up and delivery are available at Rhodes Airport (RHO), Rhodes Town and the port, and locations across the island.

Getting Around Rhodes

Rhodes International Airport “Diagoras” (RHO) sits on the west coast near Paradeisi, about 14 km southwest of Rhodes Town — a 20-minute drive up the coastal road. From there the island opens in two directions: the sheltered, sandy east coast running down to Lindos and Prasonisi, and the breezier west coast known for windsurfing and ancient sites.

The island is big by Aegean standards — roughly 80 km north to south — so distances add up. Rhodes Town to Lindos is about an hour; the far south at Prasonisi is a longer half-day trip. Main roads are good; the mountainous interior around Mount Attavyros (1,215 m) has winding, scenic routes best taken slowly.

Top Driving Routes in Rhodes

Rhodes Town to Lindos (50 km, 1 hour)

The classic drive heads south down the east coast to Lindos, a whitewashed village crowned by an ancient Acropolis above turquoise St Paul's Bay. Park at the edge of the car-free village and walk up. Break the journey at the beaches of Faliraki, Tsambika and Anthony Quinn Bay along the way.

West Coast: Ancient Kamiros & Butterfly Valley (35 km, 45 minutes)

Drive the west coast to the ruins of Ancient Kamiros, a remarkably intact Doric town, then turn inland to Butterfly Valley (Petaloudes), a shaded gorge where Jersey tiger moths gather in summer. Add the hilltop monastery and cypress avenue at Filerimos for wide island views.

The Far South: Prasonisi & Monolithos (90 km, 1 hour 45 minutes)

For a full day out, drive to Prasonisi at the island's southern tip, where two seas meet across a sandbar — one of Europe's best windsurfing and kitesurfing spots. Loop back via the clifftop castle of Monolithos and the quiet villages of the southwest.

Interior: Embonas Wine Villages (55 km, 1 hour 15 minutes)

Climb into the mountains to Embonas, the island's wine capital below Mount Attavyros, for tastings of local Athiri and Mandilaria. The winding road up rewards you with pine forest, traditional tavernas and cooler mountain air.

Beaches Worth the Drive

• Tsambika — A long crescent of golden sand below a hilltop monastery. Shallow, family-friendly water. 26 km south of Rhodes Town.

• Anthony Quinn Bay — A small rocky cove with crystal-clear water, famous from the film 'The Guns of Navarone'. Great snorkelling. Near Faliraki.

• St Paul's Bay, Lindos — A near-circular natural pool beneath the Acropolis of Lindos. Sheltered and photogenic. 50 km south.

• Prasonisi — A wind-swept sandbar joining an islet at the island's southern tip. A magnet for windsurfers. 90 km south.

• Agia Agathi — A sheltered golden-sand bay near Haraki, backed by the medieval Feraklos castle. Calm and shallow. 38 km south.

• Kallithea Springs — Restored 1920s thermal baths with photogenic architecture and a swimming cove. 9 km from town.

Best Time to Visit Rhodes

June to September is peak season, with hot, reliably dry weather and busy beaches. The east coast stays calmer while the west coast catches the summer meltemi wind — ideal for surfers, less so for sunbathing.

May and October are ideal for a road trip: warm sea, quieter roads and lower prices. Spring brings wildflowers and green hills; autumn keeps the sea warm well into October.

Practical Tips

• Pickup: Rhodes Airport (RHO), Rhodes Town, the port, or hotel delivery.

• Old Town: The Medieval City is car-free — park outside the walls and explore on foot.

• Lindos: The village is pedestrianised; use the car parks above it and walk or take a minibus down.

• Fuel: Plentiful around Rhodes Town and the east coast; fill up before long trips to the far south or interior.

• Distances: The island is large — plan the south (Lindos, Prasonisi) as a full day rather than a quick hop.

Rhodes Food and Culture

Rhodian cooking leans on the island's gardens and sea: pitaroudia (chickpea fritters), melekouni (a sesame-and-honey wedding sweet), fresh fish, and wines from the Embonas slopes. The Medieval Old Town — the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe — rewards an evening walk along the Street of the Knights and around the Palace of the Grand Master.

With your own car you can pair a morning at an ancient site with an afternoon on a quiet southern beach and dinner in a mountain village — the kind of day that's hard to plan around bus timetables.

Why Book with Local Agencies

SimplyBook connects you with local agencies who know Rhodes inside out — personal service, flexible arrangements and competitive prices. Why support local companies?

Exploring more of the Aegean? Compare car hire in Naxos, Paros and Santorini.