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Rhodes
Medieval walls, sandy beaches, and sunny resorts on Greece’s largest Dodecanese island.
Typical for 4 October
Day/Nightavg 26°/21°H 29°/24°L 23°/19°
Seaavg 26°H 27°L 24°
About Rhodes
Rhodes is one of Greece’s most captivating islands, offering visitors a perfect mix of sun-soaked beaches, rich history, and lively island culture. Whether you are seeking relaxation by the sea, family-friendly adventures, or a deeper connection to the past, Rhodes has something special waiting for you. From the medieval charm of Rhodes Old Town to picturesque coastal villages and turquoise bays, every corner of Rhodes feels full of character. The local cuisine highlights fresh seafood, traditional meze, and bold Mediterranean flavours, best enjoyed with a warm breeze and genuine Greek hospitality.
Local Events and Festivals
What is coming up here
A new large-scale wine and culture festival running daily from July through October 2026 at Elli Beach and the gardens of Grande Albergo Delle Rose. Official premiere is 3 July 2026. Entry is free with a Greek Wine Pass.
The festival operates nightly from 18:00 to midnight in a beachfront setting in central Rhodes Town. Organised by the local social economy association 'Rhodian Performances', it presents wines from across Greece alongside live music, folklore performances, and art exhibitions. Organisers aim for 100,000 visitors and 50,000 free wine passes. The soft launch was 1 June 2026; the formal premiere is 3 July. This is a new event in 2026 and should be verified for continuity in future years - there is no prior-year track record to draw on. For summer evenings in Rhodes Town this is an easy add-on to any stay; the Elli Beach setting makes it genuinely pleasant rather than a trade-hall affair.
The annual living-history festival fills the moat and streets of the UNESCO-listed Medieval Town with jousting, archery, medieval crafts, theatrical performances, and costumed reenactors for a long weekend each October.
The festival takes place primarily in the moat beneath the D'Amboise Gate and extends into multiple locations within the Old Town walls. Events include equestrian displays, archery competitions, juggling, stilt-walking, medieval markets, workshops for children, and live music. The setting - arguably the best-preserved medieval city in Europe - gives the event an authenticity that purpose-built festival sites cannot replicate. The 18th edition ran 10-12 October 2025; the 19th edition is projected for a similar October window in 2026 (exact dates not yet confirmed at time of research). The festival is free or low-cost to enter. A genuine highlight of the autumn calendar and worth timing a visit around.
The annual international jazz festival takes over the Palace of the Grand Master and the Ancient Odeon in the Old Town for six days in late October. International and Greek artists perform in one of the most striking festival venues in the Mediterranean.
The festival is co-organised by the Rhodes Municipal Cultural Organisation (DOPAR), the South Aegean Regional Authority, and Jazz Democracy NPO, under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports. The main concert nights at the Palace of the Grand Master (23-25 October in 2026) are the centrepiece; the broader programme runs 21-26 October and includes events elsewhere in the South Aegean region starting in June. The venue - the courtyard of a Crusader palace inside a UNESCO-listed medieval city - is genuinely exceptional. Ticket prices are moderate by European festival standards. If you are choosing between visiting Rhodes in summer or autumn, the jazz festival is a compelling reason to come in October.
Greece's national day commemorating the 1940 refusal of Italian occupation is marked in Rhodes Town with student and military parades through Mandraki and the coastal road. All public buildings display the national flag.
Oxi Day (28 October) is a full public holiday. In Rhodes Town the main parade assembles near Mandraki Harbour from around 10:00. Students, military units, and municipal bands march through the main coastal boulevard. Archaeological sites and museums offer free entry on this day. The day has genuine civic weight in Greece - it is not a ceremonial formality - and the parade atmosphere in Rhodes Town, flanked by the medieval walls and the Aegean, is worth watching even for visitors with no prior knowledge of the event's history. Shops close; ferries run on a Sunday timetable.
The largest religious celebration on Symi island takes place on 8 November at the Monastery of Archangel Michael in Panormitis. Pilgrims arrive by boat from Rhodes and across the Aegean; the bishop leads the liturgy and a procession of the icon.
Panormitis Monastery is situated in a sheltered bay in the south of Symi, 10 km from Symi Town and accessible by boat from Rhodes (approximately 90 minutes). The feast is on 8 November and the liturgy is conducted by a bishop, with the silver icon of the Archangel carried in procession afterwards. The monastery provides free accommodation and food to pilgrims during the feast period. The interior is lined with thousands of votive offerings (tamata), including model ships in silver and gold, left by sailors and mariners who regard the Archangel as their protector. This is a day-trip or overnight excursion from Rhodes - daily ferries and tour boats call at Panormitis during the summer season; in November, check seasonal ferry timetables carefully before planning the trip.
Christmas (25-26 December) is a public holiday across Greece. Rhodes Town decorates its streets and the Medieval Old Town for the season; the Municipality organises performances and a RODA train tour of the illuminated city.
Rhodes is quieter in December than in summer but remains open and hospitable - hotels, restaurants, and the Old Town operate year-round. The Municipal Cultural Organisation decorates Mandraki and the main streets with lights and organises concerts and folk dance performances through the Christmas period. A small seasonal train (the RODA train) runs daytime tours of the illuminated city from the Aktaion area. The Greek Christmas tradition centres on the 40-day Advent fast breaking on Christmas Eve with a family feast; gifts and Saint Basil (the Greek Santa) arrive on New Year's Day, not Christmas. If you are visiting in late December, plan around this: New Year's Eve is celebrated with as much energy as Christmas itself.