A guide to Rhodes beaches
Large beaches of coarse sand and pebbles, which face huge (incredibly huge) hotel complexes is the image that I associate with Rhodes talking about sea and beaches.
It is certainly not the ideal island to go to find beaches of fine white sand and remote coves with transparent waters, but there are also pleasant beaches on which to spend a few days, alternating the visit of the beautiful centers of Rhodes and Lindos to the practice of water sports.
Looking for beaches on which to spend a few relaxing days, I realised how scarce and misleading are the information circulating on them. So here is an exhaustive list of the beaches of the island and their characteristics.
FALIRAKI
equipped beach / coarse sand / hotel and beach facilities
A long, endless expanse of dark and coarse sand, mostly equipped, which faces a host of medium-lush hotels built near the coast. Suitable for those who love the comfort of a large beach resort, perhaps with a swimming pool nearby.
TSAMPIKA
equipped beach | free beach / fine dark sand / beach bar and facilities
This beach is also very large, which offers the freedom to choose the equipped part or the most distant and spacious free area. At the edge of the cliff there is also a beach reserved for nudists.
Although the sand is dark in colour, it is fine and the water transparent and fresh, a pleasant and quiet place to spend the day. There are bars all along the beach, where you can enjoy a great meal.
MEGALI PARALIA, Lindos
equipped beach / dark fine sand / beach restaurants
The main beach of Lindos is hidden by the numerous umbrellas that invade it. There is no free beach and the establishments have colonized with sunbeds all the space available. There is very little space between the beach umbrellas and the beach is practically non-existent. Although the bay is very beautiful, to spend a day on this beach you have to get to know the neighbor on the very near sunbed, and enter the water to find the sun hidden by the umbrellas.
Suitable for those who stay in Lindos and do not want to move to go to the beach, and have the convenience of being a short walk from the city center.
Lindos offers a more secluded alternative, separated from the main beach by a small pier, but can only be reached from the promontory and is therefore mostly frequented by those staying nearby.
SAINT PAUL'S BAY
equipped beach / fine pebbles
This picturesque cove with turquoise waters is located just beyond the promontory on which stands the acropolis of Lindos. Here, too, umbrellas have invaded the entire small beach, and you have to get there very early to make sure you have one of the few places, even if the sun only comes in the middle of the morning.
GLYSTRA
equipped beach | free beach / sand / beach bar
Our favourite beach, a small cove with calm waters. The lighter sand makes you better appreciate the color of the sea, and although it is partially equipped, it is not overcrowded. It is also comfortably equipped with showers.
The beach bar is a nice place for a snack or an iced coffee. The small car park fills up quickly, so I recommend arriving by 9:30 to find a place.
PRASONISSI
free beach / fine sand / taverns nearby
The beach of Prasonissi is an immense expanse of sand divided into two gulfs by an isthmus that connects to the mainland a rocky island.
Some daredevils come here to lie in the sun and take a bath, but I would advise you not to choose it for this reason. The beach is in fact a paradise for winds and kite surfers and dozens of people flock to the water, making bathing dangerous. In addition, the waters are moved by strong currents and the beach is lashed by intense and incessant winds that make it unpleasant to stop exposed to the sand that rises continuously.
The best option is to enroll in a course and try a water sport, but it is also nice to walk and observe the evolution of athletes in the water, keeping a safe distance from the kites that orbit on your head and that could invest at any time!
