Rhodes Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Rhodes’ position in the south-eastern Aegean makes it the natural gateway to the Dodecanese. Warm waters, abundant sunshine and a constellation of characterful small islands within easy cruising range. The itineraries below cover different ground and can be combined for a 7-day or longer voyage.

Day Charter Routes

Lindos and St Paul’s Bay Day Charter

Depart Rhodes Marina and cruise south along the eastern coast to Lindos, roughly 25 nautical miles (about 90 minutes). Anchor in St Paul’s Bay – a natural harbour where the Apostle Paul is said to have sheltered. Walk up to the Acropolis of Lindos for the Temple of Athena Lindia and spectacular views. Return to the yacht for lunch on the aft deck. Stop at Anthony Quinn Bay on the return for a snorkel in the emerald water. Back in Rhodes by late afternoon. Total: roughly 50 nm, 7–9 hours.

Symi Day Charter

Cruise south to Symi, 21 nautical miles (about one hour). The approach to Symi’s harbour is one of the most beautiful in Greece: the amphitheatre of neoclassical houses unfolds as you round the headland. Anchor in the harbour, explore the upper town via the Kali Strata staircase (375 steps), and lunch at a waterfront taverna on fresh-caught shrimp (Symi is famous for its small, sweet shrimp). In the afternoon, cruise to a quiet bay on the island’s eastern coast for a swim. Return to Rhodes by evening. Total: roughly 42 nm, 7–9 hours.

3-Day Rhodes Yacht Charter Itinerary: Rhodes, Symi and Halki

Day 1: Rhodes Old Town, Lindos and St Paul’s Bay

Board at Rhodes Marina. If you arrived a day early, spend the morning walking the Medieval Old Town: the Palace of the Grand Master, the Street of the Knights, the 4 km of fortified walls. Board your yacht and cruise south to Lindos (25 nm). Anchor in St Paul’s Bay and walk up to the Acropolis for the Temple of Athena Lindia and panoramic views to Turkey. Return to the yacht for a swim in the bay’s crystal water. Your chef prepares dinner on the aft deck – pitaroudia (Rhodes’ chickpea fritters with mint), grilled red mullet, and a glass of Athiri from Emery Winery.

Day 2: Symi

Cruise south from Lindos to Symi, roughly 30 nautical miles (about 90 minutes). The harbour approach is unforgettable: pastel mansions in ochre, terracotta, lemon and powder blue rising in tiers from the waterfront. Anchor and go ashore. Climb the Kali Strata (375 steps) to the upper town of Chorio for panoramic views over the harbour and the Aegean. The sponge divers of Symi were once famous across the Mediterranean, and the small Nautical Museum tells their story. Lunch at a harbourside taverna on Symi’s famous small, sweet shrimp. In the afternoon, cruise to the Panormitis Monastery on the south-west coast – an 18th-century monastery dedicated to the Archangel Michael, set in its own bay. Anchor overnight in the monastery’s sheltered bay.

Day 3: Halki and Return to Rhodes

Cruise west to Halki, roughly 20 nautical miles from Symi (about one hour). Halki is a quiet, authentic island with a single village harbour – Nimborio – a crescent of neoclassical pastel houses around a clear-water bay. Anchor and go ashore for a morning coffee and a wander through the village’s empty lanes. Walk to Pontamos Beach (10 minutes west) for a swim in white sand and turquoise shallows. Your chef prepares a farewell lunch on the aft deck. Cruise back to Rhodes (24 nm, about 75 minutes), arriving by late afternoon.

4-Day Rhodes Yacht Charter Itinerary: The Southern Dodecanese

Day 1: Rhodes to Lindos

Board at Rhodes Marina. Cruise south along the eastern coast, stopping at Anthony Quinn Bay for a morning snorkel in the emerald cove made famous by The Guns of Navarone (1961). Continue to Tsambika Beach – golden sand, shallow water, and the small Tsambika Monastery visible on the hillside above – for a swim. Arrive at Lindos by early afternoon. Anchor in St Paul’s Bay and walk up to the Acropolis. Explore the whitewashed village and dine at Mavrikos, the oldest restaurant in the area, for a blend of Greek and French cuisine on the main square.

Day 2: Symi and Panormitis

Cruise south to Symi (30 nm from Lindos, 90 minutes). Spend the morning in the harbour town: climb the Kali Strata, visit the sponge-diving museum, and coffee at a waterfront café. After lunch onboard, cruise to the Panormitis Monastery (south-west coast). The monastery is dedicated to the Archangel Michael and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Dodecanese. The bay is calm and sheltered – anchor for the night and enjoy the silence.

Day 3: Tilos

Cruise south-west to Tilos, roughly 25 nautical miles from Symi (about 75 minutes). Tilos is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: wild, unspoilt, and home to over 400 species of wildflower. The pace of life here is slow and the beaches are deserted. Anchor off Eristos Beach – a long, quiet stretch of sand on the island’s west coast – for a morning swim. Go ashore to explore the village of Megalo Chorio and the ruins of the medieval Knights’ castle above it. Tilos is the kind of island where you sit at a harbourside table, order whatever the fisherman brought in that morning, and lose track of time entirely. Overnight in Livadia harbour.

Day 4: Halki and Return to Rhodes

Cruise north-east to Halki (roughly 30 nm from Tilos, about 90 minutes). Spend the morning in Nimborio harbour – coffee, a swim at Pontamos Beach, and the gentle rhythm of an island with one village and no traffic. Your chef prepares a farewell gourmet lunch on the aft deck as you cruise the final 24 nautical miles back to Rhodes, arriving by late afternoon.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Rhodes–Symi–Halki route with the 4-day southern Dodecanese route for a comprehensive 7-day charter covering Rhodes, Lindos, Symi, Halki, Tilos and their surrounding waters – without repeating a single stop. For an even longer adventure, continue north to Kos (52 nm from Rhodes), Kalymnos, Leros and the sacred island of Patmos