Rhodes Travel Guide: The Best Things to Do, Eat & Where to Stay

If you’re looking for somewhere for a birthday trip with sunshine, amazing food, beautiful beaches and plenty of wine, let me introduce you to my Rhodes Travel Guide. We headed to Rhodes for a 40th birthday trip and honestly, we had the best time ever.

It was my first time visiting Rhodes, and I completely fell in love with it. We stayed in Stegna, which turned out to be the perfect base for us, and spent our days eating, drinking, exploring, swimming and generally making the most of being away together. This was one of those trips where you come home already talking about when you can go back.

So, if you’re planning a trip to Rhodes, especially if you’re celebrating a birthday or travelling with friends, here are some of my favourite places from our trip.

Getting to Rhodes from East Midlands

We flew to Rhodes from East Midlands Airport, which made the start of the trip nice and easy. Before we travelled, we pre-booked our airport transfer with Airport Taxi Transfers, and I would definitely recommend doing this in advance. A huge shoutout to George, our driver, who was brilliant.

The journey from Rhodes Airport to Stegna took around 50 minutes, so it was lovely to arrive, find our driver waiting for us and just get straight on our way. I also liked that the transfer was paid for upfront, so there were no surprises when we arrived. After a flight, the last thing you want is to be trying to work out transport, prices and where you’re going, so having it all booked beforehand was definitely worth it.

Where we stayed: Casa Zoe Luxury Retreat

We stayed at Casa Zoe Luxury Retreat, which we booked through Airbnb, and it was absolutely beautiful. It’s a two-bedroom apartment, so it worked perfectly for our group. The apartment has its own private terrace, a hot tub and a BBQ area, which made it feel much more like a home than a traditional holiday rental. And the location was brilliant.

It was just around a five-minute walk to Stegna Beach, so we could easily head down to the beach whenever we fancied it.

Having the terrace and hot tub was also perfect for a birthday trip because we could spend time together at the apartment, have a drink and enjoy the space rather than always having to go out.

If you’re travelling to Rhodes with friends or family, I’d definitely have a look at Casa Zoe.

Stegna Beach

Stegna itself is a gorgeous little seaside village, and I think it was a great choice for our trip. It’s much more relaxed than some of the busier areas of Rhodes, but you’ve still got restaurants, bars, shops and the beach right there. And because we were staying so close, we could just wander down whenever we wanted.

One of my favourite things about Stegna was how easy everything felt. No complicated plans. Just beach, food, drinks, sunshine and good company.

Honestly, that’s my idea of a perfect holiday.

Our morning coffee stop: Stegna Akti Bakery

If you find yourself in Stegna, you need to visit Stegna Akti Bakery. This quickly became our coffee stop. And there is one thing you absolutely need to order: The Freddo cappuccino.

It’s Greece, it’s sunny and you’re on holiday — you can’t not have one. And while you’re there, try the spinach and feta pie. It was so good.

This became one of those places we kept going back to, and I can already imagine it becoming a holiday tradition whenever we return to Stegna. Another little tip — you can also organise birthday cakes from the bakery, which could be really handy if you’re visiting Rhodes for a celebration.

Where to eat in Stegna

One of the best things about this trip was the food.

There are so many lovely places to eat around Stegna, and we definitely didn’t go hungry.

Jack’s Cocktail Beach Bar

Jack’s Cocktail Beach Bar was one of our favourite finds. And the sushi was so good. Like, probably some of the best sushi I’ve had.

They also do a really good burger, so if you’re travelling with a group where everyone wants something different, there’s something for you. It’s right by the beach, so you’ve got that lovely holiday atmosphere where you can sit outside, have a drink and enjoy the views.

And if you’re after a beach day, I’d definitely look at renting a cabana at Jack’s Beach Bar. It’s such a nice way to spend the day with friends. Get yourself settled in, order some drinks and make absolutely no plans to move.

Palio Limani

Another place we enjoyed was Palio Limani. The views over the ocean are gorgeous, and if you’re a seafood lover, this is definitely one to put on your list.

There’s something about eating seafood by the sea in Greece that just feels right. The views alone make it worth visiting, but add in the food, a cold drink and the sunshine and you’ve got the perfect holiday dinner.

Maria Taverna

Maria Taverna is actually one we didn’t get to experience ourselves, but our friends went and came back raving about it. They said it was amazing, so it’s definitely on our list for next time.

And that’s the thing about a trip like this — you can never fit everywhere in. Which just gives us another excuse to go back!

 

A private boat trip from Rhodes Old Town

For the birthday itself, one of our friends organised a private boat trip from Rhodes Old Town, and this was such a brilliant idea. We had the boat for around three hours, with all drinks included, plus stops for swimming. It was honestly such a fun way to celebrate a 40th.

There’s something pretty special about being out on the water with your friends, drinks in hand, music on and the Greek sunshine beating down. We had swimming stops along the way, so we could jump into the water and cool off before getting back on the boat.

If you’re visiting Rhodes for a birthday, anniversary, hen do, friends’ trip or just want to do something a bit special, I’d definitely look into booking a private boat. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

Go and explore Rhodes Old Town

You can’t visit Rhodes without spending some time in Rhodes Old Town. We absolutely loved wandering around here.

There are so many little streets to explore, restaurants, bars and places to stop for a drink. It’s one of those places where you don’t really need a plan.

Just wander. Get slightly lost. Find a little bar. Have a drink. Find somewhere for dinner. Then do it all again.

If you’re staying in Stegna, I’d definitely make the trip into Rhodes Old Town for an evening.

Beach evenings in Stegna

One of my favourite things we did was incredibly simple. We bought a bottle — or perhaps five bottles — of Prosecco and headed down to the beach with our friends.

There’s something so lovely about sitting on the beach in the evening, watching the sky change and having a drink with good friends.

You don’t need a fancy restaurant or an expensive activity every night. Sometimes a bottle of Prosecco, the beach and your favourite people is all you need. And these were some of my favourite memories from the whole trip.

Rent a cabana at Jack’s

If you’re planning a beach day, I’d definitely look into renting a cabana at Jack’s Beach Bar. It’s perfect for a group of friends because you can make a whole day of it.

Get your cabana, order some drinks, grab some food and settle in. It’s the kind of day where you have absolutely no idea what time it is — and that’s exactly how a holiday should be.

Why I loved Rhodes so much

This was my first time in Rhodes, and I honestly wasn’t expecting to love it quite as much as I did. There was such a great mix of everything we wanted from a birthday trip.

Beautiful beaches.

Amazing food.

Cocktails.

Boat trips.

Old towns to explore.

Long lunches.

Beach evenings.

And most importantly, plenty of time spent with good friends.

Stegna was the perfect base for us because it had that relaxed Greek island feel without feeling like there was nothing to do. We could spend the day at the beach, head into Rhodes Old Town, jump on a boat or simply sit outside with a Freddo cappuccino and a spinach and feta pie. And that’s exactly what I want from a holiday.

My Rhodes travel tips

If you’re planning your own trip to Rhodes, here are a few things I’d definitely recommend:

Book your airport transfer in advance. It made arriving so much easier, and paying upfront meant we knew exactly what we were paying.

Stay somewhere with outdoor space. We loved having the terrace, hot tub and BBQ at Casa Zoe.

Try a Freddo cappuccino. Obviously.

Don’t just stick to your accommodation. Get out and explore Stegna, Rhodes Old Town and the surrounding areas.

Book a boat trip. Especially if you’re travelling for a special occasion.

Have at least one completely unplanned beach evening. Grab some Prosecco, head down to the beach and enjoy it.

Don’t try to do everything. There will always be another restaurant, beach or bar to try next time.

Would I go back to Rhodes?

Absolutely.

In fact, I’m already thinking about what we’d do differently next time. Maria Taverna is definitely on the list, and I’d happily spend another day at Jack’s with a cabana, cocktails and sushi.

I’d also love to explore more of Rhodes beyond Stegna and spend some more time discovering the island. But that’s the nice thing about going somewhere you love.

You don’t have to see everything in one trip. You can leave a few things for next time.

And after the best 40th birthday trip, I think Rhodes has definitely earned itself a return visit.