How to Get to the Palace of the Grand Master
Walking up through the Old Town from the harbour, reaching Rhodes by air or ferry, the approach up the Street of the Knights, and getting there from the cruise port.
The Palace of the Grand Master stands at the top of the walled Old Town of Rhodes, at the head of the famous Street of the Knights, and the whole medieval city is pedestrianised, so you reach the palace on foot. From the cruise and ferry harbour and the new town, you enter through one of the great medieval gates and walk up through the old streets. Rhodes itself is reached by air to its international airport or by ferry to Rhodes Town from Athens and other Aegean islands. This guide covers getting to Rhodes, walking to the palace through the Old Town, the approach up the Street of the Knights, reaching it from the cruise port, and planning the visit around the medieval city.
How do I get to Rhodes?
Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, in the southeastern Aegean close to the Turkish coast, and it is well connected by both air and sea. The quickest way to reach it is by air: Rhodes International Airport (Diagoras), on the island's northwest coast about 15 kilometres from Rhodes Town, receives domestic flights from Athens and other Greek cities as well as seasonal international flights from across Europe. From the airport, a bus, taxi or hire car covers the short distance into Rhodes Town and the Old Town, where the palace stands. For most international visitors, flying into Rhodes and staying in or near the Old Town is the simplest way to reach the palace.
By sea, Rhodes Town is a major ferry port, with services from Athens's port of Piraeus and from many other Aegean and Dodecanese islands, making the palace an easy addition to an island-hopping trip. Ferries dock at the harbour beside the medieval city, within walking distance of the Old Town gates. The island is also a regular port of call for Aegean and eastern Mediterranean cruises, whose ships berth close to the walled town. However you arrive on Rhodes, the Palace of the Grand Master is at the top of the Old Town, so the final stage of the journey is always a walk up through the medieval streets. Our concierge recommendation is to plan your arrival on the island first, then treat the short walk to the palace as the easy last step.
How do I walk to the palace through the Old Town?
The entire medieval Old Town of Rhodes is pedestrianised, so reaching the Palace of the Grand Master means walking in through one of its historic gates and up through the cobbled streets. From the harbour and the new town, gates such as the Gate of Amboise, near the palace, and the busier Marine (Sea) Gate lead into the walled city, and from there the palace is signposted and hard to miss at the highest point of the town. The walk is short — a matter of ten to fifteen minutes from most entrances — but it is over uneven medieval cobbles and can be sun-exposed, so comfortable shoes and, in summer, a hat and water make it easier. Part of the pleasure is that you approach the palace as visitors have for centuries, through the fabric of the medieval city.
The most atmospheric route to the palace is up the Street of the Knights (Ippoton), the celebrated medieval street that climbs in a straight line to the palace gate, lined with the old inns of the Order's national Tongues. Many visitors come in through the lower town and make their way to the foot of this street, then walk up it to the palace at its head, taking in the auberges and their carved coats of arms on the way. Our concierge recommendation is to build in time for this approach rather than rushing straight to the gate, and to aim to reach the palace within your booked hourly slot. Because the Old Town's lanes can be a maze, allow a comfortable margin the first time, and simply keep heading uphill toward the highest ground, where the palace stands.
What is the Street of the Knights approach?
The classic approach to the Palace of the Grand Master is up the Street of the Knights, or Ippoton, one of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe. This straight, cobbled street climbs gently from the heart of the Old Town to the palace gate, and along it stand the inns, or auberges, where the Knights of the Order's different 'Tongues' — the national groupings of France, Italy, Spain, England, Provence, Auvergne and others — lodged and gathered. Their carved facades, doorways and heraldry survive in remarkable condition, giving the street an extraordinary sense of the crusading age, and it is free and open to all to walk at any time.
Walking up the Street of the Knights is the ideal prelude to the palace, setting the historical scene before you reach the twin-towered gate at its head. The street is quietest and most evocative early in the morning or later in the day, outside the peak cruise hours, when few others are about and the medieval facades can be appreciated in peace. Our concierge recommendation is to walk up slowly, noting the auberges and their coats of arms, so the palace arrives as the climax of a walk back in time. Because the whole approach is on foot and the street leads directly to the entrance, timing your walk to arrive within your booked hourly slot is simple — just allow a few minutes to linger over the inns on the way up.
How do I get to the palace from the cruise port?
Rhodes is a popular cruise destination, and for passengers arriving by ship the Palace of the Grand Master is one of the easiest headline sights to reach independently. Cruise ships berth at the commercial harbour beside the medieval city, and from the port it is a short walk of around fifteen to twenty minutes to the palace: you head to the walls of the Old Town, enter through one of the nearby gates, and make your way up through the streets to the palace at the top. There is no need for a coach or transfer — the Old Town is compact and entirely walkable — which is why many independent-minded cruise passengers prefer to visit the palace on their own rather than as part of a guided excursion.
The advantage of visiting independently from the cruise port is timing. Ship excursions tend to reach the palace together in a mid-morning wave, so booking your own early hourly slot lets you walk up ahead of the groups and see the halls and mosaics in relative calm. Our concierge recommendation for cruise passengers is to head straight into the Old Town on disembarking, walk up to the palace for an early slot, and then explore the medieval city and its shops and tavernas afterwards, when the palace itself is busiest. Because you are on foot the whole way, keep an eye on your ship's all-aboard time and allow a comfortable buffer for the walk back down to the port. Sturdy shoes for the cobbles make the round trip much easier.
Can I combine the palace with the rest of Rhodes?
The Palace of the Grand Master sits at the heart of one of the richest sightseeing areas in the Aegean, so it combines naturally with the rest of Rhodes. The most obvious pairing is the medieval Old Town itself, which spreads out around and below the palace: its mighty walls and gates, the Street of the Knights, the Archaeological Museum in the old Hospital of the Knights, mosques, squares and lanes all lie within a short walk, and are free to wander. Many visitors spend a full day in and around the walled city, with the palace as its centrepiece, breaking for lunch in one of the Old Town's shaded courtyards during the hottest hours.
Further afield, the island of Rhodes rewards a longer stay. The great acropolis of Lindos, about 50 kilometres down the east coast, is the island's other headline monument — a dramatic ancient hilltop above a whitewashed village and a bay — and makes a superb day-trip to pair with the palace, reached by bus, car or organised tour. Elsewhere lie the ancient site of Kamiros, the wooded Valley of the Butterflies and a string of beaches and resorts. Our concierge recommendation is to give the palace and the Old Town a focused morning while the halls are calm, then use the rest of your time on Rhodes for Lindos and the wider island. Booking your palace slot in advance lets you plan the day around the quietest hour at the castle of the Knights.
Frequently asked
How do I get to the Palace of the Grand Master?
The palace is at the top of the walled Old Town of Rhodes, which is pedestrianised, so you reach it on foot. Enter through one of the medieval gates from the harbour or new town and walk up through the streets — about ten to fifteen minutes — following the Street of the Knights to the palace at its head.
How do I get to Rhodes?
By air to Rhodes International Airport (Diagoras), about 15 km from the Old Town, with flights from Athens and across Europe; or by ferry to Rhodes Town from Athens's port of Piraeus and other Aegean islands. Rhodes is also a regular cruise port of call.
How far is the palace from the cruise port?
About a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk. Cruise ships berth beside the medieval city, and you walk to the Old Town walls, enter through a nearby gate, and head up through the streets to the palace at the top — no coach or transfer needed.
What is the Street of the Knights?
The Street of the Knights (Ippoton) is the cobbled medieval street that climbs to the palace gate, lined with the old inns of the Order's national Tongues. One of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe, it is free to walk and the classic approach to the palace.
Is the Old Town of Rhodes walkable?
Yes. The entire medieval Old Town is pedestrianised and compact, so all its sights, including the palace, are reached on foot over cobbled streets. Sturdy shoes and, in summer, a hat and water make the walking easier.
Can I visit Lindos as well as the palace?
Yes. The acropolis of Lindos, about 50 km down the east coast, is the island's other headline monument and makes a great day-trip to pair with the palace, reached by bus, car or organised tour from Rhodes Town.
Is there parking near the palace?
The Old Town is pedestrianised, so there is no parking at the palace itself. Drivers park outside the walls near the new town and harbour and walk in through the gates, which is the case for all sights inside the medieval city.