Lindos and East Coast Scenic Drive, Rhodes: The Complete Self-Drive Guide

The Lindos and east coast scenic drive is the finest day out you can have with a hire car in Rhodes, and the honest truth is that driving it yourself beats every boat trip and coach tour on the island.

From Rhodes Airport you can pick up a car from around £15 a day and follow the east coast south at your own pace, stopping at a Hollywood actor’s emerald bay, a wooded valley of springs, a golden Blue Lagoon beach and finally the clifftop acropolis of Lindos itself. This guide gives you the honest route, the real drive times, where to park at each stop, and the local knowledge that turns a good day into a perfect one.

Most visitors see the Lindos and east coast scenic drive the hard way. They pay for a boat trip that drops them at Lindos for a couple of rushed hours, or a coach tour that arrives with fifty other people at the hottest, busiest time of day.

With your own hire car you control the whole day: you arrive at the beaches before the crowds, on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive you park where the tours cannot go, and you leave Lindos when the light turns golden and the coaches have gone. The Lindos and east coast scenic drive is roughly 50 km each way from Rhodes Town, an easy hour of driving on the island’s best road, and you can make it a full day or a relaxed half day depending on how many stops you take.

Stop One: Rhodes Old Town and Mandraki Harbour

Your Lindos and east coast scenic drive begins just fourteen kilometres and twenty minutes from the airport, at the medieval Old Town of Rhodes. The first stop on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive is one of the finest walled cities in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of cobbled lanes, the Palace of the Grand Master and the famous Street of the Knights. The honest advice here is simple: do not try to drive into the Old Town, because inside the walls it is pedestrian only, open to locals and delivery vehicles alone.

Instead, head for the free parking at Akandia Harbour, where a complimentary electric shuttle bus runs every ten to twenty minutes to the port, the harbour and the Old Town gates. Park, hop on the shuttle, and spend an hour wandering the lanes before the day warms up. The Lindos and east coast scenic drive then takes you to Mandraki Harbour, where the famous bronze deer mark the spot the Colossus of Rhodes once stood, and the old windmills line the sea wall. It is the perfect gentle start before the coast opens up ahead of you.

Stop Two: Anthony Quinn Bay

On the Lindos and east coast scenic drive you leave Rhodes Town heading south on the E95 island highway, and after about fifteen kilometres, four kilometres past the resort of Faliraki, a turning drops down to one of the loveliest coves on the island.

The next highlight of the Lindos and east coast scenic drive, Anthony Quinn Bay, is named after the Hollywood actor who fell in love with it while filming The Guns of Navarone and bought the land, dreaming of a film colony that never came to be. The water here is a startling emerald green, framed by pine-clad rocks, and the snorkelling is superb.

An honest word for older visitors and families: this is a beautiful bay to look at and swim in, but the shore is rocky and the pebbles are sharp underfoot, so bring a pair of sea shoes if you can. There is free parking on the approach above the beach, though the small car park at the bay itself fills fast in high season, so arriving before mid morning is wise. Even if you only stop for photographs and a coffee, the view down into the green water is one of the highlights of the whole east coast.

Stop Three: Kolymbia and the Seven Springs

Continue the Lindos and east coast scenic drive south and the highway runs inland for a stretch, past the resort of Kolymbia. Turn off through Kolymbia and you reach one of the coolest, greenest corners of Rhodes: Epta Piges, the Seven Springs. The approach road is an avenue of eucalyptus trees planted by the Italians in the 1930s, and it leads to a shaded valley where seven natural springs feed a stream and a small lake beneath towering pines.

The Seven Springs is a wonderful antidote to the beaches on a hot day, and a favourite stop on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive. You can follow the woodland paths to the springs, or, if you are brave and not claustrophobic, wade through the narrow 186 metre water tunnel that the Italians built to carry the springs to the lake.

The tunnel is dark, knee deep in cool water and barely shoulder wide, and it emerges at a peaceful emerald lake. There is a taverna in the trees for lunch, and the whole place stays blessedly cool even in high summer. Families with young children should skip the tunnel and take the path, which reaches the same spot.

Stop Four: Tsambika Beach

Back on the E95 and a few minutes further south along the Lindos and east coast scenic drive, Tsambika is the beach that appears on the postcards. A long, wide sweep of golden sand runs beneath a green headland, and the shallow, warm, crystal water has earned it comparisons to a blue lagoon. It is one of the finest sandy beaches on the island, well organised with sunbeds and tavernas, and unlike the rocky coves to the north it is genuinely good for children and less confident swimmers.

High above the beach on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive, on a 300 metre hill, sits the tiny white monastery of Tsambika, a place of pilgrimage with staggering views over the coast.

You can drive part way up, but the final steep, narrow stretch is best left to walkers, so park in the car park below and climb the 300 or so steps if you have the legs and the morning is cool. The reward is one of the great views of Rhodes, with Tsambika beach shining far below and the coast running away to Lindos in the distance.

Stop Five: Lindos and its Acropolis

The drive saves the best for last. About fifty two kilometres from the airport, Lindos appears as a cascade of dazzling white houses tumbling down a headland, crowned by the ancient acropolis on its 116 metre cliff and wrapped around a perfect sandy bay. It is one of the most beautiful places in all of Greece, and the Lindos and east coast scenic drive lets you arrive on your own terms rather than the tour operator’s.

Here is the honest local knowledge that makes the difference on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive. The village of Lindos is entirely pedestrian, so you cannot drive in. Park instead at the free parking above St Paul’s Bay, sometimes signed as Lindos Parking, which is the last car park on the approach and almost always has a space, a ten to fifteen minute walk down into the village. There is also a paid, monitored car park, St Paul’s Parking, at around seven euros for the day if you prefer the security.

The single most important tip on the whole Lindos and east coast scenic drive is to arrive early at Lindos. The coaches and boat trips descend on Lindos from about half past ten in the morning, and the midday heat on the exposed clifftop is fierce, so aim to arrive before nine. That way you walk the cool morning lanes in peace, climb to the acropolis before the crowds, and are settling into a shaded lunch just as the tour groups arrive hot and harried.

For the acropolis itself, the rules changed in 2026. Entry is now by timed ticket that you must book online in advance through the official Greek ministry site, at twenty euros for an adult, with reduced rates for EU seniors over sixty five and free entry for EU citizens under twenty six.

The early morning slots sell out first, so book a day or two ahead and download the ticket to your phone before you arrive. The climb to the top is up more than three hundred stone steps with little shade and no handrails, so wear proper shoes and carry water. For those who would rather not climb, donkeys wait at the foot of the village to carry you up for about eight euros, though many visitors prefer to walk on animal welfare grounds.

Where to Eat in Lindos

Lindos is famous for its rooftop tavernas, and lunch here is one of the defining experiences of the Lindos and east coast scenic drive. Climb to one of the terraces above the white lanes and you eat with the acropolis on one side and St Paul’s Bay glittering on the other.

The food along the Lindos and east coast scenic drive is classic and honest: grilled fish, Greek salad heavy with local feta, slow cooked lamb kleftiko and the sweet local wine. Prices are higher than inland villages, as you would expect in the island’s most famous spot, but the setting is worth it once in a holiday. For a cheaper, quieter lunch, the tavernas around the Seven Springs or a beach taverna at Tsambika serve the same honest Greek cooking at gentler prices.

What to Take

For this drive, pack for a full day in the sun. Sea shoes make Anthony Quinn Bay far more comfortable, and swimming things are essential for Tsambika. Carry plenty of water, sun cream and a hat for the exposed acropolis climb, and wear proper shoes rather than flip flops for the steps at both Lindos and Tsambika monastery. Bring a credit card for fuel and parking, book your acropolis ticket to your phone before you set off, and keep some cash for the beach tavernas and the smaller car parks.

When to Go

The best time for the Lindos and east coast scenic drive is the shoulder season of May, June, September and October, when the weather is warm, the sea is swimmable and the roads and beaches are far quieter than in high summer.

In July and August the coast is at its busiest and the midday heat on the Lindos clifftop is intense, so start very early and save the afternoon for the beaches. Whenever you go, an early start is the key to the whole day, giving you the beaches and the acropolis in the cool, calm morning before the crowds arrive.

Getting There and Hiring a Car

Every great drive needs the right car, and the Lindos and east coast scenic drive is no exception. The drive begins at Rhodes Airport, the island’s only airport, where you collect your hire car. Booking ahead with a good local supplier is the key to the best price, with small economy cars from around £15 a day in the shoulder season, far less than the big international names charge.

A small car is ideal for the Lindos and east coast scenic drive and for the narrow approaches to the beaches and car parks. Our Rhodes car hire guide has the full picture on prices and suppliers. See our full guide to car hire in Rhodes for honest prices, verified drive times and the local suppliers worth knowing, and compare live rates for your dates using the booking tool on this page.

Driving Tips for the East Coast

The east coast road on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive is the best on the island, well surfaced and easy, and you drive on the right as across mainland Greece and Europe. The one genuinely busy stretch is the coast road between Rhodes Town and Faliraki in peak season, where traffic slows between mid morning and early afternoon, so an early start helps here too.

Fuel is easy to find in the north and around the resorts but sparser as you go south, so keep your tank above half and fill up before any long southern run. For the official rules of the road and current requirements, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office keeps an up to date summary on its Greece travel advice pages.

What Most Guides Don’t Tell You

The boat trips and coach tours sell this coast as a convenience, but they cost you the very things that make it special. On a boat you see Lindos from the water and get a couple of rushed hours ashore; on a coach you arrive at the hottest, most crowded time and leave on someone else’s schedule.

With your own hire car you do the drive properly: the beaches before the crowds, the Seven Springs when the tour buses are elsewhere, and Lindos itself in the golden calm of early morning or late afternoon. The honest secret of this coast is that the independent driver, not the tour group, gets the best of it, and it costs less too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to drive from Rhodes to Lindos?

The direct drive from Rhodes Town to Lindos on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive takes about fifty minutes on the E95 coast road, covering roughly fifty kilometres, or about fifty five minutes from Rhodes Airport. With stops at the beaches and the Seven Springs along the way, this scenic drive easily fills a full and rewarding day.

Can you drive into Lindos village?

No, Lindos village is entirely pedestrian and closed to cars. You park in one of the car parks on the approach, the free parking above St Paul’s Bay or the paid St Paul’s Parking, and walk ten to fifteen minutes down into the village. This is why a small hire car and an early arrival, before the car parks fill, make the visit so much easier.

Do you need to book Lindos Acropolis tickets in advance?

Yes. Since 2026 the Acropolis of Lindos uses a timed entry system, and you must book your ticket online in advance through the official Greek ministry website. Tickets are twenty euros for an adult with reduced rates for EU seniors, and the early morning slots sell out first, so book a day or two ahead and download the ticket to your phone.

Is the drive to Lindos suitable for nervous drivers?

Yes, the east coast road to Lindos is one of the easiest drives on the island, a good, well-surfaced main road with gentle curves and clear signs. A small car handles it comfortably. The only busy stretch is near Rhodes Town and Faliraki in peak season, which an early start avoids, making this an ideal first drive for anyone new to the island.

Which east coast beaches are best for families?

Tsambika is the best family beach on the Lindos and east coast scenic drive, a long sweep of golden sand with shallow, warm, calm water and plenty of parking, sunbeds and tavernas. Anthony Quinn Bay is beautiful but rocky with sharp pebbles, so it suits stronger swimmers and snorkellers more than young children. Sea shoes make both far more comfortable.

Drive the East Coast Yourself

The Lindos and east coast scenic drive is Rhodes at its very best, and doing it yourself with a hire car is cheaper, calmer and far more rewarding than any tour. Book a small car from around £15 a day, start early, and give yourself the freedom of the whole coast. Compare live prices for your dates in the booking tool on this page, pick up your car at Rhodes Airport, and discover the east coast the way it should be seen.

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