A travel guide to Lindos: smell, feel, sleep, see, touch and take

Updated September 2023

At night you can almost touch the stars over Lindos. Warm summer nights and the scent of jasmine. I first heard about Greece at the age of five or six. The moment I laid eyes on the book “My donkey Benjamin,” a story about a little girl that finds a baby donkey in Lindos on Rhodes. I started to call all donkeys by that exact name and imagined Greece to be one of these magical far-flung places.

 

On the beach in Lindos, Greece

I'm visiting Greece for what feels like the thousands time. The last time I went it was to the Greek capital, Athens to check out Unesco heritage listed sites. If you travel through Europe in summer, it usually is so very busy, crowded, fun mayhem. Call it whatever you like. Everybody is out and about. For people living in the cold countries of Europe, summer is the time to celebrate. After months and months of grey, rainy, snowy, darkish times people want one thing: sunshine.

Lindos - the white village in Greece

When I booked my flight to Rhodes, I was prepared for all the craziness that comes with a European summer vacation. As the plane flies over the Mediterranean Sea, I let my view gaze over the endless blue, there are many islands, like hover boats silently floating in the flat sea. This is thanks to the slightly hazy conditions. I already used the word blue. Greece, the Greek flag is white and blue and so is the scenery, all the way to the horizon. It looks beautiful from above.

I pick up my rental car at Diagoras Airport and adjust the surfing equipment on the roof and head towards Lindos. Rhodes Old Town would have been a great choice for a base too, food and atmosphere are both great here, but I wanted to stay in a small village and closer to Prasonisi, an excellent spot for wind- and kitesurfing.

Boat with Greek Flag in Lindos, Greece

Lindos – swimming, hiking, shopping and eating

Rhodes is an island in the Dodecanese in Greece. 1,000 people call Lindos, one of these picture-perfect Greek villages, home. White houses, pink bougainvillea, sleeping cats, fig trees plus ancient history. I’m forever intrigued as to whether life is better in a small village or in a large urban environment with a high population density? In the eighties of the last century the Lindians decided to make the most of tourism, and they rented out every single room they had, probably even down to their broom cabinets. Over the decades tour operators, mostly from the UK took over the ancient white village. I have been several times to Lindos over the years, and recently it feels as if the Greeks would want to take it slowly into another direction.

Many Greeks work in trendy and owner-run stores, selling products made in Greece, they give you a warm welcome and at the same time are ready to talk about the political situation in their country. They don’t hold back about anything when they talk about politics and world affairs. In true Greek fashion, I love that. I spent so much time talking to Greeks about the crisis in 2016, and it was amazing to get all these different opinions, ranging from “It is the Europeans fault, they forced austerity measures on us,” to the exact opposite “It is a homemade problem, and Greeks are not used to paying taxes.” This time it is the same with the pandemic, all the ones I ask for their opinion are straightforward with their answers. They expect visitors to their island to be vaccinated and they don’t understand fellow citizens who won’t get the jab.

If you go away on a trip, any trip really, the experience comes to life if you speak with as many locals as possible. It also pays off to walk into the opposite direction. There is beauty everywhere in this ancient village. I spend my time swimming, hiking, surfing, eating, shopping, sipping coffee and cuddling cats. I went to bed late and got up early. Here are my top tips for wonderful experiences in Lindos.

Eat Kataifi

Chopped walnuts, pistachios, cloves and cinnamon, spun delicately in filo pastry shreds, lightly bathed in syrup, made from honey or sugar, is a classic Greek dessert. Kataifi is a tiny piece of art and if you can bring yourself to cut it up, rest assured that it is absolutely yummy to have it for coffee and cake in the afternoon.

Eat Kataifi when in Greece

Eat Greek Yogurt with honey and walnuts at Gelo Blu

Yogurt producers enrich milk with yogurt cultures (lactic acid and bacteria) and then let it drain to separate the whey from the yogurt. The result is a thick and creamy yogurt that consists of ten percent fat and tastes less sour compared to plain yogurt.

Make your way to Gelo Blu (a café that has been here for as long as I can remember) in the morning, find a place in the shade in the pretty white and blue courtyard and order a Greek Yogurt with honey and walnuts. The yogurt of a thick texture, which can be mixed with the honey wonderfully, will keep you well-fed till lunchtime, but you might consider checking their menu for more delicacies. 

Greek Yogurt, honey and walnuts at Gelo Blu in Lindos

Look at all the pretty corners Lindos has

Travellers want to get lost; at least that is what literally everybody who knows a thing or two about travelling tells them it is what they want to do. The village of Lindos is simply too small to seriously lose orientation. Just look at all the white there is, Lindos is an ancient white village, take the time to look for lovely photo opportunities and just enjoy the tranquillity of all the many deserted lanes fringed with white cubic houses and huge wooden entrance gates. 

Church of St John in Lindos - dating from the 14th century

Three-wheeled vehicle - Lindos, Greece

It is all white - Lindos in Greece

Lindos - cosy under a tree

Olive wood products at Tree of Life

A heavenly smell of olive oil floats gently through the air. If you are into cooking, this store is for you. The wide range of cutting boards, spatulas, honey dippers, bowls, spoons, ladles, pestle and mortars, citrus reamers, is arranged orderly all over the store, on the counter, on shelves, on the floor, on the walls. The olive wood is a hardwood and as such non-porous and what I especially love is that it doesn’t absorb bacteria. It is a tough decision; each piece is unique. I'm fascinated to hear that experts can tell from the pattern, from which part of the tree the wood was cut. You find the store if you walk up towards the Acropolis, it is next to the Captain's House Bar (stop here for a Frappé to cool down, it is an amazing property and so very friendly).  

The Tree of Life in Lindos, Greece

Kori Lindos – a store for daughters and sons

Kori means girl in Greek. But this store is not only for girls, it is for everybody who loves beautiful handmade Greek products. If you enter the store on one of the main arteries in the village, make sure you talk to the lovely owner and cuddle the very cute cat. I bought a knitted matiasma, the evil eye. Just in case someone will throw an evil eye on me, I have help now, it apparently wards off bad luck, and it looks beautiful. They sell all sorts of locally designed and made souvenirs; I take cute tea towels home also.

In summer the store will be open till 11pm, check their website for more information.

Knitted Evil Eye from Kori in Lindos

White cat lounging on the floor in the entrance of Kori in Lindos

Lemon or Orange Cake?

I enter the Rainbird Bar and take a photo of the sign that advertises cake, the guy who works here asks me whether I am going to put it up on Facebook. He shows me a photo of himself, on another guy’s Facebook feed, smiles proudly and says with a twinkle in his eyes “I'm now famous in London.”

Take a seat and enjoy the magnificent view, the only decision you have to take for now is whether you would love to eat Lemon or Orange Cake?

Rainbird Cafe. Tough choice: Lemon or Orange Cake

Drink in the blue and turquoise of the water

I go swimming every day; in total I swim 15 hours or so. As I glide seemingly weightless through the refreshing cold of the water, I think of Nikos Kazantzakis words “happy is the human, I thought, who, before dying, is found worthy to sail the Aegean Sea.” I know I’m not a sailing boat, but this is exactly how I feel, totally grateful; there is nothing else at all I would want to do in this exact moment. Best of all, I go early in the morning, and there is no one swimming but me. What a luxury.

Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea in Lindos, Greece

Glystra Beach not far from Lindos in Greece

 

Blue Eye Clothing

Super cute store right in the middle of Lindos. Kaftans, Pashminas, Jewellery …. Browse summer dresses from Madame ShouShou by designer Elena Kordali. Try sandals by designer Aris Tsoubos, the pompom ones are adorable. Check out the newest bikini styles from ckantova by designer Christina Kantova. Pick whatever you fancy in this super cute store, and feel good about it, everything in this store is made in Greece. Opening Hours 9am till 11pm (in summer), please check their website for more info.

Blue Eye Clothing in Lindos, Greece

Stay at Casita Casita Lindos

This is the ideal place to fall in love with Greece (if you aren’t in love with the country already). I couldn't lavish enough praise on Casita Casita and the team. They are friendly people through and through. This is a truly happy place. Soon after you arrive you begin to feel as content as a Greek cat taking a nap in the shade of a tree.

If you are a fan of design and style, this place is for you. The architect of Casita Casita surely has an effortless sense of it. The white/grey rooms are decorated with sisal carpets, wooden shelves, dark grey stone washing basins, and travel souvenirs in the colours white, terracotta, tan, red, and brown. We were staying here for 15 nights, and due to me booking too late (as in ‘another one wanted’), I was so lucky to have had the chance to stay in two different rooms. The rooms are light and airy. The beds are as comfy as pristine and inviting as they look. You can completely block out the morning sun with wooden blinds. The shower is spacious, and its water pressure is strong. The Greek cosmetic Apivita products make the shower extra refreshing. Apivita is a Certified B Corporation.

The breakfast is a luscious affair. Start each day with fresh fruit, walnuts, honey, olives, feta, tomatoes, coffee, village bread, and orange juice. You sit in the garden next to the old olive trees, listening to the song of cicadas, with a view of the sea and the hilltop Acropolis. You gotta love life. Sitting here is a dream come true.

Casita Casita enjoys a fantastic location. It is perched on a Lindo's hillside. The beach and the centre of the village are both only a few minutes’ walk away. This place offers the ideal setting to escape from everyday life and the beautiful but busy centre of Lindos, and just live in the moment. Yes, it is that kind of place. 

If you arrive at Casita Casita Lindos by car, you can park it directly in front of the entrance, there is plenty of public parking. There is a parking fee of EUR 5 per day which you need to pay to the parking warden who is selling tickets during the day. You can also park in a parking space right next door, which is EUR 10 per day - there is a parking warden present who is selling tickets during the day.

 

Stay at Lindos Comfy Suites

I love to stay in casual but stylish surroundings where I can sleep on an eco-mattress and use eco-cosmetic products. Every day I wake up, I think what a lucky person I am; the light room looks delicious together with the deep blue of the sky. Breakfast is extensive and full of Greek treats, the view from the bright white rooftop terrace over the village, the Acropolis and the Mediterranean Sea is simply magnificent. I love my daily walks through the village to go for coffees, to a restaurant, or to the beach, and I love to come back late at night, when there are only the stars and a few cats around.

If you arrive at Lindos Comfy Suites by car, you can park it on the property’s premises.

Cuddle the cats of Lindos

Over the course of my visit I found out that each of the cats lives in their very own district of the village. I became friendly with some, since it was always the same cats at certain points along my route. I wish I could have taken one of them home.

All the cute cats of Lindos

Doors. Photo Art in Lindos, Greece

I heart Lindos, Greece

Doors of Lindos, Greece

I spent my evenings eating at some of the best restaurants in Lindos, read all about it here Travel Greece. Where to eat in Lindos on the island of Rhodes. Warning: You might get very hungry reading this.

 

How to get to Lindos

You can reach Lindos directly by plane from most capital cities in Europe. Visit the website of Rhodes Airport (RHO) for more information. The airport is 40 kilometres from Lindos.

Wi-fi in Lindos

Wi-Fi is available in most cafes and restaurants and hotels.

Best time to visit Lindos

Summers are hot and dry. If you aren’t a fan of hot weather, it is probably best to visit in spring (March to early June) or autumn (September to early November) when temperatures are mild, and days are sunny. 

In July 2023 wildfires raged in some parts of Rhodes, eventually, after days, firefighters were able to stop the fires. Left behind is burnt land, and that means enormous damage to the environment and the island. It might probably take the land many years to fully recover. Large parts of the island are as healthy as ever, and there is no damage at all, and there is no reason to not visit Rhodes because of the wildfires in July 2023.

2023 was a record-breaking hot summer. The wildfires in parts of Rhodes are once more a stark reminder that the climate crisis has arrived and that humans must recognize it as such.

Greece – Currency and how to pay

Greece is a member of the European Union. The official currency in Greece is the Euro. Exchange money on arrival at the airport, or get some cash at an ATM. You can pay in cash still almost everywhere in town (some shops/restaurants/cafes only accept cash though). Credit cards are widely accepted.

More Greece?

Lindos - Where to eat on the island of Rhodes.

Travel Greece. Day Trips to UNESCO World Heritage Sites near Athens.

Travel Greece: Guided food tour - culinary safari through Athens.

 From Berlin with love