Ialyssos Holidays

Ialyssos is Rhodes' windsurfing capital – a breezy stretch of sun-kissed beach, just round the corner from Rhodes Town, with an ancient acropolis up on the hill behind, and proper Greek tavernas in the village square.

Good to Know

• ☀️ Weather - Summer highs of 28-32°C with barely any rain from June to September. The Meltemi winds pick up most afternoons, meaning the breeze keeps sunbathers refreshed and the windsurfers happy.

• 💶 Money - Not bad by Rhodes standards. A meal for two with wine at a village taverna runs €25-€35. A beer is €3-€5, a coffee €2-€3.

• 🍶 Fun Fact - The monks at Filerimos Monastery created a seven-herb liqueur called Sette Erbe, sold in a bottle shaped like a cross. You can still taste it at the monastery gift shop, and it's become one of Rhodes' most distinctive souvenirs (fair warning: it's potent).

Highlights of your Holidays to Ialyssos

• World-class windsurfing - The Meltemi winds hit this stretch of coast like clockwork every afternoon in summer, making Ialyssos one of the top windsurfing and kitesurfing spots in Europe

• Ancient Ialyssos on Filerimos Hill - A 2,500-year-old acropolis with a Temple of Athena, a medieval monastery, peacocks roaming the grounds, and a giant iron cross with panoramic views at the end of the Road to Calvary

• Long Blue Flag beach - A mix of sand and pebbles stretching along the northwest coast with organised sunbed sections, beach bars and crystal-clear water

• Rhodes Town on the doorstep - The UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town, the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights are about 8km along the coast

• Proper Greek village life - The old village inland around Plateia Apostolidi has traditional tavernas, live music nights and the annual Ialysia Festival in August

What are the top Hotels in Ialyssos?

See all hotels in Ialyssos or have a look at some of our favourites below..

💑 Couples

• Electra Palace. Five-star luxury right on the beach with a lagoon-style pool, spa, multiple restaurants and live music venues. The premium all-inclusive includes champagne, à la carte dining and a fully loaded minibar on arrival. A proper celebration-worthy pick.

• The Residence. A peaceful adults-only retreat with a free-form pool, sun terrace and the Absolute restaurant doing Greek and international cuisine with a smart-casual dress code. Spa access at the sister Dodeca Sea Resort nearby.

• D'Andrea Mare Hotel. A stylish resort about 200m from the beach with spa facilities (indoor heated pool, sauna, jacuzzi), live entertainment and an animation team that keeps the evenings social.

✨ Luxury

• Electra Palace. Also earns the luxury slot for its five-star beachfront position, cooking classes, yoga sessions and the kind of attention to detail where they remember your room number at the pool bar.

• Sun Beach Resort. A beachfront family resort with two buildings, multiple pools (including a kids' pool with octopus slide), two à la carte restaurants and an adults-only Azure pool bar with Aegean views. All-inclusive options available.

• Dodeca Sea Resort. Two outdoor pools, swim-up bar, kids' club, spa and the Thalassa Forum wellness centre. About 100m from the beach with a full entertainment programme.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• Sun Beach Resort. The family workhorse, with playground, kids' pool, daily activities from beach volleyball to Zumba, and all-inclusive options that keep the bill predictable.

• Blue Horizon. A four-star right on the beach with a main restaurant, beach bar and bungalow-style rooms set among gardens. A comfortable mid-range pick for families who want beach access without fuss.

• Kassandra Apartments. A three-star with two pools, kids' pool, play area and wellness facilities including hot tub and sauna. About a 14-minute walk to the beach, with the village centre right there.

🎉 Groups

• D'Andrea Mare Hotel. The animation team and live entertainment programme make this one work for groups, and the spa is a proper bonus after a day on the water.

• Lisa Hotel. A friendly mid-range option with outdoor pool, on-site restaurant doing weekly Greek BBQ nights with live music, and a free shuttle to the beach. Good value for a group base.

• Sunday Hotel. Studios, apartments and maisonettes with kitchenettes, a pool and a restaurant doing home-cooked Greek and international dishes. Self-catering flexibility for groups who want to do their own thing.

👉 All hotels in Ialyssos

Which are the best beaches in Ialyssos?

• Ialyssos Beach - A long stretch of mixed sand and pebbles running along the northwest coast with Blue Flag status. Organised sections with sunbeds and umbrellas (around €8-€10 per pair), beach bars, and crystal-clear water. The afternoon Meltemi winds make this the windsurfing epicentre of Rhodes, but mornings are calmer for swimming. Water shoes recommended for the pebbly entry.

• Kremasti Beach - The beach continues west into Kremasti, becoming sandier and quieter. A good option for families who want more space and less wind. Tavernas line the road behind.

• Ixia Beach - East towards Rhodes Town, Ixia's beach has a similar mix of sand and pebbles with more upmarket beach clubs and watersports outfits. The wind conditions are the same, so it's another windsurfing hotspot.

Local Lingo

Greek is the language on Rhodes, and while English is widely spoken in the tourist areas, Ialyssos' old village inland has a more local feel where a few phrases go a long way.

• Kalimera, kah-lee-MEH-rah (Καλημέρα), Good morning

• Yamas, YAH-mas (Γειά μας), Cheers (the short, casual version you'll hear clinking glasses at every taverna)

• Ena krasi parakalo, EH-nah krah-SEE pah-rah-kah-LOH (Ένα κρασί παρακαλώ), A wine please

• Poli oreo, poh-LEE oh-REH-oh (Πολύ ωραίο), Very beautiful / very nice (use it about the food, the sunset, anything, they love it)

• Signomi, see-GNOH-mee (Συγνώμη), Excuse me / sorry (useful for squeezing past tables in the village square)

• Ti ine afto, tee EE-neh af-TOH (Τι είναι αυτό;), What is this? (genuinely useful when pointing at dishes on someone else's table)

What to do on your Holidays to Ialyssos - 2026 / 2027

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• Filerimos Hill - The ancient acropolis site has peacocks roaming free among the ruins (kids love them), a medieval monastery, a café at the top, and the walk along the Road to Calvary to the giant iron cross is dramatic without being too strenuous.

• Valley of the Butterflies - About 20 minutes' drive south, a shaded gorge with wooden bridges, streams and thousands of Jersey Tiger moths that gather in the trees from June to September. Entry fee, bring a camera.

• Windsurfing lessons - Several professional schools on the beach offer kids' courses with flat-water beginner areas, shallow enough to stand up in. Morning sessions are best when the wind is gentler.

• Rhodes Aquarium - At the northern tip of Rhodes Town, a small but charming Art Deco building with tanks of Aegean marine life. Quick visit that works well combined with a wander around Mandraki Harbour.

💑 Couples

• Sunset from the Filerimos Cross - Climb to the giant iron cross at the end of the Road to Calvary for panoramic views across the northwest coast as the sun drops. One of the best sunset spots on Rhodes.

• Rhodes Old Town evening - Walk the Street of the Knights, find a rooftop bar near the Palace of the Grand Master, and have dinner in the medieval backstreets. About 15 minutes by taxi or bus.

• Wine tasting at Emery Winery - One of Rhodes' established wineries, about 15 minutes inland. The Athiri and Muscat whites are the local stars.

• Dinner at Kostas Village Taverna - Live Greek music on weekend evenings, dancing by dessert, and food good enough that you'll go back twice. The stifado gets talked about in TripAdvisor reviews like it's a religious experience.

🎉 Groups

• Windsurfing and kitesurfing - The afternoon Meltemi winds are consistent and strong, and the professional schools cater for complete beginners through to advanced. Ialyssos has hosted international windsurfing competitions.

• Rhodes Town nightlife - Bar Street in the New Town has everything from cocktail lounges to full-on clubs open until dawn. About 15 minutes by taxi from Ialyssos.

• Quad bike the west coast - Hire quads and ride the coastal road south through villages, stopping at viewpoints and empty beaches. The west coast is much quieter than the east.

• Beach bar circuit - The beachfront strip has a good run of bars doing sunbeds by day and cocktails by evening. Not Faliraki-level, but enough for a properly social afternoon.

Nearby Resorts

• Rhodes - One of Greece's most popular islands, with 300 days of sunshine a year, a UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town, beaches on every coast, and a food scene that runs from traditional tavernas to fine dining.

• Rhodes Town - The island's capital, where a UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town sits next to a buzzing modern waterfront with beaches, bars and restaurants. The Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights are bucket-list territory.

• Faliraki - Rhodes' party resort with a 4km Blue Flag beach, one of Europe's biggest waterparks, and Bar Street's legendary nightlife. Works for families by day, groups by night.

• Lindos - Whitewashed lanes tumbling down a hillside to St Paul's Bay, with a 3,000-year-old Acropolis perched on the clifftop above. One of the most photographed villages in all of Greece.

• Kolymbia - A peaceful east coast resort with a eucalyptus-lined avenue, a horseshoe bay, and the magical Seven Springs (a walk through a pitch-dark tunnel to an emerald lake) nearby.

• Greece - Crete, Corfu, Santorini, Zante, Kos, Mykonos, Halkidiki and many more. Greece has islands and coastlines for every kind of holiday.