Lindos Beach

Lindos Beach, also called Main Beach, fills the sheltered bay just below the village of Lindos on Rhodes’s eastern coast, roughly 50 kilometres south of Rhodes Town. The bay is a crescent of pale sand and small pebbles, with shallow, clear water of the Aegean Sea that stays calm in most conditions because the headland shelters it from the north wind. The Acropolis stands on the cliff to one side, with its ancient walls and columns above the white village, making this one of the most photographed beach views in the Dodecanese.

The beach is small by Greek island standards, and organised for tourism. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available for rent along most of the sand, there are cafes and a few tavernas on the shore, and jet-ski and boat activities operate in the bay. The water is deep enough for swimming a few metres out, and children can play in the shallows. The sea is warmest from July through September, and cooler in the first months of the season.

Behind the beach, the village climbs the hillside in a maze of whitewashed houses, courtyards and chapels, many built by sea captains in the Middle Ages and later centuries. The lanes are too narrow for cars, and the old village is traffic-free, so people walk or, for part of the route, ride a donkey. The walk from the beach up to the main square takes about ten to fifteen minutes. A little to the south of the main beach, the cove known as Saint Paul's Bay lies enclosed by rock and is a favourite for swimming and for photographs. Tradition says that the apostle landed here on his way to Rome.

The location offers a lot of variety. A swim in the morning and a climb to the acropolis in the early evening, when the heat has eased and the stone glows, is a popular combination, though the climb itself is steep with many steps. Dinner in a rooftop taverna in the village completes the day, with the acropolis illuminated above. For those who want a quieter spot, the early hours before the tour buses arrive offer an almost private bay.

The beach is busiest between late morning and late afternoon in July and August, when buses from the resorts arrive. Parking near the village is limited and is usually outside the pedestrian area, with a walk down to the shore. Take sun protection, since the beach has little natural shade apart from rented umbrellas. In the evening the bay turns calm and the lights of the village reflect in the water.