Rhodes: Explore the New and Medieval City on a Segway

Rhodes’ medieval center is made for wandering, but its stone lanes, broad fortifications, and far-flung harbor sights can make for a long day on foot. This three-hour Segway tour links the Old City with modern Rhodes and Mandraki Harbor, letting you cover more ground without turning the outing into a march. I especially like the ride through the medieval moat and the chance to use the four-wheel Mia Dynamic if a standard Segway feels too twitchy. Guides such as George and Nikos also put real effort into calm instruction and frequent photo stops.

The small-group format is another strong point, with the activity capped at six people for a more personal outing. The main drawback is that you need a basic level of fitness and comfort on a moving vehicle, and the route is not suitable for pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, or anyone over 264 pounds, or 120 kilograms.

Key points at a glance

• Ride the moat and fortifications: See parts of Rhodes’ defensive ring that are easy to miss on a normal Old City walk.
• Choose your wheels: Use a two-wheel Segway I2 or request the four-wheel Mia Dynamic, which some first-time riders find more reassuring.
• Cover Old and New Rhodes: The route joins the Palace of the Grand Masters and Street of the Knights with Mandraki Harbor and its windmills.
• Expect hands-on instruction: The tour begins with an orientation and full safety briefing before you head into town.
• Keep the group intimate: The tour is capped at six participants, making it easier to ask questions and get individual help.
• Bring the right kit: Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen, and leave your backpack and high heels behind.

Starting on Ippodamou Street

You meet at Rhodes by Segway’s office at 37 Ippodamou Street in the Old City. If finding the office proves tricky, the alternate meeting point is the Hamam Baths at Arionos Square, where an escort on a Segway will guide you the short distance to the office.

The outing starts with equipment and instruction rather than a rushed departure. You receive a helmet, an orientation session, and a full safety briefing. That matters if you have never used a Segway before. Several first-time riders found the teaching patient enough to get them moving comfortably before the sightseeing began.

The standard equipment is the Segway I2, a two-wheel model controlled by your balance and body movements. The four-wheel Mia Dynamic offers another option. A four-wheel machine can be useful if you are nervous about balance or simply prefer a steadier platform, though you still need to control and steer it safely.

Give yourself time to listen during the briefing. The Old City route includes narrow lanes, changing surfaces, and other people on foot. You do not need athletic ability, but you do need basic fitness, steady attention, and enough confidence to operate the machine.

Rhodes Old Town by Segway

The first part of the ride takes you into Rhodes’ medieval Old City. This is where the Segway earns its keep. On foot, you may spend much of your energy watching your footing and retracing streets. On two or four wheels, you can connect several major sights while still pausing to look around.

The Old City is not just a collection of postcard views. Its defensive walls, stone streets, religious buildings, and grand ceremonial spaces reflect the long role of Rhodes as a fortified port. Your guide supplies the local context while you move between the main sights and lesser-known corners.

You will have several breaks for photographs and a chance to catch your breath. If you do not have a camera ready, the guide can take pictures of you and send them afterward at no extra charge. That is a useful touch, since handling a phone while riding is not a good idea.

The route includes narrow alleys and less obvious spots. These short detours help keep the tour from feeling like a simple parade past the best-known buildings. Still, remember that this is an overview rather than a full archaeological visit. The schedule gives you time to see and understand the outside of major sites, not to spend hours inside each one.

The Church of the Virgin of the Burgh and the medieval moat

The Church of the Virgin of the Burgh is one of the early stops. The church gives the route a quieter historical pause between the more imposing fortifications and palace buildings. Your guide provides a short explanation, then you continue by Segway through the surrounding medieval area.

The moat is one of the tour’s most distinctive sections. Rhodes’ medieval moat and fortifications show the scale of the city’s defenses in a way that is hard to grasp from a single viewpoint. Riding through this space gives you a sense of how much ground the walls cover and how the defensive ring shaped movement around the city.

This is also one of the places where the vehicle changes your view of Rhodes. You can cover a substantial stretch without tiring your legs, and the guide can point out details as you move. The tradeoff is that you must stay alert. A Segway is fun, but it is not passive sightseeing. You need to follow instructions, watch the path, and leave room for other people.

Short stops are built into this section for photos and rest. The guide also makes room for water breaks, an important detail in Rhodes’ warm sun. Wear sunscreen from the start, not only after you feel the heat.

The Palace of the Grand Masters

The Palace of the Grand Masters of the Knights of Rhodes is among the tour’s major sights. Its size and fortified appearance make a sharp contrast with the narrow lanes around it. You stop to admire the architecture and hear about its place in the city’s story.

The palace is best treated here as a major orientation point. You see the building and its setting with a guide, but the supplied tour details do not include an interior visit or admission. If you want a detailed look at the palace’s rooms and collections, plan separate time for that on your own.

That limitation is not a flaw in the Segway tour. It is simply the nature of a route designed to show you several parts of Rhodes in three hours. The value is in seeing the palace alongside the moat, Street of the Knights, harbor, windmills, and lighthouse rather than spending the entire morning at one monument.

The Street of the Knights

The Street of the Knights is one of Rhodes’ most atmospheric stretches. Its medieval stone architecture and formal line lead you into the heart of the old fortified city. Riding here gives you a quick but memorable look at the city’s most famous historic street.

Your guide uses the stop to explain what you are seeing rather than leaving you to guess from the façades. The information is especially useful if Rhodes is your first stop in the Dodecanese and you want a clear introduction to the city’s medieval identity.

The street can be busy, and the Old City was built long before modern vehicles. That means the Segway is not a license to rush. You will move at a controlled pace and may need to stop often. I see this as a positive. The route is meant to help you notice the setting, not blur it into a fast ride.

Leaving the walls for Mandraki Harbor

The tour then shifts from medieval Rhodes to the modern seaside area. This change gives the experience a better rhythm than a tour confined to the Old City. You move from stone fortifications and historic lanes to open views, sea air, and the port.

At Mandraki Harbor, you stop for free time and photographs. The harbor is closely tied to Rhodes’ identity as an island port, and the open waterfront provides a welcome change after the enclosed streets of the medieval center.

The ride continues past the famous windmills of Mandraki. These are among the most recognizable harbor sights, and the stop gives you time to take pictures without squeezing the entire visit into a passing glance. You also visit Fort Saint Nicholas and the Lighthouse of Saint Nicholas at the entrance to the harbor.

The lighthouse stop is a good place to pause and take in the Aegean breeze. The experience does not promise a long waterfront break, though. The listed timing gives roughly ten minutes around the harbor and another ten minutes near the windmills, so expect brief sightseeing stops rather than an extended stay by the water.

Returning by an alternate route

The return follows an alternate route to show you more of Rhodes before finishing at the starting office. This matters because the tour is not simply an out-and-back ride. You see a wider slice of the city and reduce the feeling that you are repeating the same streets.

The full schedule is built from several short guided sections and photo stops. The Old City receives the largest share of attention, with additional time for the church, the medieval area, Street of the Knights, and Palace of the Grand Masters. The harbor and windmills receive shorter stops, but they add a useful modern and maritime side to the day.

Guides George and Nikos are praised for patient instruction, local facts, and careful attention to safety. The names appear in different forms in the booking material, including Nico, Nick, and Zeorge, but George and Nikos are the main names to look for when discussing the tour. The important point for you is the guide’s role: this is not a rental where you simply collect a machine and follow a map.

Is $100 a fair price?

At $100 per person, this is not the cheapest way to look around Rhodes. You are paying for three hours of equipment use, a helmet, instruction, a live English or Greek-speaking guide, and a small group rather than a large convoy.

The price makes more sense if you value coverage and guidance. A walking tour can take you through the Old City, but reaching the moat, Palace of the Grand Masters, Mandraki Harbor, windmills, and Saint Nicholas Lighthouse in one outing takes time and energy. Here, the vehicle does much of the work between stops.

You should also weigh the cost against what is not included. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not part of the standard package, though they can be arranged on request. Palace admission is not listed, and the tour does not replace a longer museum or palace visit.

For a first look at Rhodes, I consider the price reasonable if you are comfortable riding and want a lively overview. If you prefer slow, unhurried visits inside monuments, spend your money on a walking guide or individual admissions instead.

Who should book this tour?

This outing suits first-time Segway riders, couples, families with eligible older children, and cruise visitors who want to see both the Old City and harbor area within a fixed time. The instruction is designed to help beginners get started, and the small group means the guide can watch how everyone is doing.

It is also a good fit if you want local history without committing to a long walking tour. The ride covers more ground, includes regular pauses, and combines major sights with narrow lanes and less obvious corners.

You should skip it if you dislike balance-based equipment, have mobility limits, are pregnant, weigh more than 264 pounds, or cannot manage three hours of light physical activity. Backpacks are not allowed, so plan to carry only what the operator permits. Comfortable shoes are essential, and high heels are specifically prohibited.

The group size deserves a quick note. The activity is described as a small group, with a maximum of eight in one part of the booking information and a cap of six in the practical guidance. The six-person limit is the one presented as the measure for a more personal outing, so confirm the exact group size when you book.

Final call: book it if you want range and fun

I would book this tour if I had three hours in Rhodes and wanted a clear first look at the city rather than a deep visit to one monument. The combination of the medieval moat, Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Masters, harbor windmills, and lighthouse gives you a strong sense of both old and modern Rhodes.

The best reasons to choose it are the small group, patient instruction, four-wheel option, and ability to cover ground that would take longer on foot. The main caution is simple: you must be physically able and willing to ride. If that sounds comfortable, $100 buys a useful, well-paced introduction with plenty of photo opportunities and a guide who helps the city make sense.

FAQ

Where does the Rhodes Segway tour meet?

The main meeting point is the Rhodes by Segway office at 37 Ippodamou Street. If you have trouble finding it, you can meet an escort at the Hamam Baths in Arionos Square, and they will lead you to the office nearby.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts three hours, including the safety briefing, guided sightseeing, riding time, rest breaks, and photo stops.

What languages are available?

The live tour guide speaks Greek or English.

How many people are in the group?

The activity is designed as a small-group experience. The practical guidance says it is capped at six participants to provide a more personal outing, although another description gives a maximum of eight. Confirm the exact size when booking.

Can beginners use the Segway?

Yes. The tour begins with an orientation and full safety briefing. You can use a two-wheel Segway I2 or a four-wheel Mia Dynamic, subject to availability and the operator’s arrangements.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes and sunscreen. High-heeled shoes and backpacks are not allowed.

Who should not take this tour?

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, or people over 264 pounds, or 120 kilograms. All participants should also have a basic level of fitness.