Rhodes: Discover the Medieval City on a Segway

Rhodes rewards a little extra mobility. I like the way this small-group Segway tour reaches narrow lanes, the medieval moat, and the harbor faster than walking, and I like the patient instruction for first-time riders. The main drawback is that the Old Town can be crowded, making parts of the ride slow and less relaxed.

At $76 per person, the tour is a fair buy if you want an active overview rather than a long walking tour. Guides such as Bill, George, Nikos, Vasilis, and Irene are repeatedly praised for calm training, local facts, and taking photos for the group. I would book an early or late departure in summer, when the heat and crowds are easier to manage.

Key points to know before you ride

• The moat is the special route: You ride through the Medieval City’s moat and along its fortifications, a part of Rhodes that is awkward to cover on foot.

• Beginners get time to learn: The tour starts with an orientation and full safety briefing, and several first-time riders became comfortable within about 10 minutes.

• The group stays small: The maximum is eight people, though some departures have had only two to four riders.

• You see more than the postcard sights: The route includes the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Masters, back lanes, the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh, and the modern harbor area.

• Photos are part of the service: Your guide can take pictures and videos during the ride and send them afterward at no extra charge.

• It is not for everyone: You need a basic level of fitness, and the activity is not suitable for pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, or anyone over 264 pounds, or 120 kilograms.

Starting at 37 Ippodamou Street

You meet at the local partner’s office at 37 Ippodamou Street, where the equipment and training begin. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to make your own way to the office.

The first part matters more than it may sound. A Segway responds to your balance and body movement, so the guide gives you an orientation, helmet, and full safety briefing before the group heads into the city. You do not need prior Segway experience, and the strongest praise for this tour goes to the instructors’ patience.

George, Bill, Nikos, Vasilis, and Irene are each singled out for explaining the controls clearly and waiting until riders felt steady. One couple in their 60s was initially unsure but became confident after roughly 10 minutes of practice. That is useful reassurance, though you still need reasonable balance, coordination, and stamina.

The equipment is described as new, with options involving two or four wheels. The included vehicle is listed as a Segway I2. Since the exact equipment choice may depend on the group and availability, ask the operator if a particular setup matters to you.

Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen. High heels are not allowed, and large bags or luggage cannot come along. You will be moving through tight streets and around other people, so traveling light is sensible.

Rolling through the Old Town for 20 minutes

The first riding section introduces you to Rhodes’ Medieval City. This is a good use of a Segway because the Old Town is larger than it first appears, with broad lanes, narrow alleys, monuments, shops, restaurants, and residential corners spread across the fortified area.

You cover ground without committing to a long uphill walk over stone streets. That makes the tour especially useful for families with teenagers, couples short on time, and anyone who wants to see the city without tiring out early in the day.

The tradeoff is traffic. Parts of the Old Town are packed with pedestrians, especially later in the day. You may stop often, move cautiously, and share the lanes with people who are not expecting a line of Segways. One useful point from an experienced rider is that the early 9 a.m. departure felt quieter. A 5 p.m. departure can also help with the heat, according to another rider, though crowd levels will vary.

This opening stretch is not just a transfer to the monuments. Guides take groups through lesser-used lanes and residential areas, giving you a glimpse of how people live inside the old walls. You may see locals gathered in the shade, rather than only the commercial streets aimed at day visitors.

Photo stop in the Medieval City

A short five-minute pause gives you time to get your bearings and take pictures. The guide can act as your photographer, which is a real advantage when you are traveling as a couple or family and want everyone in the frame.

The photo service is offered without an extra charge, and several guides have shared photos and videos after the tour. You do not have to keep stopping to manage your own camera while riding. Still, bring your phone if you want your own close-ups or notes about places you pass.

The stops are brief, so this is not a substitute for an in-depth museum visit. You get a quick look, an explanation, and time for photographs before moving on. If you prefer to spend 20 minutes examining one monument, a walking tour will suit you better.

Riding inside the Medieval Moat

The moat section lasts about 30 minutes and is the physical highlight of the outing. Instead of viewing the fortifications only from busy streets, you ride through the Medieval City’s moat and along its defensive walls and battlements.

This route helps explain the scale of Rhodes’ fortifications. On foot, the moat can feel like an extra detour, particularly when you are trying to fit the Palace, Street of the Knights, harbor, and shopping streets into one visit. The Segway lets you link these areas without spending all your energy on walking.

The ride is not a high-speed activity. Your guide controls the pace and watches the group, particularly through tighter or trickier sections. Taylor specifically praised the attention to safety in harder parts of the route, while other riders appreciated the calm instruction before setting off.

You should expect some stop-and-start movement. The tour is designed around sightseeing, not continuous riding, and the route may slow when pedestrians are nearby. That is sensible in a medieval city, but it can disappoint anyone hoping for an open, fast ride.

At the five-minute pause, you can take more photos and hear additional explanations. The moat is also a good place to appreciate how different the city feels away from the souvenir shops and main pedestrian lanes.

The Street of the Knights in 15 minutes

The Street of the Knights is one of the essential sights in Rhodes Old Town. This stone-paved route leads through the heart of the Medieval City and is lined with imposing historic buildings connected with the Knights of Saint John.

The Segway gives you a different view from a standard walking visit. You move along the street as part of a small group, pause for facts and photographs, then continue rather than retracing every step. The vehicle also makes it easier to connect the street with the moat and the palace.

Because this is a famous part of town, expect other people around you. The experience is most enjoyable when you accept a gentle pace and focus on the architecture and atmosphere rather than trying to cover the street quickly.

The Church of the Virgin of the Burgh is another named sight along the route. The tour also seeks out narrow alleys and less obvious corners, which is where the guide’s local familiarity adds value. You get more than a straight run between the two biggest monuments.

Ten minutes at the Palace of the Grand Masters

The Palace of the Grand Masters is the major architectural stop. Its size and fortified appearance make it an impressive finish to the Old Town portion, and the guide leaves about 10 minutes for photographs, sightseeing, and free time.

This stop is more of an exterior visit than a full palace tour. Entry to the palace is not listed among the inclusions, so you should not expect a detailed indoor visit or museum ticket as part of the Segway experience.

That is not necessarily a weakness. The tour’s purpose is to give you a broad view of Rhodes, and the short palace stop keeps the group moving toward the coast. If the palace is your main reason for visiting the Old Town, allow extra time before or after the ride to explore it independently.

The harbor, windmills, and Saint Nicholas Lighthouse

The route continues beyond the medieval walls to Rhodes’ modern seaside area. Here, you get a change of pace: open views, the Aegean breeze, the famous windmills, and the Lighthouse of Saint Nicholas at the entrance to Mandraki harbor.

This coastal stretch is valuable because it places the Old Town in a wider setting. You have seen the defensive moat and stone lanes, then move toward the harbor where Rhodes’ maritime character comes into view.

The lighthouse is a natural photo stop, and the harbor gives the tour a pleasant contrast to the enclosed medieval streets. If you are interested in the traditional story of the Colossus of Rhodes, one ride included the area where the statue may have stood. The wording matters: this is an associated location, not a surviving monument.

The supplied itinerary gives exact times for the Old Town, moat, Street of the Knights, and palace, while the wider tour description also includes the seaside area, windmills, and lighthouse. The route may give more or less time to each section depending on traffic, group confidence, and conditions. If the harbor is your top priority, ask the guide about the day’s route at the start.

What the two hours feel like

The tour lasts two hours, but only part of that time is uninterrupted riding. You spend time learning the Segway, listening to explanations, stopping for photographs, and navigating crowded streets.

That rhythm suits sightseeing. You can cover more ground than on foot while still getting regular chances to look around. The alternative route back to the starting point is also useful because you do not simply repeat the same streets.

I like this format for a first look at Rhodes. It helps you decide where to return later, perhaps for a longer walk, a meal, or a museum visit. It is less suitable if you want a slow, detailed study of each monument.

The live guiding is available in English and Greek. Group size is capped at eight, and several departures have been much smaller. A group of four or fewer is particularly easy to manage in narrow lanes, though the maximum size still keeps the experience more personal than a large coach excursion.

Is $76 good value?

At $76 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Rhodes Old Town. You are paying for the vehicle, helmet, instruction, guide, route planning, small group, and the ability to cover several areas in two hours.

The value improves if you have limited time, are arriving by cruise ship, or want to avoid a long walk over cobbled and sometimes uneven streets. It also makes sense for families whose younger members may lose interest during a conventional walking tour. Teenagers in particular may find the ride more appealing than following a guide on foot.

The value is weaker if you are comfortable walking and want detailed historical commentary. One rider felt the stops offered more time for looking around than for extended facts, while another felt the guide did not provide enough historical detail. Guide quality can vary, even though the overall feedback is very strong.

You should also remember that admission fees, food, drinks, and hotel transport are not included. Bottled water was provided on some departures, but it is not listed among the formal inclusions, so bring your own water unless the operator confirms otherwise.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and the option to reserve now and pay later make the booking less rigid. Check available start times before choosing, especially if you want to avoid the hottest or busiest period.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend the tour to you if you:

• Want a broad first look at Rhodes Old Town in two hours
• Enjoy active sightseeing and trying something different
• Are traveling with teenagers or older children
• Have limited time in Rhodes
• Prefer not to spend the day walking between the moat, palace, old lanes, and harbor
• Are a first-time Segway rider who values patient instruction
• Want photos of the whole group without relying on a stranger

I would think twice if you:

• Need a fully accessible activity
• Are pregnant
• Weigh more than 264 pounds, or 120 kilograms
• Have limited balance or basic fitness
• Want a quiet, uninterrupted ride
• Expect a full indoor tour of the Palace of the Grand Masters
• Prefer a long, detailed lecture at every stop

The tour is not described as suitable for people with mobility impairments, and the operator requires a basic level of fitness. Comfortable shoes are essential, while high heels and large bags are prohibited.

Practical ways to improve the experience

Choose an early departure if you want quieter streets. Choose a late afternoon departure if managing the midday heat is your concern, but ask about likely crowd levels.

Arrive ready to ride, with sunscreen and comfortable shoes. Leave luggage at your accommodation because large bags are not allowed and will make the narrow streets harder to manage.

If you are new to Segways, do not rush the training. The guides have earned their strongest praise for letting beginners practice until they feel ready. Tell the guide if you are nervous, and use the orientation to learn how the vehicle responds before entering the Old Town.

Keep your expectations focused on an overview. You will see many important areas, but the short stops cannot replace a museum visit or a specialist history walk. Take note of the places you want to revisit on foot.

Finally, ask about the coastal portion at the beginning. The route description includes the windmills, Saint Nicholas Lighthouse, and Mandraki harbor, while the timed itinerary gives more detail about the Old Town stops. A quick question can help you understand how the day’s route will be balanced.

Should you book the Rhodes Segway tour?

Book it if you want to see a lot of Rhodes in a short time and enjoy the idea of gliding through the moat, medieval lanes, palace area, and harbor. The strongest reason to choose it is not speed alone. It is the combination of access to less obvious streets, a small group, friendly instruction, and photo help from the guide.

I would especially choose it for a family with teenagers, a first visit with limited time, or a couple who wants an active shared experience. I would skip it if your priority is detailed historical teaching, quiet monument visits, or full mobility access.

At $76, it earns its price when the alternative is a tiring day of walking and trying to piece the city together yourself. Pick your time carefully, wear sensible shoes, and treat it as a lively orientation to Rhodes rather than the final word on its past.

FAQ

How long does the Rhodes Segway tour last?

The tour lasts two hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $76 per person.

Where does the tour start?

It starts at the local partner’s office at 37 Ippodamou Street.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What languages are available?

The live guide is available in English and Greek.

How many people are in each group?

The group is limited to a maximum of eight participants.

Do I need previous Segway experience?

No previous experience is stated as a requirement. The tour includes an orientation and full safety briefing, and the guides provide instruction before the ride.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes and sunscreen.

Who should not take this activity?

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