Rhodes: Discover the Medieval City on a Segway

Rhodes Old Town is best understood from several angles, and a Segway gives you that range without turning the outing into a long uphill walk. In two hours, you can glide through the medieval moat and its fortifications, then reach the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Masters, and the seaside windmills.

I like the small maximum of eight people, which lets guides such as Bill, George, Nikos, and Vasilis give calm riding advice and stop for photos. I also like the route through narrow back streets, where you see more than the usual postcard sights. The main drawback is that crowded lanes can make the ride slow and stop-start, especially later in the day.

Key points at a glance

• Ride inside the medieval moat: See the city walls and battlements from a route that is difficult to cover on foot in the same time.
• Patient instruction for beginners: The orientation and safety briefing are useful, even if you have never used a Segway.
• Small groups capped at eight: A smaller group makes it easier to keep together and ask questions.
• Old Town plus Mandraki harbor: The route combines medieval lanes with sea air, windmills, and the Lighthouse of Saint Nicholas.
• Guides help with photos: Your guide can take pictures and videos during the tour and send them afterward at no extra charge.
• Best for active visitors: You need a basic level of fitness, comfortable shoes, and the ability to balance and steer.

Why a Segway works well in Rhodes Old Town

Rhodes Old Town is compact on a map but tiring underfoot. Its streets are paved, its fortifications spread around the edge, and many of its best corners sit away from the main shopping lanes. A Segway helps you cover that ground while keeping the outing light and playful.

You are not simply being driven past monuments. You learn to control the machine, follow a guide through changing surfaces, pause at notable sites, and continue through lanes that a larger vehicle could never use. For a first visit, this gives you a useful overview before you return later to explore on foot.

The ride is also a good choice for families with older children and teenagers. Several families found it easier to keep younger members interested than on a standard walking tour. At the same time, people in their 50s and 60s have managed well after a careful lesson, provided they are comfortable balancing and standing for the duration.

The main tradeoff is pace. The Old Town can be crowded, and pedestrians, shops, restaurants, and tight corners require attention. You will not race around Rhodes. Think of this as a moving sightseeing tour with frequent stops, not a fast ride.

Getting started at 37 Ippodamou Street

You meet at the local partner’s office at 37 Ippodamou Street, where the staff provide the Segway, helmet, orientation, and full safety briefing. The first part matters more than it may sound. Even confident cyclists may need a few minutes to adjust to leaning forward, leaning back, and turning with small movements.

The guides are used to beginners. George is repeatedly praised for his calm teaching, and Bill has been singled out for making first-time riders feel at ease. Nikos and Nicos have also led visitors through the introduction with care. Experienced riders can move through the practice period more quickly, while beginners receive time to gain control before leaving the office.

Do not feel pressured to pretend you are ready. The best part of the instruction is that the guide watches how you handle the machine and gives practical corrections. Once the group sets off, you still need to steer carefully and leave room for people walking nearby.

The tour uses Segway I2 equipment, and the activity information also refers to newer equipment with two or four wheels. Wear flat, comfortable shoes. High heels are not allowed, and large bags or luggage cannot come along.

First look at the Medieval City

The opening ride introduces you to the Old Town and helps you settle into the controls. You pass through historic streets and begin to see how ordinary life fits around the old walls. This is one of the most appealing parts of the experience because you are not limited to the largest monuments.

Your guide points out narrow lanes and less obvious corners, then pauses for pictures. The route can reveal local scenes that are easy to miss when you are focused on a map or following a main shopping street. One particularly useful feature is the guide’s willingness to act as photographer, so you do not have to choose between being in the picture and taking it.

The first sightseeing portion lasts about 20 minutes, followed by a short photo and rest stop. The timing is not meant for a full visit inside every building. Instead, you get orientation, exterior views, and enough context to decide which places deserve a longer return visit.

If you want detailed archaeology or long lectures at each stop, this may feel light. The tour is built around movement, local stories, and visual impressions. The strongest guides add useful facts without bringing the ride to a halt.

Inside the Medieval Moat and along the walls

The moat is the route’s most unusual feature. A roughly 30-minute guided ride takes you through this broad defensive area and along the fortifications. From here, you can appreciate the scale of the walls and battlements in a way that is hard to grasp from a single street-level viewpoint.

This section also explains why the Segway is practical. Walking all the way around the walls and reaching the moat in the same two-hour window would take more effort and leave less time for the rest of the city. You cover distance without turning the visit into a march.

The surface and traffic require care. A guide may slow the group at tighter sections or places where other people are walking. You should expect a controlled pace rather than a smooth, uninterrupted cruise. That is a fair compromise for seeing the moat safely.

After the moat, there is another short break and photo stop. These pauses help, since standing on a Segway for two hours can be more tiring than the machine makes it appear. They also give you time to look around instead of trying to absorb everything while steering.

The Street of the Knights and the Palace

The Street of the Knights is one of Rhodes’ defining medieval routes. The ride lasts about 15 minutes and gives you a clear view of its stone architecture and strong, formal lines. Your guide adds context about the city’s past occupations, invasions, and military role, with the amount of detail depending on the person leading your group.

The guide cannot stop in every location for a full talk. You should think of the street as a narrated pass through one of the Old Town’s key sights, followed by time to look and take photographs.

The Palace of the Grand Masters brings a longer pause, around 10 minutes. You have time for pictures, a closer look at the imposing exterior, and a little free time. This is a good point to ask questions or note details you want to revisit later.

The palace stop is primarily an exterior sightseeing break rather than a full museum visit. Admission to an interior attraction is not listed as part of the activity, so do not book this tour expecting an extended indoor visit. The value here is seeing the palace within the wider pattern of streets, walls, and defensive spaces.

Church of the Virgin of the Burgh and the quieter lanes

The Church of the Virgin of the Burgh is included among the sights seen during the route, along with other less obvious spots in the Old Town. The exact balance can change with pedestrian traffic and the guide’s chosen route, but the point is to show you more than the main commercial streets.

This is where the local character of the ride comes through. You may pass places where residents gather in the shade, and you see how people live among the medieval buildings rather than treating the Old Town as one large open-air museum.

Several guides are praised for taking visitors down lanes they would not have found alone. That is a real benefit if you have only a day in Rhodes. You gain a map in your head, along with ideas for a later walk at your own speed.

The limitation is that the route is not a replacement for wandering. You will pass through small streets, but you will not have long periods to browse shops, sit at a café, or enter every church. If that is your priority, plan time before or after the ride.

From medieval walls to Mandraki harbor

The route eventually leaves the medieval setting for Rhodes’ modern seaside area. The change is refreshing. After stone lanes and fortifications, you feel the Aegean breeze and see the famous windmills near Mandraki harbor.

The Lighthouse of Saint Nicholas marks the harbor entrance and provides one of the clearest photo settings on the tour. The harbor section gives the experience more variety than an Old Town-only ride. You move from military architecture to open water, working harbor views, and the city’s maritime side.

This coastal portion is also where the tour can feel most relaxed, depending on crowds and the day’s route. It is a welcome contrast to the careful, slow movement through narrow streets. A guide may point out the place associated with the ancient Colossus, though the tour is not a dedicated Colossus history lesson.

The route uses an alternative way back to the office, allowing you to see additional streets rather than simply retracing the opening ride. That makes the two hours feel fuller and gives you a better sense of the Old Town’s layout.

How much history do you get?

The historical content depends heavily on your guide. Nikos is praised for his Greek history knowledge, while George, Bill, Vasilis, and other guides are described as friendly and well prepared in different ways. Some riders received plenty of facts about invasions, occupations, walls, and local life.

At least one experience found the commentary thinner than expected, with more time given to looking around than to formal explanation. If you want a detailed lecture at each monument, ask questions as you go and make clear that history is important to you.

I see this as a sightseeing ride with historical interpretation, not a specialist archaeology tour. Its strength is the combination of movement, access, and local context. It shows you the shape of Rhodes and helps you decide where to spend more time later.

Small-group value and the $76 price

At $76 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Rhodes Old Town. You are paying for the equipment, helmet, instruction, guide, route planning, and the chance to cover the moat, Old Town, and harbor in two hours.

The price makes more sense if you value time or want to avoid a long walking circuit. It is also better value in a small group, since the guide can give individual instruction and take photos for everyone. The group limit is eight, though some departures may be much smaller. Couples have sometimes had a private-feeling outing, while other groups have included families or small parties.

You need to arrange your own way to the meeting point. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later, useful if your plans are still shifting.

For the best comfort, consider an early start or a later afternoon departure. An early tour can mean fewer people in the Old Town, while a 5 p.m. ride may avoid the strongest heat. Availability depends on the date.

Who should book this Rhodes Segway tour?

I would choose this experience if you want a lively overview, have limited time, or are traveling with teenagers who may resist a long walking tour. It also suits first-time Segway riders because the guides make the lesson a central part of the start rather than sending you off immediately.

It is a good fit for people who can stand, balance, steer, and manage a basic level of fitness. It is not suitable for pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, or anyone over 264 pounds, or 120 kilograms.

You should skip it if you dislike riding near pedestrians, want long indoor visits, or prefer a slow, detailed historical walk. Crowded streets can make the route feel stop-start, and you will need to pay attention instead of looking around every second.

Book the tour if you want to see a broad slice of Rhodes Old Town in one outing, with the moat and harbor included. Skip it if your main goal is museum time or quiet, uninterrupted sightseeing. For most active visitors, the small group, patient instruction, photo help, and unusual moat route make the $76 cost reasonable.

FAQ

How long is the Rhodes Segway tour?

The tour lasts two hours. The route includes the Old Town, the Medieval Moat, the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master, and the seaside area near Mandraki harbor.

Where does the tour meet?

You meet at the Rhodes by Segway office at 37 Ippodamou Street. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live tour is available in English and Greek.

How many people are in each group?

The activity is limited to a maximum of eight participants to keep the experience personal.

What should I bring?

Wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen. High heels, luggage, and large bags are not allowed.

Can beginners use the Segway?

Yes. The tour includes an orientation session and full safety briefing before departure. The guides provide practice and make sure you are comfortable before leading the group through the city.