Old Town, a very very brief guide! Part ONE!

I've decided to write a brief description of how is living life in the Old Town of Rhodes as a reference for my English speaking friends, in order to understand things better, what to do, and what to avoid on their visit, long or short.

LiVING CONDITIONS:
Life in the Old Town is better than expected, considering the age of the buildings. It is generally quiet, romantic, within walking distance from the centre of the modern city. It is perfect to have a bicycle or a small moped, not a car, unless you want to use it for trips around the island. Local pubs and restaurants are very nice, there are a number of shops and a mini market open in the winter for everyday needs, but if you are planning to stay for a month or more, you will need to visit the super markets just outside the walls or even the city's limits.

There are a number of very nice hotels inside the walls, plus some cheap ones that only provide a bed, depending on the quality of the building they are housed. Some hotels are near the museums and the historical centre, others are located in the heart of night-life and that maybe a problem if you want something quiet.

The last years, a number of short term rentals have appeared plus a lot of boutique hotels, but if you are looking to stay for more than 6 months, I strongly recommend the season from November to end of April. It is quiet, cheaper, there is plenty of availability. Avoid mid July to end of August since it is the busiest time of the season in Rhodes, and although the weather is perfect, I strongly doubt if you will find a place to stay.

PLACES TO GO and not to go...
The old town is a world heritage site by UNESCO, therefore you can understand that there are a lot of places to visit. If you are a regular tourist, they will drag you around the archaeological museum and the palace, to see the Knight's street and then of you go to the market of Socratous Str. to spend your money on lousy copies made in China, the worst coffee, cocktails with the same ingredients and just different colour and average quality food. There are exceptions of course, that i will write about them later, a personal list with quality/friendly/safe/worker-friendly and tradition criteria. Unfortunately the majority is like in any other heavily touristic location. They just don't care if you'll come back. AVOID the places where they drag you in, where there are waiters outside shouting, whistling, touching you, trying to open a conversation. The majority of these places is lousy. Check ratings on various platforms and ask the locals. You will end up in a better place 99%... You can also check my list at the bottom...

NOT JUST A TOURIST:
So you decided that you like the Old Town a lot to stay for a couple of months, a year of maybe move there, because it is beautiful. Nice! There are some houses to rent and some places you have to learn on order to enjoy your stay. Unfortunately I cannot recommend any house, but though a real estate agency or any platform, you can find it. I will tell you what to avoid. First of all, areas that have a lot of tourists. Socratous Str, the small and big fountain, Orfeos, the lower parts of Pythagora, Ippodamou, and the road from Socratous to the Turkish Baths Square (Arionos). It will be difficult, even impossible to relax even during the night. These areas have a lot of noise during the daytime and even more during the nighttime. There is a HUGE problem with sound pollution from noisy bars and clubs that in some cases, even double-glass windows and an air condition will not make anything tolerable. Apart from the bars, noisy drunk people are driving their scooters or even their cars inside during the night, or they are just shouting.

HELL!!!

Well, not exactly. You can find a place in the alleys inside, around Ippodamou, near St. Francisco Gate, around Omirou, or the neighbourhoods near the Synagoge (Evraiki) and St. Fanouriou church. Things are much better there, even extremely quiet in some cases.  But beware! You need to check the house for humidity. The old town is as wet as a pool in the wintertime. Check for sings of mold, fungus, broken windows or faults in the roof. Find a place that is a renovated as possible, and if not, paint it and put insulation before it starts to rain. You will thank me later. Also check for heating or air conditioning, because it is very hot in the summertime and humid and cold like the North Sea some days during wintertime. I used to have a wooden stove and i still think that this is the best solution, because you will need only two or three cubic meters of wood for the winter, an expense of around 100-150€ So you are ok with the house, the heating or cooling, in a quiet place. Now you need access... The major problem that all inhabitants of the Old Town are facing. If you have a car, it is very difficult to park it inside, so I recommend a bicycle with a large basket or a moped. The easiest thing to do is to park your car outside the walls and use the bike for short distances or shopping only the essentials. Once a month, go to the supermarkets outside the walls and get all the heavy things you need in quantity. Leave your car as close as possible, unload it and take it out again. In the winter time driving and parking inside are easier. You will need internet and a mobile if there isn't any. There are a number of companies, with little differences. I recommend Cosmote for internet and maybe Wind for mobile, but Vodafone and Forthnet are ok as well.

in part two I will tell you where to go and some other hints!