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A day trip from Marmaris to Rhodes means a morning fast ferry, roughly six hours between arrival and the late-afternoon boat back, and a walking day in the medieval Old Town, which starts right next to the harbour. Once you allow for passport control on both sides, you have about four and a half to five hours of actual sightseeing. That is enough for the Old Town, the Palace of the Grand Master and the Archaeological Museum, but not for Lindos as well.
Short answer
- Ferry times: In mid-October 2026 the operator’s booking page shows Marmaris departures at 08:45 or 09:00 (arriving 09:45–10:00) and a 16:00 return from Rhodes. The crossing takes about an hour.
- Time ashore: Roughly six hours from arrival to departure, minus border checks. Tour listings advise allowing at least 30 minutes for passport control on each side.
- What fits: The Old Town (UNESCO), Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Master, Archaeological Museum and a walk round Mandraki harbour.
- Lindos: About 47 km away. On a same-day return it is a rushed half-visit at best; stay a night if Lindos matters to you.
- Documents: Passport, plus a Schengen visa if your nationality needs one. Non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). Check you can re-enter Turkey.
- Tour or DIY: The operator sells a same-day return at €60 (as of October 2026). GetYourGuide packages add hotel transfers in Marmaris but no guide on Rhodes.
Ferry operators, winter sailing days, booking and port procedure are covered in depth in our Marmaris to Rhodes ferry guide. This page is about planning the day itself.
How the day works
The morning boat and the evening return
Yeşil Marmaris Lines, which sells the crossing in Marmaris, shows these sailings on its booking page for mid-October 2026:
| Direction | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Marmaris → Rhodes (15 Oct) | 08:45 | 09:45 |
| Marmaris → Rhodes (18 Oct) | 09:00 | 10:00 |
| Rhodes → Marmaris (mid-October) | 16:00 | 17:00 |
There is also a 17:15 departure from Marmaris and a 09:00 departure from Rhodes, but those suit overnight stays, not a day trip. In peak summer Ferryhopper describes about two morning and two afternoon crossings, which gives more choice. In winter the route runs on only a few days a week, so check sailing days in the ferry guide before you plan.
How many hours you really get
Port to port, a mid-October day trip gives you about six hours on Rhodes. Not all of that is sightseeing:
- On arrival you go through Greek border control. GetYourGuide tour listings for this trip tell guests to allow at least 30 minutes for passport control on each side.
- For the return, one reviewer on a GetYourGuide listing reports being asked to be back at the port an hour before the 16:00 sailing.
Plan on about four and a half to five hours in town. One package on GetYourGuide puts its free time at about five hours; others say up to six.
Watch the clocks after 25 October
Turkey does not change its clocks. Greece turns its clocks back one hour on Sunday 25 October 2026, so from that date until spring Rhodes is one hour behind Marmaris. Check whether the time on your return ticket is Greek or Turkish time, and set your phone accordingly.
What fits into a day on Rhodes
The ferry docks in Rhodes Town, just outside the walls of the medieval Old Town. Everything in this section is walkable from the harbour.
Rhodes Old Town (UNESCO)
The Medieval City of Rhodes has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988. The Knights of St John held the island from 1309 to 1523 and left a walled town of about 4 km of fortifications. UNESCO divides it into the Upper Town, with the Knights’ palace and inns, and the Lower Town, where the Ottoman period added mosques, baths and houses. Most of it is car-free, so comfortable shoes matter more than transport.
Street of the Knights
This straight street runs east to west through the Upper Town. It is lined with the inns of the Order’s national “tongues”, including those of Italy, France, Spain and Provence. It links the Archaeological Museum at its lower end with the Palace of the Grand Master at the top, so it slots naturally between the two.
Palace of the Grand Master
The Knights’ seat of government now houses exhibitions. According to the Greek Ministry of Culture, as of October 2026:
- Summer season (1 April–31 October): open 08:00–20:00.
- Winter season (1 November–31 March): open 08:30–15:30, closed on Tuesdays.
- Ticket: €20 in both seasons. The ministry’s page points to tickets.hh.gr for online sales.
- Free entry: on several dates, including 28 October (a Greek national holiday) and the first Sunday of each month from November to March.
Some exhibitions inside keep shorter hours or close for the winter, so do not count on seeing every room.
Archaeological Museum
The museum is housed in the Great Hospital of the Knights, built in the 15th century on the south side of the Street of the Knights. The Greek Ministry of Culture lists, as of October 2026:
- Summer (1 April–31 October): 08:00–20:00.
- Winter (1 November–31 March): 08:30–15:30, closed on Tuesdays.
- Ticket: €10.
Both museums close on certain public holidays, including 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Mandraki harbour
Mandraki is the old harbour just outside the walls, where tradition places the Colossus of Rhodes. It is an easy waterfront walk to finish the day before you head back to the ferry. Elli beach is also about a 15-minute walk from the Old Town if you would rather swim.
Is Lindos realistic in a day?
Lindos, with its clifftop acropolis and whitewashed village, is about 47 km from Rhodes Town, or around 55 minutes by car or taxi each way, according to the Discover Greece tourism site. Add the return trip to border control and the 16:00 sailing, and you are left with well under two hours in Lindos and no time for the Old Town.
By bus: The Municipality of Rhodes says KTEL Rhodes runs the east-coast buses, including to Lindos, and publishes timetables at ktelrodou.gr. We could not open KTEL’s October 2026 timetable, so check it yourself before you rely on a bus.
By organised Lindos tour: The Lindos coach trips sold in Rhodes Town are built for people staying on the island. The one we checked on GetYourGuide returns at about 16:30–16:50, after the ferry has left.
Our verdict: for most people a same-day Lindos trip from Marmaris is not worth the stress. If Lindos is the point of the trip, stay at least one night. Our where to stay in Rhodes guide compares the Old Town, New Town and Lindos itself.
From Rhodes: Lindos Round-Trip Bus Transfer with Free Time
For an overnight stay only: a coach to Lindos with about five hours of free time. Acropolis entry is an optional extra.
Check price & availabilitySample timeline
This plan uses the mid-October 2026 sailings. Adjust it to the times on your ticket, and remember the time change from 25 October.
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 07:45 | At Marmaris passenger port for check-in, bag screening and Turkish exit control |
| 08:45 | Ferry leaves Marmaris |
| 09:45 | Arrive in Rhodes Town; Greek border control and EES registration |
| 10:30 | Into the Old Town; walk up the Street of the Knights |
| 11:00 | Palace of the Grand Master |
| 12:15 | Archaeological Museum in the Hospital of the Knights |
| 13:15 | Lunch break, then the lanes of the Lower Town |
| 14:15 | Walk out to Mandraki harbour |
| 15:00 | Back at the port for check-in and Greek exit control |
| 16:00 | Ferry leaves Rhodes |
| 17:00 | Arrive in Marmaris |
Entry rules in brief
You leave Turkey, enter the Schengen Area and then return to Turkey, all in one day. The ferry guide covers this in more detail.
- EU citizens: Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, for example, accepts both the German passport and the German ID card for Greece and for Turkey. Citizens of other EU countries should check their own government’s advice, especially whether Turkey accepts their ID card for the return. EES applies only to non-EU nationals.
- UK citizens can visit Greece visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The UK government says your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen Area.
- EES: The EU’s Entry/Exit System became fully operational on 10 April 2026. For non-EU short-stay visitors it records fingerprints, a facial image and the date and place of entry and exit, and it replaces passport stamps. The UK government notes that Greek authorities have indicated they will not take biometrics from UK travellers, and advises following officials on the spot.
- Back into Turkey: UK citizens can visit Turkey visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the UK government says the passport must be valid for at least 150 days after the date you arrive. A same-day return counts as a new arrival. Other nationalities should check whether their Turkish visa allows a second entry, or get a new e-visa from evisa.gov.tr.
- Turkish citizens need a Schengen visa or the Greek islands’ 7-day visa on arrival, which has to be arranged through the ferry company in advance.
Money on the day
Rhodes uses the euro. Bring some euro cash as well as a card: one GetYourGuide package says its €20 port tax is paid in cash at the port, and small purchases are easier with cash. Our guide to money and mobile data on the Greek islands covers cards, cash machines and roaming. If you plan to shop, check the customs allowances for bringing goods back into Turkey.
Organised tour or your own ticket?
Doing it yourself is simple if you are staying in or near Marmaris town. You buy a same-day return from the operator (€60 for an adult, as of October 2026, per Yeşil Marmaris Lines), walk or take a taxi to the port and explore Rhodes on foot. Ask whether port taxes are included in the fare.
A package mainly adds a hotel pickup and drop-off in Marmaris and someone to steer you through the port. None of the listings below includes a guided tour on Rhodes; reviewers say you are on your own once you land. Several exclude pickups from Turunç, Hisarönü and some outlying hotels, so check your hotel is covered. Listings mention a €20 port tax, but they differ on whether it is included or paid at the port, so confirm this before booking.
Organised tours
Marmaris: Rhodes Day Trip by High-Speed Ferry with Transfers
Transfers and return ferry, with the listing also covering port tax and any visa fees; free time on Rhodes without a guide.
Check price & availabilityFrom Marmaris to Rhodes Same-Day Return Tour
Hotel pickup in Marmaris, return ferry and about five hours of free time on Rhodes, with an English-speaking host at the port.
Check price & availabilityFrom Marmaris: Roundtrip Ferry to Rhodes with Hotel Transfer
Return ferry with pickups from hotels in Armutalan and İçmeler; the listing says the port tax is paid at the port.
Check price & availabilityPlanning the Marmaris end of the trip? See our Marmaris travel guide and where to stay in Marmaris. Coming the other way from Rhodes? Read Rhodes to Marmaris day trip.
FAQ
How long do you get on Rhodes on a day trip from Marmaris?
About six hours between arrival and the return sailing on the mid-October 2026 timetable, of which roughly four and a half to five hours are free for sightseeing after border checks.
Can I see Lindos on a day trip from Marmaris?
Only in a rush. Lindos is about 47 km from Rhodes Town, roughly 55 minutes each way by car, and Lindos coach tours from Rhodes Town return after the 16:00 ferry has left. Stay a night if Lindos is a priority.
Is the Palace of the Grand Master open in late October?
Yes. The Greek Ministry of Culture lists summer hours of 08:00–20:00 until 31 October, and entry is free on 28 October. From 1 November it opens 08:30–15:30 and closes on Tuesdays (as of October 2026).
Do I need a guide on Rhodes?
No. The Old Town, the museums and Mandraki are all walkable from the ferry, and the GetYourGuide packages for this trip give you free time rather than a guided tour.
Do I need euros?
Yes, Rhodes uses the euro. Bring some cash for small purchases and, depending on your booking, the port tax.
Is the tour cheaper than buying my own ferry ticket?
Not necessarily. The operator’s same-day return is €60 (as of October 2026). Packages add hotel transfers, so they suit people staying outside walking distance of the port.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- Yeşil Marmaris Lines – Marmaris–Rhodes ferry ticket and booking widget (accessed Oct 2026)
- Yeşil Marmaris Lines – Ferry timetable (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryhopper – Day trips from Marmaris (accessed Oct 2026)
- UNESCO – Medieval City of Rhodes (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greek Ministry of Culture – Palace of the Grand Master (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greek Ministry of Culture – Archaeological Museum of Rhodes (accessed Oct 2026)
- Discover Greece – Rhodes (accessed Oct 2026)
- Discover Greece – Lindos (accessed Oct 2026)
- Municipality of Rhodes – Rhodes Public Transport (accessed Oct 2026)
- timeanddate.com – Daylight saving time in Greece 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
- timeanddate.com – Time changes in Turkey (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission – Entry/Exit System (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK – Greece entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK – Turkey entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt – Greece travel advice (German) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt – Turkey travel advice (German) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Republic of Türkiye e-Visa (accessed Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide – From Marmaris to Rhodes Same-Day Return Tour (accessed Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide – From Marmaris: Roundtrip Ferry to Rhodes with Hotel Transfer (accessed Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide – From Rhodes: Lindos Round-Trip Bus Transfer with Free Time (accessed Oct 2026)
