[Greece Free Travel Day1] Crossing the Aegean Sea, Setting Foot on Rhodes' Knights' Road

Trip Overview Today marks our departure from Turkey to Greece. We set out early by boat from Marmaris, heading toward Rhodes, a historic city in the Aegean Sea. Though the travel logistics were complicated, after successfully arriving, we strolled through Knights Street, visited the Grand Palace, and in the evening enjoyed a beautiful sunset by the sea and a relaxing night at the bar, officially beginning our Greek adventure! 📍Today's Route: Marmaris Dock → Rhodes Port → Hotel → Knights Street, Grand Palace → Rocky Beach Sunset and Bar Drinks Overseas transfer: Departing early morning for Rhodes On transit days it's usually hard to sleep soundly. When I woke up at five in the morning, Mom was already up too, deciding to read a novel to stay awake, while I tried hard to squeeze in a bit more sleep. We got up to wash up at six — this hotel was the only one on the entire Turkey trip that didn't serve breakfast (though we had to leave by seven anyway, so we wouldn't have had time to eat it). Meeting time was 6:50, and all the group members arrived on time and brought their luggage downstairs. One of the perks of traveling with elders is punctuality — this time, I was actually the last one to arrive 😝. The pre-booked taxi arrived right on time, and it fit our group of four perfectly, with the agreed price being 250 lira. After arriving at Marmaris Pier, we were among the first to get there, but within a few minutes more travelers began arriving one after another. The overall process was more complicated than expected: At the ferry company's counter, passports are checked ➤ paper tickets are issued Baggage security check (fairly relaxed, water bottles allowed) Customs clearance ➤ present passport and ticket, then pass through customs Once the procedures were done, we still had a bit of time to browse the small duty-free shop before boarding.This time we specifically chose a cabin in the middle of the ship to avoid seasickness. The voyage was overall quite smooth, with only some sections of the sea being slightly bumpy.

▲ Entering the inspection checkpoint before Marmaris Pier

▲ Departure from Marmaris Port: Officially bidding farewell to Turkey, heading toward Greece in the Aegean Sea

▲ Onboard Scenery Arriving in Rhodes: A Transportation Hiccup and Check-in Entering Rhodes required going through customs and passport control once again. It was only then that we discovered the disembarkation point was different from where we had estimated it would be — walking to the hotel would take nearly 30 minutes, which was really inconvenient with our luggage in tow. We negotiated with a taxi driver on the spot, and the 10-minute ride cost 40 euros. It was pricey, but fast and hassle-free. After arriving at the hotel, there was another tedious process: We had to fill out detailed personal information (as required by the Greek government) We had to pay an additional accommodation tax of 10 euros per room per night We arrived in Rhodes at around 10 o'clock, and it wasn't until noon at 12 that we finally managed to check in.

▲ MITSIS Group Hotel Old Town of Rhodes: Historical Relics and Medieval Atmosphere After a short rest and lunch, we will walk to Rhodes' most famous old town, heading toward the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights. As we make our way along the coast, the crystal-clear water is truly stunning. The stone pillars we pass along the way are said to be the site of the ancient world's Seven Wonders — the "Colossus of Rhodes" — of which only the base and commemorative columns remain today.

▲ The Azure Aegean Sea

▲ Statue of the Sun God Memorial Column 📍 Palace of the Grand Master: Admission: 20 euros (no audio guide available inside at the moment) 1st Floor: Excavated artifacts from the museum, including pottery, mosaics, statues, and more, divided into 5-6 themed exhibition areas such as the life of the Knights, daily items, and instruments of war

2nd Floor: The living spaces and official chambers have been recreated, featuring a video that introduces the history and mission of the Knights, along with their construction efforts in Rhodes Island.

The palace retains a complete medieval square courtyard layout, with an open central courtyard surrounded by colonnades and vaulted ceilings. The floor is adorned with extensive Roman-style mosaic tiling, making it one of the most exquisite visual highlights of the palace.

Although the number of exhibits isn't huge, the overall atmosphere is deeply evocative of the era — the building itself is a spectacular exhibit. 📍 Street of the Knights: Free to visit, with the coats of arms of various nations' knights visible on the building facades. Each building has a slightly different architectural style, reflecting the building cultures of different countries — a paradise for history lovers.

▲ Knight's Street is full of medieval European charm

▲ The exterior of the Great Bastion Palace is also great for photos. Sunset on the Stone Beach and Rhodes Nightlife After leaving the Great Bastion Palace, we walked back along the coastline to the hotel for a short rest, then headed out again after seven o'clock to the beach behind the hotel. This beach is a stone beach, so if you're not wearing sandals, you basically get a "free foot massage." Around eight o'clock, the sun set, casting golden light over the sea and the stones — a peaceful, romantic scene. After dinner, we picked a bar by the sea. The atmosphere there wasn't as lively as in Marmaris, but the performance and setting were both very pleasant. At this time, Rhodes hadn't yet entered the peak tourist season, so overall it was still quite tranquil.

▲ Rocky Beach Sunset Scenery

▲ A corner of the bar at night Trip Summary and Tomorrow's Outlook Although the cross-border transfer and entry procedures on Day 1 were a bit tedious, Rhodes's coastal scenery and the charm of the old town have already made us fall in love with this small island. Tomorrow we'll have a full day to explore Rhodes in depth, and then take a domestic flight to Greece's capital — Athens, beginning the final chapter of our cultural journey. 📌 Full Record of Our Turkey & Greece Independent Trip Turkey Chapter Day 1-2: First Impressions of Istanbul | Day 3: Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar Day 4: Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Spectacle | Day 5: Green Line Underground City Adventure Day 6: Sky Mirror and Konya Whirling Dervish | Day 7: Antalya Theater and Ancient Town Day 8: Salda Lake and Golden Cotton Castle | Day 9: Marmaris Holiday Greece Section Day 1: Rhodes Knights' Path | Day 2: Morning Swim in the Aegean Sea and Old Town Tour Day 3: Delphi and Monastery Day Trip | Day 4: Athens Acropolis Classic Route Day 5: Flea Market and Acropolis Museum | Day 6: Attica Shopping Center and Archaeological Museum