[Greece Solo Trip Day 1] Crossing the Aegean Sea, Setting Foot on the Knights' Road of Rhodes

Itinerary Overview Today is the day we transition from Turkey to Greece. Early in the morning, we boarded a ferry from Marmaris, heading to Rhodes, the historic city on the Aegean Sea. Although the transportation process was complicated, we made it there successfully, and strolled along the Street of the Knights, visited the Palace of the Grand Master, and in the evening enjoyed a beautiful sunset by the sea along with a relaxing night at the bar, officially kicking off our Greek journey! 📍Today's route: Marmaris Pier → Rhodes Port → Hotel → Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Master → Sunset at the pebble beach and drinks at the bar Crossing the Sea: Setting Off for Rhodes at Dawn On transfer days it's usually hard to sleep soundly. When I woke up at five in the morning, Mom was already up too, and had decided to read a novel to stay awake, while I tried hard to squeeze in a bit more sleep. I got up and washed up at six — this hotel was the only one on the entire Turkey trip that didn't offer breakfast (though we were leaving at seven anyway, so we wouldn't have had time to eat it either). The meeting time was 6:50, and all the group members arrived on time and came downstairs with their luggage. One of the perks of traveling with elders is their punctuality — that day, ironically, I was the last one to arrive 😝. The reserved taxi arrived on time, and one car was just right for four people, at a pre-agreed price of 250 lira. After arriving at Marmaris pier, we were among the first, but travelers kept arriving one after another within minutes. The overall process was more complicated than expected: Boat company counter checks passport ➤ paper ticket Luggage security check (fairly relaxed, water is allowed) Immigration ➤ present passport and ticket, then pass through customs After finishing the procedures, we still had time to browse a small duty-free shop before boarding.This time we specifically chose a spot in the middle of the ship to avoid seasickness, and overall the voyage was quite stable, with only some sea sections being slightly bumpy.

▲ Entering the checkpoint before Marmaris Pier

▲ Departure photo from Marmaris pier: officially bidding farewell to Turkey, heading to Greece across the Aegean Sea

▲ Scenery on Board Arrival in Rhodes: Transportation Hiccup and Check-in Entering Rhodes required going through immigration and passport control again. It was only then that we discovered the disembarkation point was different from where we had originally estimated—walking to the hotel with luggage would have taken nearly 30 minutes, which was simply inconvenient. We negotiated with a taxi driver on the spot, and a 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 Greek government regulations) We also had to pay an additional accommodation tax of 10 euros per room per night We arrived in Rhodes around 10 a.m., but didn't manage to check in successfully until noon.

▲ MITSIS Group Hotels Rhodes Old Town: Historic Ruins 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 walk along the coast, the crystal-clear water is truly stunning. The stone pillars we pass along the way are said to be the remains of the ancient Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — today only the base and a commemorative column remain.

▲ The Deep Blue Aegean Sea

▲ Sun God Statue Memorial Column 📍 Palace of the Grand Master: Admission: 20 euros (no audio guide available inside at the moment) 1st floor: Artifacts excavated by the museum, including pottery, mosaics, statues, etc., divided into 5-6 themed exhibition areas, such as the life of the Knights, daily necessities, war equipment, and more

2nd Floor: Recreates living spaces and official chambers, with a video introducing the Knights Order's history, missions, and their construction on Rhodes Island

The palace retains its complete medieval quadrangular layout, with an open central courtyard surrounded by cloisters and domed ceilings. The floor features an extensive mosaic of ancient Roman-style patterns, 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, and the building itself is a spectacular exhibit in its own right 📍 Street of the Knights: Free to visit — the coats of arms of knights from various nations can be seen on the building facades Each building has a slightly different architectural style, reflecting the building cultures of different countries, making it a paradise for history lovers

▲ Knights Street is full of medieval European charm

▲ 大碉堡宮外觀本身也是很好拍 石灘夕陽與羅德島夜生活 離開大碉堡宮後我們再沿著海岸線回到飯店稍作休息，七點多再次出門前往飯店後方的海灘。這裡屬於石灘，若沒穿拖鞋可謂「免費腳底按摩」。 八點左右夕陽西下，金光灑在海面與石頭上，是個寧靜浪漫的畫面。 晚餐後我們挑選了一間海邊的酒吧，現場氣氛雖不如馬爾馬里斯熱鬧，但表演與環境都很舒適。此時羅德島尚未進入觀光旺季，整體還算清幽。

▲ Sunset scenery at the pebble beach

▲ 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, the coastal scenery and old town charm of Rhodes have already made us fall in love with this little island. Tomorrow we'll have the whole day to explore Rhodes in depth, and then take a domestic flight to Greece's capital — Athens, to begin the final leg 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: The Wonder of Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons | Day 5: Exploring the Underground City of the Green Line Day 6: Salt Lake Mirror and Konya Whirling Dervishes | Day 7: Antalya Theater and Old Town Day 8: Lake Salda and the Golden Glow of Pamukkale | Day 9: Marmaris Resort Day Greece Chapter Day 1: Rhodes Knights' Street | Day 2: Morning Swim in the Aegean Sea and Old Town Tour Day 3: Delphi and Monastery Day Trip | Day 4: Classic Athens Acropolis Route Day 5: Flea Market and Acropolis Museum | Day 6: Attica Department Store and Archaeological Museum