Marina· Rhodes· Greece — Dodecanese, Sporades & North Aegean

Mandraki Harbour (Rhodes)

36° 27.0′ N · 28° 13.6′ E

The ancient harbour of Rhodes town, entered between two columns topped by a bronze stag and doe where the Colossus is said to have stood, with three medieval windmills on the east mole and St Nicholas Fortress at its tip. You lie stern-to a few minutes' walk from the walls of the UNESCO-listed Old Town.

Dodecanese

Practical

Officially 'Rhodes Mandraki Marina' (rodosmarina.com): VHF 9, tel +30 2241 037927; harbour master Georgios +30 693 679 5114 (WhatsApp) per Sailing Issues and Grecosailor. Mandraki Harbour Office (port police) is on VHF 12. Book more than 48 hours ahead, by WhatsApp, info@rodosmarina.com or a local agency: Bluebonnet Maritime (VHF 77, callsign 'Maritime'), Roditis (+30 697 444 7720), A1 Yachting (VHF 73, also does repairs) or Navigo (VHF 6 per Sailing Issues; ask for the fee confirmed in writing by text message). Mandraki is overcrowded in season. Charter fleets hold the berths near the three windmills and monopolise them Friday to Monday, so visit mid-week or use Rhodes Marina. Visitors usually get the NE corner, stern-to or bows-to where directed; more berths now have laid moorings. A heavy mooring chain runs parallel to the quay about 30 m off in about 20 m of water, and fouled anchors are routine. Drop as far out as possible, use a trip line and lay out all your chain, or you may need a diver. Holding is excellent. The town quay is reserved for local ferries and hydrofoils. The west-side T-pontoon has been gone for several seasons (still shown on some chartplotters). Approach: rocks and shallow water lie on the north side of the entrance. Mind the Kolona shoal, a half-disintegrated man-made mole, when approaching. At night, town lights behind the entrance make the harbour lights hard to read. Avoid entering or leaving in a strong SE wind, which sets up swell at the entrance. Water and 220 V power on the quay. Fuel comes by tanker truck to the quay. Toilets and hot showers by the office, about 5 minutes' walk; mySea rates them 'modest'. Two round mini-supermarkets on the east mole, open 7 days, 7:30 am to 9 pm in summer, deliver to boats. The Old Town is a 7-minute walk, the bus terminal for Lindos and the villages about 300 m, with a 24-hour taxi rank across the road. Noonsite reported €40 a night in 2016; verify locally.

Best for

Lying under the Old Town walls; crew changes and provisioning

Season

Year-round; crowded and charter-dominated Friday–Monday in summer; avoid entering in strong SE winds

Nearby