Pefkos holidays

How to reach Pefkos

• Flight time: Flights to Rhodes from London and other major UK cities take approximately 4 hours.

• Transfer time: Rhodes International Airport is within a 1-hour drive of Pefkos.

• Price: A taxi from the airport to Pefkos will cost around €70–€80.

Weather and best time to visit Pefkos

The best time for holidays to Pefkos depends on what you want from your holiday.

• April to June see Pefkos heat up, with average temperatures ranging from 18 to 25°C. April and May experience some showers, but June tends to be a dry month. All in all, these are good months for outdoor activities.

• July and August are the peak summer months. The resort will be lively, but it won’t get mad busy. With temperatures hovering around 29°C, next to no rainfall, up to 12 hours of daily sunshine and balmy sea temperatures, these months are perfect for beach holidays. Pefkos is a bar scene rather than a nightclub sort of place, but Lindos is only a short taxi ride away if you want something more energetic.

• September to November sees fewer tourists and offers a more relaxed atmosphere. These are cooler months, with temperatures dropping from around 27°C in September to around 19°C by November. With sea temperatures in the low 20s, it will still be warm enough to swim, but expect rainfall to pick up in October, and you’ll want to pack an umbrella if you're on holiday in November.

• December to March are the quietest months to visit. There’s a high chance of rain during the winter months, 12 rainy days per month on average, though it does start to let up in March. Temperatures drop from 15°C in December to around 13°C for January and February, climbing to 16°C with the arrival of spring.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Greek is the official language, but English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

• Currency: Greece is in the eurozone.

• Getting around: Pefkos is served by KTEL Rodou buses. One-way bus tickets cost between €2 and €6. Travelling by taxi is more expensive; as a guide, a taxi to Lindos will cost around €10, Vlicha €15 and Rhodes €70. There are a handful of car rental companies in Pefkos if you prefer to have your own wheels.

• Electricity and plug types: The standard voltage is 230V 50 Hz. Plugs are two-pin Type C and F.

• Time zone: Greece operates on Eastern European Time, 2 hours ahead of GMT (3 hours ahead during Daylight Saving Time).

• Required travel documentation: UK citizens need a valid passport (issued less than 10 years before the entry date and valid for at least 3 months after the departure date) but don’t need a visa for stays up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period.

Local dishes in Pefkos

One of the pleasures of holidays to Pefkos is exploring the local food scene – everything from seafood and spiced meat dishes to honeyed desserts and syrupy liqueurs.

Some typical dishes

• Lacana: Named for the clay pot in which it is cooked, this slow-cooked cinnamon-and-cumin-spiced goat dish hails from nearby Lindos.

• Karavoli Giachnistoi: One for adventurous eaters, snails cooked with tomatoes, onions and cumin.

Meze dishes

• Pitaroudia: A Rhodian must-try, these fluffy fritters are made with chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, mint and cumin.

• Kamilakia: Blanched cyclamen leaves stuffed with rice served with Avgolemono (a kind of lemon-egg broth).

Meat dishes

• Katsiki Stifado: This rich stew is made with goat, onions, tomatoes and red wine, seasoned with cinnamon and cloves.

• Ornitha Me Loukoumi: Boiled chicken with rice and liver stuffing paired with local pasta.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Kalamari: Crispy fried squid finished with oregano and a squeeze of lemon.

• Rouzetia Me Skordalia: Fried sandfish with a garlicky potato dip.

Street food

• Gyros: A popular Greek fast food, gyros are made with meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served in pitta with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki.

• Souvlaki: Bite-size skewered grilled pork, chicken, lamb or beef. These typically come with pitta bread, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki.

Sweets and desserts

• Baklava: Layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey or syrup.

• Melekouni: These pressed sesame seed and thyme honey snack bars are often flavoured with orange zest and almonds.

Local drinks

• Souma: Made from grape marc and wine, Rhodian Souma is best drunk cold and watered down.

• Koriandolino: This sweet coriander-flavoured liqueur is famous for the sugar-coated coriander branch placed inside each bottle.

Best things to do in Pefkos

Holidays to Pefkos have something for all kinds of holidaymakers, whether you’re the outdoorsy type or want nothing more than an eat-sleep-swim-sun getaway.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Profitis Ilias Church: Located on the outskirts of the town, 260-odd steps up, this 12th-century church is worth a look-see in its own right, but the main draw is the phenomenal views over Pefkos and out to sea.

• Fokia Bay: With its rocky foreshore, crystal-clear waters and intriguing circular holes, this secluded bay is incredibly picturesque.

The best districts

• Pefkos Town: Nestled in piney foothills, the resort has a chilled-out vibe, plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants, and a string of golden sand beaches on its doorstep.

• Lindos: Just a stone’s throw away from Pefkos, Lindos is famous for its whitewashed houses, winding streets and stunning clifftop acropolis.

Parks and gardens

• Katafigio Agrias Zois Xortis: This verdant nature reserve is within easy striking distance of Pefkos and is edged by the ruins of the Byzantine Castle Lardos.

Museums

• Folklore of Museum of Lardos: Located in neighbouring Lardos, this small heritage museum has an eclectic collection, everything and anything from agricultural paraphernalia to World War II memorabilia.

Historical monuments

• Acropolis of Lindos: Hidden behind Knights of St John–era battlements in nearby Lindos lies the most impressive ancient Greek site in Rhodes. It's a reasonably strenuous trek to reach the site, but the Temple to Athena Lindia and the views more than reward the climb.

Day trips in the area

• Rhodes: Under 1 hour’s drive up the coast from Pefkos, between its UNESCO-listed Old Town and bustling beaches, bars and cafés in the New Town, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in the island’s capital. Highlights include the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes and the Street of the Knights.

• Prasonisi: This unique spot at the southern tip of Rhodes is famous for its sandy beach that splits the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. It’s a haven for windsurfers and kitesurfers.

Activities for families in Pefkos

Families will find loads of things to do on Pefkos holidays, from lazy beach days to seafaring adventures or even friendly competition on the local golf course.

• Family-friendly beaches: With fine golden sand, crystal clear shallow water (up to 20m from shore), a water sports section, plenty of on-site facilities – changing cubicles, sunlounger and parasol rentals, a boat hire kiosk – and restaurants, cafés and shops nearby, Lee Beach is ideal for families.

• Boat tours: Explore the underwater world without getting wet with a glass-bottom boat trip. Tours run from the jetty on Lee Beach.

• Mini-golf: Hellas Mini Golf, 5km away on the outskirts of Lardos Village, guarantees family fun.

Free things to do in Pefkos

Whether you're spending a day at the beach, catching a festival, exploring the local area, or busing further afield, a tight holiday budget doesn’t have to cramp your plans.

• Annual festivals and free events: Throughout the year, various cultural festivals and events are staged in Pefkos and near neighbours Lindos and Lardos. One date for the diary is 19 July; traditional music, dancing, barbecue and drinks are the order of the day to celebrate Profitis Ilias’ name day.

• Beaches: Spend the day at one of Pefkos’ beaches. Sunlounger and umbrella rentals tend to be pretty pricey (around €25 for two beds and a parasol on Lee Beach, for instance), so you’ll have to forego creature comforts and slum it with a towel to keep costs down.

• Explore Pefkos and its environs by public transport: Buses can be picked up on the main Pefkos road. A one-way ticket to Lindos or Lardos costs €2, €5 for Prasonisi and €6 for Rhodes. A free shuttle runs to the WaterPark in Athanaton.

Nature and outdoor activities

• Hiking: The area around Pefkos offers decent hiking opportunities, with trails running through pine groves, mountains and along the coast. For something a bit special, Hiking Rhodes offers a 3-hour 8km hike from the resort to Navarone Bay to watch the sunrise.

• Snorkelling and scuba diving: The best stretch for snorkelling is between St Thomas and Plakia beaches and towards the end of Lee Beach. Fokia Bay is the best spot for diving in the immediate area. Waterhoopers offers snorkelling and diving courses and packages.

• Cycling: Clock up the kilometres on a coastal cycle south to Prassonisi or north to Rhodes. Get Active Rhodes rents road, gravel and mountain bikes and delivers island-wide.

• Fishing: There are plenty of spots to cast a line along the shore, but you can also rent a fishing boat with rods and bait from the Waterfun kiosk on Lee Beach.