The Best Scenic Drives in Rhodes for a Convertible

Skip the fast inland stretch and stay on the coast road through Faliraki, Afandou, Kolymbia and Charaki. It is the classic Rhodes drive: sea on your left almost the entire way, and a string of places worth pulling over for.

Charaki, about 12 km before Lindos, is the stop most people miss — a small seafront with tavernas and a ruined castle above it. Arrive in Lindos before 10:00 or after 17:00 if you want a realistic chance at the car parks above the village. Do not attempt to drive into Lindos itself; the village is pedestrian.

Short, and the best introduction to open-top driving here if you have just landed. The road hugs the coast past the restored 1920s Kallithea thermal springs and drops down to Anthony Quinn Bay, a rocky cove with clear water.

It works well as a late-afternoon run: the light on this stretch after about 17:00 is the reason people photograph these roads.

Inland and upward, through pine forest to the slopes of Profitis Ilias, then across to Embonas at the foot of Mount Attavyros — the island's wine village. The temperature drops noticeably as you climb, which in July and August is a relief rather than a problem.

This is the route where a convertible's roof gets used both ways: down through the forest, up on the exposed sections where the wind picks up. Fuel up before you leave the coast — stations inland are sparse.

The long one. Past Lindos the island empties out; from Gennadi south the road runs through scrub and open coast with very little development, ending at Prasonisi where the Aegean and the Mediterranean meet across a sand spit.

It is a full day, not a morning. Take water, and be honest about whether your car suits it — a comfortable automatic like the Audi A3 Cabrio or the Opel Cascada makes this far more pleasant than a small, firm-riding cabrio.

The windward side of the island, less developed and considerably breezier. The ancient site of Kamiros is the destination, but the drive itself — long, open, sea-facing bends — is the reason to go.

Because it is the windy coast, this route is better with a higher-sided car. The T-Roc Cabrio handles the crosswinds more comfortably than the smaller cabrios.

Sun is the real consideration, not temperature. Between roughly 12:00 and 16:00 in high summer, most people drive with the roof up and the air conditioning on. Early morning and the two hours before sunset are when a convertible earns its keep.

Rhodes roads are generally good, but village lanes narrow quickly and surfaces deteriorate inland. Park in official car parks rather than on verges, and never leave anything visible in a soft-top.