Rhodes is not very large, it is about 78 kilometers, and the width is about 40 (and this is in the widest place), so many tourists have a thought - not to take a car for rent and whether the whole island is right?
In my article, I will try as much as possible to tell about the features of the car rental on Rhodes, as well as share your experience.
Should I take a car for rent?
My opinion is yes, worth it :) Organized excursions are very tedious, they are waiting for the crowds of the people and a tough schedule. In addition, on excursions, a list of those attractions that you will see cannot be made on excursions.Taking a car for rent, you get complete freedom of action - you can stop at your own accord and go where the soul wishes.
What you need to take a car for rent?
First, you need driver's license - The most common Russian, no one asks international international. Secondly, you should be not less than 20 years, and experience of your driving should exceed the year . Thirdly, you, of course, are needed Money for rent cars . Where we rented a car, there was no pledge. Perhaps somewhere he is, but on the island absolutely exactly there is a lot of offices, where you will not be asked for any pledge (which is very pleased).
Features of movement and parking
In any country, there are our own rules for which motor vehicles are moving and parking.Movement in Rhodes is right-sided, as in Russia. Marking and signs are the same - the main road, yield the road, stop.
Parking is both paid and free. Most of all paid parking in the capital - the city of Rhodes. Honestly, I would advise you to visit there only to those who are 100 sure in your driver's skills - the streets are very narrow, and the parking lots are often negligible - but if you are accustomed to parking in difficult conditions, it may not seem to you So terrible.
You can park on blue and white lines. Parking on white lines free, on blue paid. If you have gotten on the blue lines, then you need to find a parking machine (parking machine), pay parking and put a receipt for the glass so that it can be seen. Otherwise, you are waiting for a fine.
It is impossible to park on yellow lines, from there you are evacuated.
All over the island parking is mostly free, but nevertheless, it is worth being attentive.
Another small difference from Russia - the headlights of the day do not need to include (as we were told in the car rolling office - it is not even recommended). Include them only after sunset.
Speed limit - within the city of 50 kilometers per hour, the convergence - 80. There are cameras that remove violators.
In general, the rules are rather standard, there is nothing difficult in them.
Features of the ride of local residents
Unfortunately, the locals ride, neglecting some rules. In particular, they constantly intersect the double solid line (although a large fine is relying for it), and also embedded in small intervals between the machines, simply speaking, can be a little bit. Also, a lot of motorcyclists travel around the Rhodes, some of which we do not wear a helmet. They also need to be careful.
Despite all of the foregoing, there is no special rudeness on the roads - no one will specifically scare you or create an unpleasant situation, quite often they pass on the roads.
Machines for rent.
For rent mainly, small cars are offered - first, they are more economical, secondly, they are more convenient to ride narrow roads. The smallest cars that you can rent are Citroen C1, Daewoo Matiz and similar small trays. The smallest machines are offered on a manual transmission. The price for the day of the rental of such baby - on average from 45 to 50 euros. If you take a car for a few days, you can give a small discount. The automatic transmission is provided only in slightly large machines - like, for example, in Nissan Micra, which we rented. We took the car for two days, it cost us at 130 euros. In the amount, insurance was included.
The largest cars that were offered for rent are various medium-sized audio and small jeeps such as Suzuki Jimny.
In the car rolling office, where we took the car, the navigator did not give us, explaining that there are few roads on the island, everywhere there are signs and it is simply not needed. In general, they almost did not surfacing against the truth - the main roads are not so much, the pointers are mainly there (although in some places we still were mistaken, because the pointer, for example, was hidden behind the lush bush).
Where to go
We lived four kilometers from the city of Rhodes, that is, in the north of the island. On the first day we went on the east coast, on the other day in Western.
On the east coast, we stopped on the beaches we heard about - first on the beach in Ladico, then at the Tambique, then on the beach Gennadi. It was quite curious to buy in different places and look at different landscapes - if the beach is Ladyko - this is a small cozy bay, then the beach of Gennadi is the longest coastline.
Then we drove into the tavern and went to the city of Lindos, the car was left on the top free parking and inspected the city.
On the second day we went along the west coast, stopped on a pair of the beaches, looked at Monolithos Castles and Krynia - did not go, because they saw only ruins and drove to Prasonisi - the most southern point of the island, where two seas are Mediterranean and Aegean.
There we were bought and then slowly drove back. On the way back, they still drove into Fileurimos, the benefit was completely close to our hotel.
Driving a car on Rhodes is not so difficult, the main thing is to be attentive and look at the pointers. In the south of the western coast, there are practically no hotels, and there are few cars, so lead it there is a solid pleasure - you just go on an empty road. On the east coast, the movement is more active, there are more cars there.