Marrying in Rhodes
Rhodes is defined by its medieval heritage. The walled city, built by the Knights of St John in the 14th and 15th centuries and extended under Ottoman rule, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and still lived in. Inside are the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master and the harbour where the Colossus once stood. The island is larger than Mykonos and Santorini combined, with pine-covered hills and clear water.
Two settings dominate wedding planning. The walled city at the northern tip gives a medieval backdrop, and a few private properties inside the walls can be hired exclusively. Lindos, on the east coast, is a whitewashed village beneath a classical acropolis, above two bays.
The case for Rhodes is access and variety. Direct flights serve it from most UK airports, and the island is large enough for areas of very different character.
The seasons
- Best
- Shoulder
- Peak
- Quieter
5 Star view Our reading of the wedding year, from the months below.
- Best months
- May to June and September to October
- Shoulder season
- April and November
- Peak season
- July and August
The island has a long sun season, with more than 300 days of sun a year. May and June suit the landscape, with the water clearing after winter and visitor numbers below the July peak. September is the month planners choose most often: fewer visitors, a weaker Meltemi and good Aegean light. July and August are the peak, and the northerly Meltemi becomes a real consideration for outdoor coastal events.
Daylight and sunset
The bar runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of each month. A ceremony is usually timed an hour or two before the sunset shown.
Calculated From the coordinates of Rhodes, local time, for 2027.
Ramadan and Eid
For couples and guests who observe them, the dates to plan a wedding around.
| Year | Ramadan | Eid al-Fitr | Eid al-Adha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 8 Feb to 8 Mar | 9 Mar | 16 May |
| 2028 | 28 Jan to 25 Feb | 26 Feb | 5 May |
Calculated From the Umm al-Qura calendar. The observed dates follow the sighting of the moon and can fall a day either side.
The areas of Rhodes
Rhodes Old Town
The walled medieval city, with harbour walls built by the Knights of St John between 1309 and 1522. A few private properties inside the walls and along the moat can be hired exclusively. It is pedestrian only, so logistics need specialist planning.
Lindos
A whitewashed hillside village on the east coast, built below a 4th-century BC acropolis. Converted captain's houses make up the main stock of exclusive-hire properties.
West coast and Ialyssos
The more accessible coast, with resort hotels around Ialyssos and Trianda. The land is flatter than around Lindos, and the hotel market sits here, which suits larger weddings.
Interior and the southern villages
Pine-covered hills and the villages of Embonas and Monolithos, with local wine, Byzantine churches and a character far from the coastal strip. Planners use it less often.
What venues are like
Lindos captain's house
The defining Lindos format. Sea captains of the 17th and 18th centuries built these whitewashed houses around courtyards floored with black and white pebble mosaic, called choklakia. Several now work as boutique hotels and event venues.
Medieval Old Town property
Private residences, converted merchant houses and some spaces in the Knights' Quarter. Rarely used for weddings, they need specialist local planning and permits for events inside the historic walls.
Coastal villa or hotel
Hotels and villas on the west coast and on the east coast approach to Lindos, offering resort infrastructure in a Rhodian setting. The east coast villas usually have sea views toward Turkey.
Airports and transfers
- Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) The year-round hub, with frequent domestic flights on to Rhodes.
- Thessaloniki Macedonia (SKG)
- Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis (HER)
- Chania Ioannis Daskalogiannis (CHQ)
- Santorini Thira (JTR)
- Mykonos (JMK)
- Rhodes Diagoras (RHO) Direct routes from the major UK airports from April to October.
- Corfu Ioannis Kapodistrias (CFU)
- Zakynthos Dionysios Solomos (ZTH)
Rhodes Airport has direct flights from most UK airports from April to October, and year-round access runs through Athens. Lindos is a longer drive than most venues.
Marrying legally in Greece
Foreign couples marry in a civil ceremony at a Greek municipality. Residents abroad send the municipality a marriage licence or certificate of no impediment from their own country, with birth certificates and passport copies, apostilled and translated into Greek, and the municipality then fixes the date and time of the ceremony.
- 1Two months before, as a planning guide
Send the documents to the municipality
Choose the municipality where the ceremony will be held and send it, in person or by email, the licence or certificate of no impediment issued in your own country (naming both spouses and its period of validity), a recent birth certificate, a family status certificate where your country issues one, and a passport copy. Foreign documents must be originals, carry the Hague Apostille (or consular certification for other countries) and be translated into Greek by an accepted translator.
- 2Once the file is checked
Fix the date and licence
The municipality checks and signs the file and agrees the date and time of the ceremony with you. Under the national procedure the licence is granted by the mayor once a one-week objection period has passed without objection, and it is valid for 6 months.
- 3The day
The civil ceremony
Held by the municipality. The marriage is then registered with the Greek civil registry.
- Residency
- not required for the civil ceremony at a municipality that accepts non-residents
- Home-country paper
- licence or certificate of no impediment naming both spouses
- Documents
- apostilled, originals, translated into Greek
- Objection period
- 1 week
- Licence validity
- 6 months
Already married at home?5 Star view
Many couples complete the legal or religious marriage in their own country and hold the celebration here. A ceremony with no legal effect needs none of the steps above: the venue and the planner arrange it.
Who needs a visa
Travelling from the United States
American citizens visit Greece without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under Schengen rules. The European Union's ETIAS travel authorisation will be required of visa-exempt visitors, Americans included, once it is operating; it is not yet operating and no start date has been announced.
Travelling from the United Kingdom
British passport holders visit Greece without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen area. The passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. The European Union's Entry/Exit System registers fingerprints and a photograph at the border on a first visit.
Other nationalities
EU and EEA nationals need no visa. Other nationalities check with the Greek embassy or consulate in their country.
Reference National Registry of Administrative Public Services (en.mitos.gov.gr): issue of a marriage licence for foreign residents in Greece, read 2026-10-21. Municipality of Chania civil marriages office: documents for foreigners residing abroad (September 2023), read 2026-10-21. gov.uk: Greece entry requirements, read 2026-10-21. Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu), read 2026-10-21. Checked 21 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the authority that will marry you before you book.
Accommodation
There are two zones: the Old Town, for medieval streets at the door, and the resort coast either side of Rhodes Town, for sea views and beach access.
At the table
Rhodian cooking sits at the crossroads of Greek, Turkish and Italian traditions, with fresh seafood, grilled meat and simple vegetable dishes.
Grilled octopus
Sun-dried, then charcoal-grilled until tender and lightly charred, and served at almost every waterfront taverna.
Fresh swordfish
Thick steaks grilled with lemon, olive oil and herbs are a staple of the better fish restaurants. In Lindos bay the catch of the day sets the menu.
Pitaroudia
Chickpea fritters with cumin, onion and herbs, crisp outside and soft within, reflecting the island's eastern Mediterranean links.
Lindian cuisine
Rooftop and terrace restaurants serve local cheeses, grilled fish and honey pastries, and several look toward the acropolis.
What planners tell couples
Getting there
Direct flights serve Rhodes from several UK airports between April and October. The airport lies south-west of Rhodes Town.
High season heat
July and August regularly reach 35C to 38C with very little rain, so outdoor ceremonies belong in the late afternoon or early evening. September is warm and more manageable.
Lindos access
Vehicles are not allowed inside the village, so guests park below and walk up, or ride the donkeys on the main path. This matters for elderly guests and anyone with mobility needs.
UNESCO Old Town
The Old Town can be explored on foot in a day and works as a setting for photographs after the ceremony.
