Mandraki Harbour is the old, historic harbour of Rhodes town, set on the north-eastern side of the city just outside the medieval Old Town walls, where excursion boats, fishing vessels and pleasure craft moor beneath a waterfront of windmills, a fortified lighthouse and grand public buildings. It is one of the most recognisable sights in Rhodes and an easy, atmospheric place to begin a visit, framed by the two famous columns at its mouth that carry the bronze deer of the island. Plan tickets and tours through My Greece Tours.
For the wider island context, see our Rhodes travel guide. The sections below cover what Mandraki Harbour is, the bronze deer columns at its entrance, what else you can see around the harbour, where it is and how to reach it, and practical tips for your visit.
What is Mandraki Harbour?
Mandraki Harbour is the old historic harbour of Rhodes town, lying on the north-eastern side of the city just outside the medieval Old Town walls. It now serves excursion boats and pleasure craft, and its waterfront of windmills, a fortified lighthouse and grand buildings makes it a central landmark.
The name Mandraki, often understood to mean a small enclosure or sheepfold, suits this compact, sheltered basin that has served Rhodes town for many centuries. Once the principal naval harbour of the medieval city and the Knights of Saint John, it sits immediately north of the walled Old Town, so a short walk links the fortified streets with the open waterfront. Today the quays are lined with the masts of excursion vessels, day-trip boats and small fishing craft, while a broad promenade follows the water’s edge. The harbour reads as a living threshold between the dense, stone-built medieval core and the more open, ceremonial seafront laid out in the Italian century.
Strolling Mandraki gives you a quick sense of how Rhodes town layers its history: medieval defences, a working port and twentieth-century public architecture all meet along one curve of water. The harbour entrance, marked by its two famous columns, draws the eye seaward towards the fort and lighthouse, while behind you rise the walls and towers of the medieval city. Our guide to Rhodes Old Town covers the walled medieval city beside the harbour, and the next section covers the bronze deer columns at the harbour entrance.
What are the bronze deer columns at the harbour entrance?
At the mouth of Mandraki Harbour stand two tall stone columns, each topped with a bronze statue: a stag on one and a doe on the other, the elafos and elafina. These deer are the heraldic symbols of Rhodes, and the columns frame the harbour entrance as its most photographed landmark.
The deer, known in Greek as the elafos and elafina, have long been associated with Rhodes, and bronze figures of a stag and a doe now crown the twin columns that flank the harbour mouth. Standing on either side of the narrow entrance, they greet boats arriving from the open sea and form the classic framed view that appears on countless postcards of the island. The columns are a popular meeting point and photo stop, especially with the Fort of Saint Nicholas and its lighthouse visible just beyond, and the medieval walls behind. Their position at the very threshold of the harbour gives them a ceremonial, gateway-like role.
Popular tradition also links this exact spot to the Colossus of Rhodes, the giant bronze statue counted among the wonders of the ancient world. The enduring legend holds that the Colossus once straddled the harbour entrance with a ship passing between its legs, yet this dramatic image is not supported by the evidence, and the statue did not in fact stand astride the mouth of Mandraki. The deer columns are a far later feature and make no claim to mark the giant’s feet, even if visitors enjoy imagining the connection. Our guide to the Colossus of Rhodes covers the ancient wonder and its true story, and the next section covers what else you can see around Mandraki Harbour.
What else can you see around Mandraki Harbour?
Around Mandraki Harbour you can see three restored medieval-style stone windmills on the mole, the Fort of Saint Nicholas with its lighthouse at the harbour mouth, and grand public buildings from the Italian era, including the Governor’s Palace, the market known as the Nea Agora, and the church of the Annunciation.
The most distinctive features along the water are the three restored stone windmills that line the long mole reaching out into the sea. Once part of a larger row that ground grain brought ashore by merchant ships, these rounded medieval-style towers now give the harbour its unmistakable silhouette. Following the mole to its tip brings you to the Fort of Saint Nicholas, a stout fortification built to guard the harbour entrance, which carries a lighthouse and has watched over Mandraki for many centuries. Together the windmills and the fort define the seaward edge of the harbour and make the long breakwater a rewarding walk.
Behind the quays, the landward side of Mandraki is framed by imposing public buildings from the Italian century, when the seafront was laid out with formal civic architecture. These include the Governor’s Palace, the covered market known as the Nea Agora with its polygonal courtyard of eateries, and the church of the Annunciation, a landmark place of worship near the water. The aquarium of Rhodes also lies a short distance further along the northern shore. Our guide to the Rhodes Aquarium covers the marine life on the nearby waterfront, and the next section covers where Mandraki Harbour is and how to get there.
Where is Mandraki Harbour and how do you get there?
Mandraki Harbour is in Rhodes town, on the north-eastern coast of the island, immediately outside the northern walls of the medieval Old Town. It is within easy walking distance of the Old Town and the New Town, and it is the departure point for many excursion boats and day trips, including boats to nearby Symi.
The harbour sits at the heart of Rhodes town, where the medieval Old Town meets the more modern New Town, so most visitors reach it on foot. From inside the walls a short walk through the northern gates brings you straight to the waterfront, while from the hotels and shops of the New Town the seafront promenade leads directly along the quays. The location makes Mandraki a natural hub: you can combine a harbour stroll with the Old Town, the beaches of the New Town and the civic buildings of the Italian-era seafront in a single, unhurried day without needing a car.
Mandraki is also a working departure point for excursions, and its quays are lined each morning with boats offering day trips along the coast and to neighbouring islands, including the popular crossing to Symi with its colourful harbour. Tickets are sold from kiosks and boards along the waterfront, so it is easy to compare sailings on the spot. Our guide to things to do in Rhodes covers excursions and attractions across the island, and the next section covers practical tips for visiting Mandraki Harbour.
What tips help you visit Mandraki Harbour?
To enjoy Mandraki Harbour, come early for boat trips and quieter quays, return at sunset for the best light along the windmills and fort, wear comfortable shoes for the long mole, and combine the harbour with the adjacent Old Town. Bring water, sun protection and a camera for the deer columns.
Timing rewards a little planning. Early morning is best if you want to catch an excursion boat or photograph the harbour before the day-trippers arrive, as departures and ticket sales cluster around the start of the day. The late afternoon and sunset, however, give Mandraki its most memorable mood, when the low light gilds the windmills, the Fort of Saint Nicholas and the bronze deer at the entrance, and the promenade fills with strollers. Wear comfortable shoes, because the walk out along the mole to the fort is exposed and uneven, and carry water and sun protection, as there is little shade on the breakwater itself.
Make the most of the harbour’s central position by treating it as one stop on a wider walking route rather than a destination in isolation. The deer columns, windmills and Italian-era buildings can be seen in under an hour, leaving time to step into the medieval Old Town next door or to continue along the shore towards the aquarium. Linger over a coffee or meal at the Nea Agora, keep your camera ready for the framed view through the columns, and check boat boards in advance if a day trip is part of your plan. Plan your visit and tours through our Rhodes travel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Colossus of Rhodes really stand over Mandraki Harbour?
The popular image of the Colossus of Rhodes straddling the harbour entrance, with ships sailing between its legs, is a much-loved legend rather than historical fact. The giant bronze statue, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, certainly stood in Rhodes town, but the evidence does not support the idea that it bestrode the mouth of Mandraki Harbour in that dramatic pose. The notion grew up in later centuries and was reinforced by romantic illustrations, yet the statue’s true position and form remain uncertain. Today the harbour entrance is marked instead by the two columns bearing the bronze deer, the heraldic symbols of the island, and these are a far more recent feature. Visitors often associate this spot with the Colossus because of the legend, and it is a pleasant place to imagine the lost wonder, but the deer columns make no claim to stand where the giant’s feet once were.
What are the windmills at Mandraki Harbour?
The windmills at Mandraki are three restored, medieval-style stone towers that stand in a row along the long mole, or breakwater, reaching out into the sea on the eastern side of the harbour. They are among the most photographed features of Rhodes town and give the waterfront its distinctive profile. In earlier centuries a larger number of such mills lined the mole, grinding grain that merchant ships unloaded at the port, so they were a practical part of the working harbour rather than mere decoration. The rounded stone bodies and conical caps reflect the traditional design of the region. Today they no longer grind grain but have been conserved as historic landmarks, and walking the mole past them towards the Fort of Saint Nicholas is one of the simple pleasures of a visit. They look especially striking in the late afternoon light and against the backdrop of the harbour and the medieval city walls.
Can you take a boat trip from Mandraki Harbour?
Yes, Mandraki Harbour is one of the main departure points for excursion boats and day trips in Rhodes town. Its quays are lined with vessels offering coastal cruises and crossings to neighbouring islands, with the trip to the picturesque island of Symi, known for its colourful neoclassical harbour, being among the most popular options. Tickets are typically sold from kiosks, boards and agents along the waterfront, where you can compare departure times and itineraries on the spot, and sailings tend to cluster in the morning. Because the harbour sits right beside the Old Town and the New Town, it is easy to reach on foot and to combine a boat excursion with a wider day of sightseeing. Prices and schedules vary by operator and season, so it is wise to check the boards in advance and arrive in good time before departure. Always confirm the return time so you can plan the rest of your day around the crossing.