Tilos Island

Tilos is a quiet Dodecanese island about 90 km northwest of Rhodes Town by sea in Greece, with a small population and a protected landscape of hills, pebble beaches and walking paths. The crossing to Livadia port takes about 2 hours to 2 hours 35 minutes on Blue Star Ferries, Dodekanisos Seaways or SAOS vessels, with fares of about EUR 21 to EUR 60 one way. Sailings run only two to three times a week, rising in high season, so a same-day return is possible only on days when the timetable has both a morning departure and an evening return. For that reason most visitors treat Tilos as an overnight destination and use the day-trip option only after checking the schedule on ferryhopper.com. Livadia is the island's main settlement, a relaxed harbour village with a long pebble beach, a few tavernas and cafes along the shore, and a bus link to the rest of the island. The one-day itinerary usually starts with a walk or bus to Megalo Chorio, the hill village with a Knights castle ruin and views over the bay, then continues to Mikro Chorio, an abandoned village of stone houses that was left in the 1950s and now draws hikers and photographers. The path network includes marked routes to coves such as Eristos beach, where visitors can swim in clear water. A swim at Livadia in the late afternoon rounds off the day before returning to the port. Lunch can be taken in Megalo Chorio or at a waterfront taverna in Livadia, with grilled goat, local cheeses and fresh fish among the usual dishes. Spring and early summer bring wildflowers and mild temperatures, while September is warm and quiet. Midsummer afternoons are hot on exposed paths. The tight ferry schedule and the long walking distances make this the most demanding of the Rhodes day trips, and visitors should plan the return carefully.