Rhodes Wasn’t the Plan | Field Notes
Rhodes was never the plan. Patry and I were supposed to be going to Florida, but a hurricane changed that. The flights were cancelled, the time off was already booked, and we found ourselves asking the question that often leads to the best trips: where else could we go?
Rhodes came up. We knew little about it, booked the trip, and went.
Two hotels, two sides of the trip
We split our stay between two hotels. The first was The Elysium, by the coast, near the Meliá. The second was The Esperos Blue, an adults-only hotel with a gym, pool and spa, and it was a brilliant place to settle into a rhythm: train, swim, rest, repeat.
That mix is what made Rhodes work for us. You can take a proper break without having to abandon the parts of your routine you actually enjoy.
Take a walk through a few centuries
If you visit, give Rhodes’ Old Town time beyond a quick photograph. Its medieval walls and Street of the Knights are part of a city shaped by different eras; Gothic buildings sit alongside later Ottoman architecture. The Medieval City of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the best way to take it in is on foot, without an overpacked itinerary.
Lindos is another place to put on the list if you have time to explore beyond the town. Its acropolis rises above the village and the coast. In the hotter months, plan outdoor sightseeing early, bring water and leave room in the day for doing absolutely nothing.
Keeping training simple
Our second hotel, The Esperos Blue, made training easy, but you don’t need a hotel gym to keep moving. A walk through town, a swim or a short run can be enough. If you want a full session in Rhodes Town, My Oxygen lists short visitor gym passes; check its current hours and prices before you go.
The lesson from this trip was a simple one: a change of plan doesn’t have to mean a ruined adventure. Sometimes it puts you somewhere you would never have chosen otherwise. Florida can wait. Rhodes was a very good detour.
