Is Halki Greece Worth Visiting? Everything to Know Before You Go!

While many people travel to the bigger islands in this part of Greece, there are some serious small gems like Halki in the Dodecanese Archipelago! We visited Halki as a nice relaxing break after two weeks on Rhodes and weren’t sure what to expect. Here’s what to know about the Halki beaches, castle, and if the island is truly worth visiting.

Getting From Rhodes to Halki Greece

You’ll be happy to know that the boat from Rhodes to Halki only takes 30 minutes! However, it is a little tricky to get there. First, you’ll need to grab the bus from Rhodes town to Skala Kameiros.

The bus picked us up from the Church of Eyaggelismos at Mandraki at 8am and it was a 45 minute drive. From Skala Kameiros we got on the 9:30 ferry and were on Halki Island by 10am! You can book the bus and boat as a combined ticket with Alko Ferries.

Colorful Port and Restaurants of Halki Greece

Pulling into the port of Halki is an indescribable feeling. When you first see the colors of the buildings reflecting off the clear blue Aegean Sea you will instantly fall in love! The port is small, but it doesn’t lack any flavor or local charm. 

We stayed two nights right in town and loved sampling the restaurants and cafes on the water. All have gorgeous views of the boats and it’s easy to spend a night out just admiring the views.

We recommend hitting the Dimitris Bakery for breakfast and heading to one of the beaches for lunch. For dinner, we loved our meal at Black Sea! Still, most restaurants on the water have similar menus. All will boast fresh seafood, meat, and traditional makarounes pasta.

Beautiful Halki Greece Beaches

Potamos and Ftenagia Beach

There are three main beaches on Halki Island that are within walking distance of town. Potamos is the closest and will only take you about 10 minutes to get to by foot.

If you thought the water was crystal clear in the port wait until you see this white sand beach! Nick’s Taverna is the perfect place for lunch or to grab an ice-cold drink in between swimming.

Also, don’t miss out on Ftenagia Beach. It’s about a 15 minute walk and features a small taverna and sunbeds. We didn’t get a chance to go here, but are so excited to see it on our next trip!

Kania Beach in Halki Greece

Another must-see beach in Halki Greece is Kania. This one will take you at least 40 minutes to walk to, and while it is paved the incline is not so fun on a hot day.

If you don’t feel like walking there’s a taxi from town that cost around 8 Euros. The best way to get to Kania Beach is actually by boat from the main port. We paid 5 euros each way, but it’s best to confirm the price before taking off. 

Kania is a rocky cove with a beach bar and restaurant sitting behind it. We had the perfect day there after hiking Halki Castle, and found some shaded chairs to dip in and out of the water from.

The chairs are free if you eat lunch at the restaurant, and considering it’s one of the best on the island it’s a deal! If you’re hungry order the grilled squid stuffed with feta and a greek salad.

Trachea Beach on Halki Greece 

Another of the Halki beaches to see if you have time is Trachea. The only way to access it is by boat. A smart idea if you want to see Trachea and some of the more secluded beaches is to take a boat tour from town. The unique peninsula creates two separate beaches that are fun to swim at on Halki Island in Greece!

Adventure to the Halki Castle

Our Halki Greece Travel Fail

Do your best to pull yourself away from the beaches for a couple of hours because the Halki Castle is worth it! You can walk up the paved road to the castle, but if you do go early. We made the mistake of hiking in the heat of the day and wished we had paid a few Euros for the local taxi.

It took about an hour to get to the top and we were so sunburnt by the time we got up there. Lesson learned! You can actually arrange for the driver to bring you both ways and wait for you as you explore Halki Castle. 

Palio Chorio

Once you reach the top of the paved road you’ll still have a steep climb to Halki Castle. That’s because there’s an ancient abandoned village of Chorio to hike through! It’s at this moment we realized how much history Halki Island Greece truly has.

The old village was built on the backside of the mountain to evade pirates, and the architecture dates back to 4th century B.C. Our favorite part of Chorio was seeing the thrones of Zeus and Hekate. These rock-cut benches are over 2,200 years old and demonstrate the importance of the settlement during Hellenistic times.

The massive castle and church above were built during the time of the Knights of St. John, but the population of the small town increased during the reign of the Ottomans. If you can believe it, people actually lived here all the way up to 1830 and slowly moved away as piracy ended. 

Halki Castle & Island Views

Take your time walking up the winding steps of Chorio before entering the medieval castle. The Halki Castle was built by the Knights Hospitaller around the site of the ancient acropolis.

From the period of 1309 to 1522 they fortified this area as it was a great vantage point over the Dodecanese Islands. Inside you’ll find the Church of St. Nicholas and incredible views over Trachea Beach and Halki town.

Is Halki Greece Worth Visiting?

Yes! In fact, we highly recommend spending at least one night. While some travelers only visit Halki as a day trip, you will truly enjoy it more if you don’t have to head back to Rhodes in the same day.

We spent two nights at Halkis Muses and had an amazing experience. Our apartment was right in town and just steps from the water and ferry pick up.

This made it the perfect location to explore the castle and Halki beaches. To fully embrace this magical island, you’ll want to be there for dinner and sunset.  

→ Book A Stay at Halkis Muses

Have any questions about Halki Greece or want to share your own travel tips? Let us know in the comments below! 

Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake

Greece Travel Inspiration

• Symi Greece Island & Beach Guide: How to Explore the Tiny Paradise
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• 5 Helpful Tips for Renting a Car in Rhodes & Why You Should!
• 12 Amazing Things to do on Symi Island in Greece
• 11 Best Beaches on Rhodes Greece: Anthony Quinn to St. Paul’s Bay

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Greece Travel Planning 

 Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!

When island hopping use FerriesinGreece to compare different routes, prices, and companies. 

 Flights: We always check Skyscanner and Kayak to search for cheap flights. That’s how we got from Crete to Athens for under $50 USD!

 Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also,  Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget. 

 Rental Car: You can book a rental car for around $20 a day in Greece! We use Discover Cars to explore the larger islands with a vehicle.

 Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for thousands of activities in Greece. You can find everything from visiting the Acropolis in Athens to wine tasting in Santorini, and a boat tour in Milos.

 Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without protection. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.

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Explore Greece

Travel Planning: Cyclades Itinerary – 30 Facts – Greek Ferry Questions – Sky Express Review 

Rhodes: Planning a Trip – 1 Week Itinerary – 23 Things to Do – Old Town – Elli Beach – Kallithea Springs – Lindos Guide – Lindos Acropolis – Monolithos –  Melenos Art Boutique Hotel – Anthony Quinn Bay

Karpathos: Fun Things to Do – 1 Week Itinerary – Must Try Food – 6 Best Beaches – Olympos – Saria Island Boat Tour

Crete: 10 Day Itinerary – 19 Food & Drinks – Matala Hippie Caves – Elafonisi (Pink Sand) – Renting a Car – Bus Tips – 20 Facts – Vai Beach Palm Trees – Best Things to Do

Cyclades: Moon Beach Milos – Adamas Milos – Ios – Naxos Beaches – Naousa Paros – Galissas Syros – Mykonos Old Town – Santorini

Corfu: Old Town Food – Greece to Albania Ferry

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