Mandraki

Mandraki is the main port of Rhodes, the capital city of the Dodecanese island of the same name, a stone’s throw from Turkey, a historic Italian dominion in the first half of the 20th century. Rhodes is a city full of attractions, loaded with history and full of energy: for this reason it has been on the crest of a wave for years as far as tourist flows are concerned, and for this same reason its ports are almost always hopelessly crowded.

Since the summer of 2015 there has been an alternative, the Marinas Rhodes, a super marina designed with yachts and megayachts in mind that is located southeast of the city’s commercial proto, not far from Mandraki; it must be said that to its disadvantage it has location (it is 2.5 km from the city’s historic center) and prices that are not exactly cheap.

So Mandraki remains the choice of choice for most boaters who want to stop in Rhodes. Beware, however, as they say man forewarned, half saved: in high and very high season Mandraki is on the edge of inaccessible, forget about finding a place on Fridays, the day when charter companies make shift changes, and arm yourself with holy patience and a spirit of adventure for the other days of the week.

It is a must to arrive before 10 a.m. if you want to have a good chance of finding a berth. Just as forget about mooring at the charter companies’ berths, even for a few hours, you would be kicked out in a bad way; then watch out for the many chains and anchors that “decorate” the bottom of the entire harbor.
Last warning: entering Mandraki is not problematic, but beware of the rocks outcropping near the coast just north of the port, and sail with caution in southerly winds, which create an insidious current at the harbor mouth.

As for the shelter offered, Mandraki is not bad, it offers good shelter from all winds with only those from the south causing some annoying currents; this is under normal or average conditions, if there is a strong wind, from whatever quadrant it comes from, at Mandraki there is some dancing.
Once inside, passing by the columns with bronze statues and leaving on the left the long breakwater with three ancient windmills (and one thought cannot help but run to the fact that once at the entrance to the ports towered no less than the Colossus of Rhodes…), there are not that many options. One can moor along the breakwater, including the short arm that forms the entrance, or look for space by the banked shore opposite the town (very, very arduous!).

One “trick” is actually there: to hope for a place, one can contact one of the private companies that reserve berths for boaters in transit, usually for free or for a few euros. The Navigo Agency is one of these, offering this service at prices that should be modest: +30 69792 86667. It doesn’t hurt to try.
Take great caution, as mentioned, in mooring because of the many anchors and mooring lines present. The bottom is good holding.
There are also those who moor outside the breakwater, pulling ropes ashore; only to be done in very favorable weather conditions.

The services in Mandraki port are really essential. The toilets are nothing more than a container, and of course you can imagine the conditions during the weekend. There is water and electricity at the dock, and there is alsopossibility of refueling at the town dock. Then it must be said that Rhodes is right there, just a stone’s throw away, and you can find everything in Rhodes: excellent nautical accessory stores, repair services, supermarkets that deliver groceries to the dock, cafes and restaurants, and miscellaneous.

Connections to the city are excellent, both on foot and by bus. And Rhodes is worth discovering: the acropolis overlooking the city-not much remains, but it’s fascinating-the old medieval town built by the Knights, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the archaeological snout, and even the aquarium in the new town. In short, there’s plenty to see, and given the struggle to find a berth, it’s really worth it.