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When searching for things to do in Rhodes, you’ll sooner or later come across Tsambika Monastery and its famous hilltop viewpoint.
Even though it is a place of immense religious importance, it has also become a place for visitors to hike to, in order to be rewarded with incredible views.
I’ve been to Rhodes many times, but it was only recently, after I moved to Rhodes for a few months, that I made the 300-step-climb to the top.
Whether you are religious or not, it is an easy and worthwhile stop to add to your Rhodes itinerary.
This short guide will cover the logistics and all you need to know, but also touch on some important cultural and religious details for your visit. I hope this will help you connect with the setting more deeply and hopefully learn some things about Greece that go beyond the basic tourist experience.
🥳 TESTED TOP PICKS FOR RHODES
- 🚌 Airport transfer: Rhodes to City Centre — easiest option from Rhodes Airport to City for $39 (private taxi)
⛴️ Ferry tickets: There are a lot of ferry providers but I prefer Ferry Scanner for their simple UI.
- 📱Grab an eSIM to stay connected with Airalo starting from $1.5 per day
🚗 Rhodes is a big island, which means you’ll need to rent a car. I prefer booking through platforms like Discover Cars, which takes some of the stress, questions, and uncertainty when it comes to insurance, paperwork, and coverage.
Are you looking for tips on rental cars? My recommendation is to always pick a high rating provider, with zero deposit and deductible. This price is without FULL insurance which I highly recommend ($92) so it comes to $66 per day. Trust me, book the insurance. It is easy to scratch a rental when the roads in Rhodes are so narrow.
Where you need to go
To get to Tsambika, you’ll need to head to the east coast of the island towards Lindos. There are two similarly named places marked on Google Maps (one is the monastery where the holy icon is kept) and the other is the monastery on the hill.
I’ve marked them here:
You want to select the one labeled (Kyra Psili) which is found up on the hill. Google Maps also has the trail start marked, so you should have no problem finding it.
How to get to Tsambika
The easiest way to reach anything in Rhodes (including Tsambika Monastery) is by rental car.
Another alternative is to book private transport or a guided tour that includes time to visit the monastery.
I chose the first option and arrived in Tsambika after a short 40-minute drive from the main town. It will take you only 20 minutes if you’re driving from Lindos.
Once you turn off the main road, the road becomes narrow and winding so go slow.
Where to park
Depending on the day and crowds, the lower parking area might be the only option for parking. You will arrive here first, and spot the blue and white chapel of Agia Triada.
But if you keep driving (a much steeper and slightly intimidating road) you’ll get to the upper parking lot, which is a much closer starting point to the climb. If you’re not the most confident driver, I would recommend stopping near the chapel of Agia Triada in the lower parking area.
How to dress
Most monasteries in Greece follow the “modest clothing rule”.
Some are more strict than others, and some even offer shawls or sarongs to cover up with. This rule is enforced for men and women, even though for women there is usually an extra rule of no form-fitting pants (hence the long skirt-like shawls).
Men may also be asked to cover their shoulders if they come wearing tank tops that expose their arms.
In the Monastery of Tsambika, the rule is not strictly enforced from what I saw, however, it is still better to have something to wrap around your shoulders or legs if you come straight from the beach.
Religious Significance
The holy icon found on the monastery is a key reason why it is so important for Greeks. There are various stories on how the miraculous icon came to be found, but all agree on its significance for families wanting to have children.
The name Tsambika, has a double origin as well. One source is a type of ship that gave its name to the hill where the monastery is now found.
The other, comes from the local dialect in nearby Archangelos village, which means “flame”. Why flame, you might ask?
The most common telling of this story includes a local shepherd that saw a flame on the side of the mountain that kept on burning. Curious, he climbed to the top to find the icon of the Virgin Mary in front of a cypress tree and a small candle burning in front of it. What makes this more impressive is that the icon was supposed to be in Cyprus (a completely different island). The monks of the monastery in Cyprus traced the icon and moved it back, three times but it kept escaping until they decided it must be kept in Rhodes.
The second story of its origin is much older, during the Ottoman occupation period of Greece, which lasted for 400 years.
The local Pasha owned the land around what is now the monastery, and his wife tried for many years to have a child with no success. His wife, despite not being a Christian, prayed to the icon of the Virgin Mary to conceive a child and was successful. Grateful, the Pasha (meaning local ruler) donated the land to the Orthodox Church.
The miracle of childbearing
Another thing worth mentioning that some other blogs fail to mention (no shade, they might just not know) is the significance of the particular offerings you find inside the chapel.
As you walk in through the churchyard into the two rooms with icons of the Virgin Mary, you’ll spot small wax figurines (baby-shaped candles) as well as various silver offerings that hang in front of the icon.
The latter (the silver offerings) are common in various churches in Greece, but the wax-like child figures are more unique to the Monastery of Tsambika specifically.
As I mentioned previously, a lot of couples and women come here to pray and ask for help to conceive. There are a lot of stories of such miracles and, to honor her, couples name their kids Tsambikos or Tsambika.
For Greeks especially, hearing that name is an instant confirmation of the origin story of someone’s birth. It’s also a very uncommon name that you mostly hear in Rhodes or from couples that visit the island for this reason.
What are tamata?
Another fun fact and cultural detail about Greece is the importance of “tamata”. These offerings are given by worshippers when they come to ask for a favor from a saint. But equally important maybe is the connection of these offerings to ancient Greece.
If you visit Epidaurus (the ancient theater and healing sanctuary of the god Asclepius) in the Peloponnese, you might come across some very interesting small statues in the museum.
The ancient Greeks would visit the healing sanctuary of Asclepius to get a regimented plan on how to fix their health. These typically included sleep, good food and fresh air, as well as dream analysis! When their ailments were fixed (like their knee or throat) the healers would document the process by carving a foot, eye, or body part into a slab of stone.
Nowadays, you can find the Greek Orthodox equivalent of this in most churches. Worshippers come to pray to the saints for health, success in their exams or marriage, and provide these silver offerings with carvings of what they need. Spend a minute looking at them and you’ll spot a book (seeking good grades or exam success for kids), a baby (seeking fertility), a ring (for marriage), or a knee/leg (seeking health for that area).
The church
Greek Orthodox churches have the altar facing east, so the entrance faces west. This is different from some newer Catholic churches that focus more on accessibility and can face either way.
The floor of the church is covered in what is called “hochlaki”, a pebble mosaic that is still common in ecclesiastical designs in the islands. In the past, it was a common feature in courtyards and floors of homes. It is a type of sea pebble arranged in black-and-white patterns. You can also spot this in the small chapel of Prophet Elias on the third-highest peak of Rhodes, which is a lovely hike if you enjoy that kind of activity.
When to visit
The monastery is open every day from early in the morning to late at night. So you can come early in the morning to avoid the heat and crowds, or for sunset when the temperature cools down even more. There is also no entrance fee, but it is expected to leave a few coins to light a candle.
In terms of facilities, there is a restaurant that sells church supplies and coffee, and it can also function as a place to use the bathroom in an emergency. It is a bit hit or miss whether you find it open though, and it would not be a place I recommend you stop for food or drinks.
The monastery honors Virgin Mary Tsambika on the 8th of September, so if you’re around on that day, you’ll notice more people and more significant celebrations.
What to expect from the walk
You might have read that the path to the top is grueling, hard and not manageable. I would say that is true only if you have serious mobility or walking issues.
If not, you will cruise through it and will mostly be annoyed by the heat of the summer.
It is 300 steps exactly, and the nice thing is that you get visual reminders of how much there is left to go, through numbers painted on the steps.
About half of the path is shaded (under the trees) and the rest will leave you exposed to the sun.
But there are plenty of benches and areas to stop and catch your breath if you need to.
I made the climb with a bad knee (still recovering from surgery) and it took me a bit longer, but I was absolutely fine. Some of the much older people were walking faster than me, and it’s also popular with families and kids.
I was also carrying a box of candles (more about that later) so the extra weight and size of the box made it harder to carry my stuff plus the box.
How to be a good visitor
The first thing I already mentioned is to arrive covered up, or cover up when visiting the monastery. Whether you are religious or not, (I’m not) it’s good to follow the local customs and rules. Right?
You can also provide a small coin donation, which again is not expected at all.
The last way, which I don’t see many people mentioning, is the “help carry boxes to the top” sign.
It is in Greek, so it makes sense why a lot of people miss it, but since the people that help at the monastery need to walk all supplies to the top daily, they have put a bench with candles that visitors can help carry while going up. If your fitness level is very good, you should have no issue doing it. I did it and I would consider me a very mobility challenged person at the moment, since I am recovering from a knee surgery.
What you see at the top
A lot of the visitors to Tsambika do it for the amazing views.
As soon as you arrive, you’ll find the small white chapel where you can go in and pray or look at the icons and overall art style. The breeze is always a welcome friend up here, as is the shade of the cypress stands that still stand. There are a few benches for sitting and it is a quiet and reflective atmosphere with many people in silence or praying.
On the south side, (to your right as you arrive) is the sandy bay of Tsambika beach. A very popular and busy spot in the summer with 1km of sand to pick from. Perfect for families with children. You will also find various beach bars here if you want to visit afterwards. To the left side (north) Kolymbia Beach, a modern resort area with lots of family friendly hotels for families with kids.
FAQ for Tsambika Monastery
⭐ Why are there two monasteries called Tsambika?
Yes, you will find Panagia Tsambika Psili (the original location where the icon was found), where people walk to ask for favors (called tamata), and Kato Tsambika where the icon is housed nowadays.
⭐ When was the monastery founded?
There is no specific date, but it likely dates back to the 17th century. The lower church was built later to make access easier for pilgrims.
⭐ What do I need to visit?
The monastery is free to enter and operates daily from early morning to sunset. You should consider bringing appropriate clothing and a few small coins if you want to buy candles at the top.
⭐ Is it hard to visit?
In general no. Pilgrims or worshippers will sometimes do the hike crawling on their knees to show their deep faith when they seek guidance, support and help from Virgin Mary in order to get pregnant. For the rest, it is a relatively easy climb (300 steps) that you can do by taking frequent breaks.
⭐ What about other favorite places in Rhodes?
Rhodes has a ton of great activities you can do, and a lot of easy day tours or guided activities to plan.
These are some of my favorites I would start with:
