Rhodes Scams 2026: The 5 Biggest Tourist Traps

How it worksYou order a small or medium beer and receive a much larger boot shaped glass. The different price only becomes clear on the bill. Visitors have reported substituted sizes and missing price lists in Rhodes Old Town. An expensive drink with a clearly agreed price is not, by itself, deception. What matters is whether the serving and price match your order.

WhereAt bars in Rhodes Town’s Old Town.

How to protect yourself

• Ask for the glass size and final price before ordering.
• Have the matching entry pointed out on the drinks menu. Small or medium alone does not define the quantity.
• If a different serving arrives, clarify it before drinking.
• Photograph the menu. Question a different price list presented when you pay.

How it worksA different, more expensive menu appears when you pay. Or the bill includes extras you did not order. Check bread and bottled water in particular. In Greece, these products must not be supplied and charged without prior consent. A blanket cover charge for cutlery or napkins should not appear on the bill either.

WhereWhen eating at tavernas and restaurants on the island. The ordering and billing rules apply throughout Greece.

How to protect yourself

• Read the menu at the entrance and check prices before ordering. They must include VAT.
• Send back unordered extras straight away rather than silently leaving them on the table.
• Ask for the final price of recommendations that are not on the menu.
• Request an itemised bill and a proper receipt. Ask for unclear entries to be explained and corrected before paying.

How it worksThe ride starts without a clear way to calculate the fare. At the destination, you cannot check the amount demanded. Taxi scams occur in Greece. A switched off meter on a metered journey or a different amount on the card terminal is a reason to ask questions straight away.

WhereOn taxi journeys in Rhodes, including on arrival or on the way to your accommodation.

How to protect yourself

• Choose a licensed taxi and clarify the destination and fare basis before travelling.
• On a metered journey, make sure the meter is running.
• Get any offered fixed fare in writing, including possible supplements.
• Check the terminal amount before confirming payment. Keep the receipt and note the vehicle number if there is a problem.

How it worksExtra insurance appears at the desk when you did not intend to buy it. Or a claim arrives after the return for damage that was already there. Extras and damage claims are common sources of rental disputes. Vehicle hire is also among the tourist scam categories in Greece.

WhereWhen collecting and returning a hire car on Rhodes, and in charges received afterwards.

How to protect yourself

• Compare the reservation with the contract. Check which extra cover you need and what it includes.
• Photograph the car at collection and have existing damage recorded.
• Document its condition at return too and ask for confirmation.
• If a later claim arrives, ask in writing for an explanation and evidence of repair. Keep your contract and photographs.

How it worksPickpocketing occurs on ferries between the Greek islands. Bags and valuables can also be left unattended at a café or in a parked car. Vehicle break-ins feature in Greece’s travel advice too.

WhereOn the ferry to Rhodes, in busy areas and around parked vehicles.

How to protect yourself

• Keep your bag closed and in physical contact with you, especially when boarding or waiting.
• Carry it in front of you. Do not hang it over a café chair or leave it on the floor.
• Leave no valuables in the car. Lock it and choose a well lit or supervised parking place.
• Keep money and documents separately. Save copies of your travel documents.