Shopping
Shoppers can choose from a vast selection of jewellery, ceramics, carpets and leather goods, as well as local wine, honey and olive oil. Old Town offers the best shopping on the island. Its outlets sell modern, classic and antique reproduction jewellery, as well as leather goods on Socrates Street. Shoppers can also purchase antique carpets, paintings and porcelain. Many shops close between November and March, when tourists are scarce.
Regarding the village scene, visitors will find local thimati honey in Siana and Vathi, and hand-woven carpets in Lindos, Afandou and Archangelos, and in some monasteries. Lace and embroidery are available in various shops throughout the island. Souvenir hunters should visit the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, which sells reproductions of ancient statues, friezes, tiles and vases. Rhodes Town outlets offer local wines, Greek olive oil, some uniquely-styled shoes, plus the usual book stores and clothing retailers. Numerous gift shops near the main beaches sell cheap souvenirs, T-shirts and beachwear.
Nightlife
Rhodes is one of the liveliest islands in Greece. Its varied nightlife comprises bouzouki clubs, Greek folk dance nights and dance clubs; the streets off Faliraki beach are home to many popular cafes, bars and clubs, and there's a casino next to Elli Beach. Old Town also has a number of good entertainment venues, such as the Alexis Taverna, which hosted Winston Churchill and Jackie Kennedy once upon a time. The Son et Lumiere (Sound and Light) show at Palace of the Grand Masters is excellent. Visitors can see traditional Greek dancing at the Nelly Dimoglou Dance Theatre.
Rhodes offers a variety of night-time diversions, ranging from the cultural to the purely hedonistic. Visitors often find an atmospheric restaurant and enjoy a long, drawn-out supper, preferably with a lovely view and some locals around them. Many of the bigger hotels have their own restaurants, bars and entertainment programmes, and all the big resorts offer entertainment options.