Experience the east coast of Rhodes the way it was meant to be seen — from the deck of a boat, with nothing between you and the Aegean.

You set off from Kolona Harbor, right across from the main gate of the Old Town, and within minutes the medieval walls are behind you and the coastline opens up: the wooded headlands of Kallithea, the long golden sweep of Faliraki, rocky cliffs dropping straight into water that turns from turquoise to deep blue as the seabed falls away.

The first stop is Anthony Quinn Bay, the emerald cove named after the Hollywood actor who filmed on Rhodes in the 1960s. The boat anchors in the middle of the bay and you swim straight off the deck into open water. Masks are provided, and the rocky seabed here is some of the clearest water on the island — look down and you can follow the rocks all the way to the bottom. Swim, float, or stay on deck with a cold drink and watch.

Then on to Kallithea, where the water is calmer and the swimming easier — the gentler of the two stops, and a long last swim before the boat turns back toward the Old Town.

In between, the deck is yours. Summer music, sun and shade, and a bar on board where you can buy cold drinks and cocktails. The crew take care of the rest: safety equipment, swimming aids and the kind of local knowledge that only comes from making this run every day of the season.

Three hours. Two of the best swimming spots on Rhodes. No coaches, no queues, no long walk to the beach.