Medieval City of Rhodes hosts jazz from 22 to 25 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 07:43 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Medieval City of Rhodes hosts the Rhodes and South Aegean International Jazz Festival from 22 to 25 October 2026 at the Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes. The programme brings international jazz into a UNESCO-listed historic centre whose fortified streets and monumental buildings were shaped by the Knights of St John.
Rhodes jazz festival brings concerts to the medieval city
The festival is presented under the title Jazz Across the Water - Mediterranean Bridges and is under the artistic direction of Dimitrios Vasilakis. The programme brings together artists from the USA, Puerto Rico, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Turkey, Albania, Austria and Cuba.
The opening programme on 22 October is at the Palace of the Grand Master. It includes a Sonny and Trane tribute and a performance by the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Jazz Faculty Ensemble. On 23 and 24 October, concerts move to the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh, with Flowtet, the Mediterranean Ensemble, Yaremi Kordos and Roland Abreu, and the RIJF All-Star International Band. The official festival programme also lists educational activities, workshops and collaborations with universities and young musicians.
Jazz venues reflect Rhodes medieval layers
The Palace of the Grand Master and the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh place the concerts among buildings associated with the high and lower towns of the historic settlement. This gives the October programme a direct link to the city’s surviving religious, military and civic architecture.
The UNESCO World Heritage description states that the Knights of St John occupied Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and transformed the island capital into a fortified city. The protected area lies within a 4 km-long wall and includes the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great Hospital and the Street of the Knights. Gothic buildings in the upper town stand alongside mosques, public baths and other structures from the Ottoman period in the lower town.
The festival’s musical focus therefore sits within a settlement where different historical layers remain visible. The two concert venues connect the contemporary programme with the city’s upper-town palace and its lower-town church ruin.
Visiting Medieval City of Rhodes: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Rhodes and South Aegean International Jazz Festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026 in the Medieval City of Rhodes, with concerts at the Palace of the Grand Master and the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh.
- Admission is free according to the Greek National Tourism Organisation. The listed programme includes concerts, educational activities and workshops.
- The site is in Rhodes, Greece, and the named venues are within the historic city. The UNESCO-listed settlement is enclosed by a 4 km-long wall.
- Visitors encounter a medieval urban area with streets, fortifications, religious buildings, museums, mosques and public baths. The terrain includes historic streets and passages rather than a single modern event hall.
- Greek is the official language and the national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Medieval City of Rhodes
When does the Rhodes jazz festival take place at Medieval City of Rhodes?
The Rhodes and South Aegean International Jazz Festival takes place from 22 to 25 October 2026. Its concerts are scheduled at the Palace of the Grand Master and the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh.
What is Medieval City of Rhodes?
It is a fortified historic settlement in Rhodes, Greece, shaped by the Knights of St John between 1309 and 1523. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Where is Medieval City of Rhodes and how do you get there?
The site is in the city of Rhodes on the Greek island of Rhodes. The festival venues named in the programme are the Palace of the Grand Master and the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh.
