All Rhodes lead to shoulder-season fun! Why visiting this Greek island in September is an inspired move - with fewer tourists but lots of sunshine

Between the screaming children, sunbed propped up just a few degrees too low to be actually comfortable, and fellow hotel guests brushing past my perfectly arranged poolside setup, I’m left to ponder: can’t a girl get a moment’s peace on her holibobs?

That was, in a nutshell, my experience two summers’ ago when I joined my family on a week-long getaway to the Greek island of Rhodes. 

Grateful for a holiday though I was, our hotel was firmly ‘Brits abroad’ – I was privy to sunbed wars breaking out around me, and watched far more pints downed than cups of gravelly Greek coffee.

Safe to say, while the sunshine was lovely and the food decent, it hardly fulfilled my Mamma Mia! fantasies of a holiday in Greece. Rhodes did not jump any further up on my 'must return to' list.

Yet two years later, I’m back - except this time standing under a (slightly) less scorching sun, having arrived a few weeks later in the year. 

From the lack of school-aged children and calmer queues for a taxi at the airport, I deduce, perhaps this time will be different. Insanity, they say, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We shall see.

Welcome to Rhodes! Ancient history and beautiful beaches - including Anthony Quinn Bay (pictured) - combine on this sun-drenched Dodecanese island 

Erin visited the island of Rhodes despite a previous experience leaving much to be desired

With historic flair, Rhodes and its Old Town are best explored during the shoulder season

While many associate Greece’s islands with the peak of summer, the shoulder season is, in lots of ways, a better time to visit. 

Between May to June and September to October, temperatures in Rhodes are around 25-30C, significantly more comfortable for exploring than the mid-30s of July and August. It’s quieter, too.

The crown jewel of Rhodes is the Old Town, which I fled in a hurry after just two hours last time around, overstimulated and hot and desperately begging my mum to hurry up with her painfully slow and highly embarrassing picture-taking.

Now, visiting in September, it’s a different story. I'm there around 5pm, which my taxi driver George informs me is the best time – it’s when all the cruise ships, laden with day visitors, pack up and sail on, leaving the streets to those of us who opted to holiday in just one place.

The Street of the Knights, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval streets, is free of selfie-takers. Hippocrates Square is only just starting to buzz. 

The restaurants are only now beginning to attract aperitif crowds, with black-and-white uniform-clad waiters still smoking the dregs of their afternoon cigarettes.

Rhodes Old Town is filled with nooks and crannies to explore, especially if you venture away from the main squares and streets

Ella Elissa is an adults-only all-inclusive resort with gorgeous amenities and a luxurious feel

There are shops selling tourist goods, of course, but there is also genuinely excellent browsing, mooching and eating to be done. 

The nectarine ice cream at Palladio, with its unassuming brown exterior, feels like the freshest fruit in dessert form, and the Kahal Synagogue provides an excellent insight into the Jewish history on the island.

After a few hours spent exploring the calm, shop-laden streets where I almost buy about 12 leather bags (my boyfriend stops me – I can’t help it, the quality feels fabulous), we head back to our hotel, Ella Elissa, where our first meal is a curious blend of Indian and Greek cuisine, at the Maharania restaurant. 

Care has been taken here to curate a romantic ambience that complements the scent of spices well, and we struggle to decide between the eight-hour braised lamb in garam masala and thyme and the beef shank with risotto made from the Greek grain trahana. We opt for one of each, and are happy to concede: the union of Greece and India works. Excellently.

Outside of the peak tourist season, we do spy fellow Brits. But at our adults-only resort, they are mainly of the variety seeking a quiet getaway, rather than the parents and toddlers of my last visit. Ella Elissa has proved a great choice; this is a break that's both peaceful and chic.

Beyond the resorts and the Old Town, there’s plenty to do on the island beyond sipping all-inclusive cocktails.

Kallithea Springs is stunning, having previously been used in film sets

The Street of The Knights is a well-preserved medieval street leading right up to the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes

Rhodes' historic sites, such as the arena, are well worth a (crowd-free) visit

So, where else is still warm?

In September and October, plenty of destinations are still offering sunshine...

• Valletta, Malta (average highs of 25C in October)
• Limassol, Cyprus (average highs of 26C in October)
• Crete, Greece (average highs of 24C in October) 
• Seville, Spain (average highs of 26C in October)
• Madeira, Portugal (average highs of 24C in October)
• Dalyan, Turkey (average highs of 25C in October)
• Sicily, Italy (average highs of 23C in October) 

Beaches are, of course, at the top of the list. Anthony Quinn Bay is a favourite among tourists – named after the actor, who fell in love with the location while filming The Guns of Navarone in 1960 – as is St. Paul's Bay, but other gems include Prasonisi Beach and Tsambika Beach.

If you prefer a more glamorous shore experience with table service, head to Kallithea Springs, just a 15-minute drive from the Old Town. 

Beyond the sun loungers and cocktails is a whitewashed building that looks straight out of a Hollywood film set. It was used in many Greek films, as well as an episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot from the 1980s.

Later, we run laps around the Ancient Stadium of Rhodes, pretending we’re partaking in the original Olympic games, and enjoy the sunset from the lookout point right by the city’s Acropolis.

If you’re staying for longer, you could add a day trip to the town of pedestrian-only Lindos, which is perfect for mooching and shopping, or take a boat to the nearby island of Symi.

For even fewer crowds, the tiny village of Koskinou is gorgeous for a short stroll. It has narrow cobbled streets, gorgeous mosaic stone floors and pink, blue and yellow homes – a far cry from the built-up areas you’ll likely be staying in.

It feels miles away from the busy resorts and hectic summer streets. Greek restaurant Karavelladika becomes my favourite Mediterranean restaurant I’ve ever visited. An outdoor table is a must – and, surprisingly for the tiny village, booking is essential.

Think real Greek family home, combined with food so good you’ll leave stuffed – and happy. 

The beef orzo is a standout dish, while baked feta, freshly baked bread and premium Greek wines make for a dinner straight out of a Greek yiayia’s (grandmother) kitchen.

Hotels like Ella Elissa, where I am staying, have spotted their niche: holidaymakers looking to kick up their feet and relax, with delicious food, crisp wines and glorious beaches to behold. 

If you're not sure about the concept of an all-inclusive, it also has a special Ellavated Bliss package, designed to go beyond the traditional all-inclusive offering. 

Throughout their stay, guests can indulge in unlimited access across all restaurants and bars where they can taste menus curated by Michelin-starred chefs alongside expertly crafted cocktails and handpicked wines.

My favourite dinner was at Masari, with menus by chef Thanos Stasinos - the standout dish was a punchy ceviche seabass.

The restaurants, like the hotel, are elevated without being pompous – I’m in dresses, but my boyfriend is welcomed in wearing shorts. 

Service is good but a couple of mishaps and wrong orders prevent it being truly excellent. Staff, however, were wonderful, and are available to answer your every whim.

Over Greek wines from the Greek Avantis estate, we reflect on a trip that we hadn't been overly excited about on the flight over. 

My previous trip combined with my boyfriend suffering a bout of stomach flu on his last Greek adventure meant neither of us were the most optimistic arrivals.

Fortunately, shortly into our holiday we had forgotten our previous woes. This time, I leave thinking I could most certainly come back. All roads lead to... Rhodes, I guess.