Normandy's seafood-packed city that's easily reached by ferry
Emerging behind a long, hut-studded pebble beach on Normandy's Alabaster Coast, the seaside resort of Dieppe is one easy-to-explore parcel of history, architecture, cross-Channel cultural ties and seriously good seafood, a four-hour ferry ride from the south coast.
Dieppe's coastal location unquestionably shaped its evolution from a small 11th-century settlement to a medieval centre of trade, cartography and crafts.
By the 16th century, Dieppe was one of France's most important fishing ports and had long waved renowned navigators off to the New World. Rebuilt following the Anglo-Dutch bombardment of 1694, Dieppe was the site of the country's first sea-bathing resort in 1824 and was later the scene of the Allies' disastrous 1942 Dieppe Raid.
• Read our full guide to Normandy
Today the city is recognised as a 'Ville d'Art et d'Histoire' and hosts an award-winning, town-encompassing market every Saturday. Plus, it's home to the International Kite Festival every two years (it takes place this September) and the lively Herring and Scallop Fair in November — a nod to the industry on which Dieppe was founded.
• Morning: Dieppe castle — Château de Dieppe• Lunch: L'Ô2 Mer• Afternoon: 19 August 1942 Memorial museum• Drink at: Café des Tribunaux• Evening: Passage Obligé• Dinner: La Cale
• Morning: Tour Le Pollet• Lunch: Bistrot Chez Polette• Afternoon: Navigation Normande boat trip• Drink at: Moment Café• Evening: Two churches • Dinner: Comptoir d'Huîtres
• An eclectic collection of artwork adorns the walls of Dieppe castle — Château de Dieppe — a fortification that dates from the 15th century. Dieppe's story is told through paintings, sculptures and objects, including the country's largest collection of carved ivory. Idle in the map room and on the ramparts (£6; Rue de Chastes). • Step inside the ornate 19th-century Italian-style theatre — now the 19 August 1942 Memorial Museum — to learn about the Dieppe Raid, aka Operation Jubilee, which saw the greatest single loss of Canadian life in one day in the Second World War. The theatre, where a few Allied troops took refuge, hosts a detailed exhibition including a moving film (£5; 1 Place Camille Saint-Saëns).• Disappear into this shop that's a treasure chest of trinkets, jewellery, clothing and homewares tucked in a cobbled courtyard off Dieppe's pedestrianised shopping street, Grande Rue. Browse fish-eye mirrors, colourful kaftans, bold necklaces and ceramics under the side eye of the resident miniature dachshund (178 Grande Rue).• Venture across the bridge to Le Pollet, a neighbourhood with its own traditions. Pass street art in the alleyways, see Dieppe's oldest timber houses, visit the hilltop chapel dedicated to sailors lost at sea and eat at the unassuming restaurant Les Voiles d'Or with its one Michelin star (2 Chemin de la Falaise). Call for a harbour-view café au lait (from £3).• Take to the top deck for some sea air on a leisurely 75-minute round cruise out of Dieppe harbour westwards towards Varengeville-sur-Mer. The captain's commentary, which covers history and geology, is in French with the occasional gag that needs no translation (from £12, peche-location-dieppe.fr).• Pop into St Rémy, which took more than a century to build from 1522. Don't miss the striking 17th-century split Renaissance columns on the façade. Then, a few streets away, find the gothic St Jacques church. Some of its earliest parts date from the 12th century (free).
Lunch beneath low-hanging lanterns and filament bulbs in this contemporary beachfront restaurant alongside the old casino. Delve into staples such as oysters, moules-frites (with Roquefort cheese sauce) and beef tartare. Ask for a window seat to the sea or head for the sheltered terrace (mains from £13; 101 Boulevard de Verdun).
• 24 of the best places to visit in France for your next getaway
Last of the traditional giant bistros, this imposing brasserie is an institution in Dieppe, not to mention a terrific suntrap for an evening tipple. The interior drips with vintage glamour. From 6pm to 8pm is Wine O'Clock. Ask for a pleasing £4 house wine (1 Place du Puits Salé). Drinks from £4; cafe-des-tribunaux-restaurant-dieppe.fr).
Settle in for a French feast at this cosy corner bistro where the chalkboard changes with the produce available. Start with the signature egg on watercress and follow with market-bought fish and sauce of your choice. Wash the lot down with a bottle of crisp, sparkling Normandy cider (mains from £11; 34 Rue Jean Antoine Belle Testé).
A nautical theme runs through this popular dining spot where wood-panelled walls are bedecked in fishing nets, shells and rope-strung lights. A simple menu featuring oysters and what is said to be the best fish and chips in Normandy tantalises, although whelks with mayo are a juicy speciality (mains from £12; 18 Quai du Carénage).
• 12 of the best villas in France with pools
One for coffee aficionados, find quality caffeine in laid-back surroundings opposite the church of St Rémy. Dark walls are dressed with colourful artwork while mid-century furniture gives it a slightly retro feel. Nab a table on the pavement if the weather is behaving; don't leave without a bag of Normandy-roasted coffee (drinks from £3; facebook.com/momentcafedieppe).
Facing the docks, this restaurant specialises in fresh seafood. Sit beneath the beautiful vintage tile work and enjoy oysters, squid or sensational grilled razor clams. Stay for the largest yet lightest, cream-stuffed, chocolate-drizzled profiteroles you've laid eyes on (mains from £21; 12 Cour de Dakar).
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Dog-friendly and facing the seaLocated on the wide grassy promenade across from the beach and just minutes from the town centre, this dog-friendly, three-star hotel offers views across the Channel from its minimalist rooms (ask for one with a roll-top bath). For extra space, book the panoramic duplex. The breakfast features DIY boiled eggs, fruit and croissants. Go green by saying no to room cleaning and you'll enjoy a glass of fizz in return (room-only doubles from £88; laplage-dieppe.com).
Modern spot with a spaBuilt onto the ruins of Dieppe harbour's medieval ramparts, this modern hotel offers simple sophistication. Situated at the far edge of the marina, it's in the thick of waterfront bars and restaurants. The in-house spa offers tempting treatments while the raised Le Patio terrace is equally inviting for an aperitif. Rooms are minimalist with white sheets and natural tones. Go for a balcony room to enjoy a private view of the marina below (room-only doubles from £118; latourauxcrabes.com).
In the shadow of Dieppe's castle museum and next to the town's last remaining gate from the 14th-century wall, the Mercure hotel promises comfort beneath the Étretat cliffs. Rooms are smart with a flash of colour, statement lamps and king-sized double beds as standard — be sure to secure one with a sea view. Start your day in the fourth-floor breakfast room, where floor-to-ceiling windows guarantee an unrivalled view of the Channel. (B&B doubles from £148; all.accor.com).
Sail into Dieppe harbour in four hours with DFDS ferries, which crosses twice daily from Newhaven, East Sussex (from £20 for foot passengers and £100 for a car and up to four people (dfds.com). Alternatively, catch the Eurostar to Paris, then rail services via Rouen to Dieppe.
Central Dieppe is compact and easy to get around on foot. The free and electric DeepMob shuttle bus also scoots visitors around the main attractions from the railway station, while the bus network (tickets £2) includes the centre and other districts.
Dieppe is a year-round seaside resort so avoid the heaving summer beach by visiting in spring or autumn, the latter coinciding with its festivals. It's a short walk from the ferry terminal so you don't need a car, but if you are if travelling by car, explore further into Normandy to squeeze more from your crossing.Kirsten Henton was a guest of Dieppe Normandie Tourisme (dieppetourisme.com), Normandy Tourism (normandie-tourisme.fr) and DFDS
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: The sneaky tactics used by pushy restaurant staff on Greek holiday island to rip off Brits
British tourists are being ripped off on the Greek island of Rhodes by a series of covert tactics used by pushy restaurant and bar staff, a MailOnline investigation has revealed. Our reporter travelled to the holiday hotspot this week and visited some of its most popular venues in the heart of its bustling old town. The town's historic cobbled streets and famous squares are lined with an endless number of restaurants and bars, but holidaymakers blasted 'scammer' establishments for taking their hard-earned cash. Speaking to MailOnline outside these restaurants, Brits warned of how sneaky 'tricks' used by a number of venues left them paying more than €40 for a cocktail and more than €20 for a beer. TripAdvisor and Google to find out what methods were being used to rip off customers. MailOnline found the following 'tricks' were being used to fleece tourists: Restaurants and bars with bad TripAdvisor scores simply changes their names to confuse tourists Staff would lie about the cheapest and smallest drinks options, claiming the smallest sizes were a 1L glass or a 'fishbowl' Diners are told a restaurant's card machines don't work and are frogmarched to the ATM to get cash out Rip-off waiters use secret signals to communicate with each other while serving Brits drinks Tourists were not given bills and receipts were rarely itemised, in many cases written entirely in Greek Pushy staff bring out alcohol despite customers saying they did not want anything to drink George Bar, located opposite the clock tower in the Old Town, has a low Google review rating of 1.6 stars - not exactly an good advert for holidaymakers looking for a nice drink. But to avoid any bad press from its less than impressive online presence, owners seemingly have thought on their feet and changed the name completely. Signs are obscured by parasols and the few that can be seen have the words 'Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar' emblazoned on them. According to scathing Google reviews, the venue is constantly changing its name. When our reporter visited, she was greeted with a warm invite, eager to sit her down in the otherwise empty pub. And when she requested to see a menu, she was handed one filled with images of 'boots of beer' but with no prices displayed. But while there were options listed including a 500ml Guinness and a 300ml local Mythos, she was told the 'smallest' beer available on draught was a whopping 1L boot. To give venues the benefit of the doubt, we asked to clarify prices prior to placing orders. Justifying the €10 price for a 1L boot, the server said 'that is a normal price, it's just because of the size'. When later asking to pay, our reporter was told the card machine does not work and was asked to pay by cash. When the reporter said she does not have cash, she was made to wait nearly 20 minutes to finally be signalled over to pay. While one could assume this was a genuine one-off issue, online reviews indicate that it is a running ruse to get tourists to pay in cash. And it seems the tactic isn't reserved to just one spot. Further in the main square sits rooftop restaurant and bar Polloniatissa. Several of its workers stand around in the square persuading customers to come in, some even attracting unassuming couples by offering to take a picture of them, before then guilt-tripping them into dining at their venue. When our reporter visited, she was taken up to the rooftop, and provided with a drinks and food menu upon request. Here, the menu did for a change, have prices displayed. A small cocktail would cost €10, a medium €20, and a large €46. And when asked for clarification on sizes, the waiter, in a refreshing wave of honestly answered 'small is like a glass, medium is like three cocktails and large is massive'. This sounded promising. But Brit tourists just outside had told us of how cocktail prices and sizes were kept secret before a huge fishbowl was slapped on the table with a €46 bill following after. While they had stuck to the agreed small €10 cocktail when our reporter's bill came, the waiter had charged an extra €8 for tzatiki and bread which was not disclosed as an additional cost, when offered with the order of a chicken souvlaki. The waiter insisted the bread and dip had been served 'as a starter'. And in a similar instance to Velvet, or George Bar, whichever you could say their official name is, the reporter was again told the card machine was 'giving problems'. The waiter then turned away and began serving other customers without any explanation of what to do next. After 10 minutes of waiting, when the reporter again asked to pay, she was told the machine was still not working and was instructed to go down to the square and go to an ATM if 'that is easier'. Down in the small square, there are four ATMS, one on each corner - a sign that would suggest it is a trick utilised by a number of the restaurants. Google and Tripadvisor reviews would support this assertion. When our reporter refused and said she would wait to pay by card, another 15 minutes went by at which point she complained to another staff member. He immediately began ranting about his colleague, saying 'I honestly cannot tell you, I cannot tell you why he has not done it'. When she explained she was told the card machine did not work, he replied 'yes it does not, can you go to an ATM?' The worker then told a colleague: 'Why don't you take her to the ATM?' A few seconds later the disgruntled employee told us the machine did now miraculously work and takes the payment. Just a two-minute walk down from Hippocrates Square, where Polloniatissa sits, a man is using a flock of exotic birds to entice people to the 'Old Town Restaurant'. Or is it now called the 'Eat Lovers Taverna'? Or the 'Small Boat'? The restaurant, after a low 1.2 star review, is seemingly embarking on a never-ending rebrand project. Whichever it is, there is not a single clear sign on the building, which is complete with a rooftop terrace and striking pink and blue lights. It is done, it seems, so customers have no idea where they are dining, and so cannot search up its poor reviews. When our reporter visited and asked to sit on the rooftop for drinks, she was told it was 'not possible' and could only be seated upstairs if dining. Instead, she was offered an outdoor seat. The waiter came over to take her order but she requested to see a drinks menu first. The menu listed a Mythos 500ml for €7 and a 1L for €12. The waiter convinced the reporter a 1L 'will be nice' as it 'comes in a boot'. At the end when the reporter was ready to go, she was called to the till and billed the correct €12 amount. No faulty card machine tricks, no overcharging. However, the following day when the reporter returned to test out what happens when you do not request to see prices, the results were very different. Waiters were excited to see a returning customer - something which seemed to indicate it was a rare instance - and led her up to the rooftop. She was asked what she would like without being offered a menu, and the reporter asked for a 'standard' strawberry daiquiri and a chicken gyros. After a few minutes of waiting, she was incorrectly brought to the table an Aperol spritz. When she clarified this is not what she had ordered, it was taken away and replaced with the correct drink. A minor inconvenience. However, after around half an hour of waiting, a dish was brought to her table. It had originally been taken to the neighbouring table, who had confirmed it was not what they ordered. They then brought the dish to the reporter and offered she ate it. She said she ordered a chicken gyros and the waiter responded by suggesting she took it anyway, adding it was a 'beef and chicken' gyros. She said she does not eat beef and the plate was taken away. After another long wait the correct dish finally arrived. After finally being ready for the bill after a meal that took a lot longer than anticipated, the waiter said 'I will bring you a limoncello or a vodka'. When the reporter refused and asked instead for the bill, the pushy waiter continued to try and convince her. After another 'no thank you', the waiter disappeared and returned with, instead of a bill, two shots of prosecco in hand and placed them in front of the reporter. The reporter had to continually stated she had not ordered this and did not want it, with the waiter asking 'why?' and adding that it was not vodka but just some prosecco. Finally admitting defeat, the waiter turned around and left. After walking off he was seen using a secret signal to staff downstairs to kill the extra drinks - they had clearly been planning to put it on the bill. Still waiting for the bill, she asked another waiter, who requested she headed downstairs to pay. Approaching the till, she was asked to pay €35, with no explanation of costs. Asking for a breakdown, she was told the 'medium' cocktail was €15, apparently 'a discount' from the actual €20 cost, and the 'chicken souvlaki' was €20. After explaining the dish was a gyros and not a souvlaki, the cost was brought down by €5. Opposite 'Eat Lovers Taverna' in what is known as the Jewish Martyrs Square, sits 'Rendez-Vous'. Here, MailOnline sat down for a 'seafood souvlaki' and requested a Coke with it to drink. The menu had prices listed but did not have a specific listing for 'Coca-Cola' or soft drinks. Though, there was one line which listed 'refreshments, small 330ml €5 and large 1 liter €10'. Having not seen this by the time the waiter came by, the reporter asked how large a 'large Coke' was. She was told it was the size of two cans, and assumed that would come to around a pint. ADVERTISEMENT What arrived was a colossal 1L glass filled with heavily diluted Coke which was too flat to drink. During her time at the bar, a couple came in and asked the waiter about the disposable vapes displayed near the counter. The waiter told them that the vapes were priced at €15 each, to which the man was taken aback and asked 'for one?' The waiter then asked them whether they were from the UK and said it is 'cheaper there', to which the couple responded that the same vape would cost €5 in the UK. Back over by the Old Town's clocktower, next door to Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar, sits Lithos Bar. Again, there is very little signage to show the name of the bar. You could think it has something to do with the 1.5 star TripAdvisor reviews. As you walk in, there is a tiny sign reading 'Lithos Bar' that you may be able to spot if lucky. Our reporter was welcomed and again provided with menus upon request. And in a recurring trend among a number of the restaurants, while the food menu had prices stuck on, the drinks menus consisted of just pictures of large fishbowls. There is absolutely no indication of size or price. When ordering, the man asked about what flavours the reporter liked to recommend the correct cocktail, but again left out any mention of price or size. When our reporter asked how big the cocktails were he signalled that they were large like in the pictures. ADVERTISEMENT We then asked if there were any smaller options and he confirmed he could 'sort something', and when asked about the price was told it would be €10. We ordered a tzatiki to go with our drink and asked if the bread was included, which the waiter agreed there would be. It was then a surprise when the cocktail arrived in a large fishbowl not different to those in the images. When exclaiming 'I'd asked for a small cocktail', the reporter was told 'that is the smallest we have', with the waiter laughing at our reaction. In a sigh of relief however, the bar did stick to the original price agreed upon and only charged €10 for the fishbowl. This was somewhat confusing as other British tourists told of having paid more than €20 for the same sized cocktail at the same bar. As MailOnline attempted to locate 'The Gate', yet another apparent 'rip-off' restaurant with on average one and two star reviews, there seemed to have been a mistake. Only a restaurant named Castello stood in its place. Again, it is only through old reviews that holidaymakers are able to figure out that the restaurant and building is the same, and has just been rebranded in an attempt to confuse tourists. Here, in yet another case, the drinks menu had nothing but colourful pictures of fruits and descriptions of the fancy cocktails and 'slush puppies' on offer, but no indication of the prices or sizing. When our reporter ordered a Greek salad and some sparkling water, a small bottle of sparking water was brought out promptly. ADVERTISEMENT The rather reasonable portion of salad came to only €8.50, which was clearly stated on the menu. But the €5 charged for a sparkling water came as a shock. When the reporter questioned the price she was told 'that is the price' and then asked if she would like to provide a tip. 'They're scammers. Scammers.' Speaking to British tourists in the cobblestoned streets of Rhodes Old Town, many expressed their shared frustration over the 'rip-offs' and 'scams'. One couple told MailOnline: 'There's a lot of rip-offs around here let me tell you. 'We just got this one beer and a water from the shop, €12. How is that €12? 'And they always try to say "oh it's cheaper, it's cheaper if you give me cash". 'There's so many like that. I was trying to buy a bag and the woman said €20 but if you give it in cash I'll give it for €10. 'They're scammers. 'And bar this one place on the right, everywhere the gyros sound like its coming out of microwaves. 'The one back there, we literally heard it come out the microwave, it went "PING". 'And they do that boot thing. You can get a 1L one, or 2L ones. 'You know actually, we got two daiquiris around there right, it cost us like €60. '€60 for two daiquiris. It came out in the massive bowls. 'And some of the bars they charged like €8 for a 1L boot, some of them charge like €16. 'Actually one of them charged €16 for half a litre, an even smaller one.' ADVERTISEMENT Another couple told of a similar incident, pointing towards Polloniatissa. Katherine Lombard and Kyle Watson, both of the Isle of Man said: 'We had two drinks there that cost us €60. 'It was a cocktail and a boot of beer. It was like €66 euros or something. 'The boot was €20 and the cocktail was €46. I'd only seen it the day after. 'They bring out the big fishbowl which isn't what we asked for, we just thought it's a cocktail and a large beer. 'Other than that we have kind of managed to avoid it. As soon as someone asks us to come in we sort of think to ourselves "no". And the 'tourist traps' and pushy tactics seem to be no secret, with one couple telling us they were aware of it 'before' they arrived and had been careful not to get caught out. Charlotte and Ryan Squibb, from Colchester said: 'We haven't been caught out by any of them because I knew about it before we came. 'They apparently say it's cheap food but then they get you in and end up giving you huge drinks which are like ten euros a go. 'So we haven't gone near them, we know all about it.' Meanwhile, Mark and Ethan Williams, 38 and 18, from Exeter, had just arrived on a big family holiday and had already been subject to the extortionate prices. Mark said: 'We just got charged €150 for one round of drinks for nine people. 'They said it was €6 a pint before we went in but obviously when you go to pay you can't really argue. ADVERTISEMENT 'They get you with the boots, they brought out big 1L ones. 'And the cocktails were like €25 each and they're massive. 'We probably should have known. We're here for two weeks and only got here two days ago. 'It just means we'll be more wary going forward.' Another couple, who did not wish to be named, told of their frustrations with the prices. They said: 'There was a place just down there we went the other night was really expensive but not good food. 'The prices were on the menu but it was €40 for one gyros between two, a glass of wine - which was €12, a water and some pitta. 'For that price as well you expect it to be somewhere high-end. But it wasn't.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Ripped Rams coach Sean McVay and stunning wife Veronika Khomyn unwind on yacht in St Tropez
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and his glamorous wife Veronika Khomyn have fled California for some European sun. The 39-year-old and his wife were pictured soaking up the sun aboard a luxury yacht in St Tropez, France on Friday. McVay was snapped without a shirt on, exposing his ripped physique that is most likely the envy of some of his own Rams players. Meanwhile Veronika, a real estate broker at The Agency - the firm that is the focus of the Netflix show 'Buying Beverly Hills' - wore an outfit over her bikini. McVay is surely trying to avoid any talk of football as the upcoming NFL season approaches. The Rams are due to begin the training camp at LMU in Los Angeles on July 24. The pair were believed to have met in Washington DC between 2011-2016 while McVay, 39, worked as tight end coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. The couple are making the most of McVay's time off before the Rams begin their training camp During that time, Khomyn was studying international business at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Khomyn first hinted at their relationship by posting a picture with McVay on Instagram in 2016. The couple tied the knot in a lavish Beverly Hills wedding in June 2022, about four months after McVay won the Rams their second franchise Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. The couple welcomed their son, Jordan, in October 2023.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: The sneaky tactics used by pushy bar and restaurant staff on Greek holiday island to rip off Brit holidaymakers
British tourists are being ripped off on the Greek island of Rhodes by a series of covert tactics used by pushy restaurant and bar staff, a MailOnline investigation has revealed. Our reporter travelled to the holiday hotspot this week and visited some of its most popular venues in the heart of its bustling old town. The town's historic cobbled streets and famous squares are lined with an endless number of restaurants and bars, but holidaymakers blasted 'scammer' establishments for taking their hard-earned cash. Speaking to MailOnline outside these restaurants, Brits warned of how sneaky 'tricks' used by a number of venues left them paying more than €40 for a cocktail and more than €20 for a beer. To investigate, MailOnline visited six of the worst-rated restaurants and bars on TripAdvisor and Google to find out what methods were being used to rip off customers. MailOnline found the following 'tricks' were being used to fleece tourists: Restaurants had menus WITHOUT prices or sizes displayed Restaurants and bars with bad TripAdvisor scores simply changes their names to confuse tourists Staff would lie about the cheapest and smallest drinks options, claiming the smallest sizes were a 1L glass or a 'fishbowl' Diners are told a restaurant's card machines don't work and are frogmarched to the ATM to get cash out Rip-off waiters use secret signals to communicate with each other while serving Brits drinks Tourists were not given bills and receipts were rarely itemised, in many cases written entirely in Greek Pushy staff bring out alcohol despite customers saying they did not want anything to drink George Bar, located opposite the clock tower in the Old Town, has a low Google review rating of 1.6 stars - not exactly an good advert for holidaymakers looking for a nice drink. But to avoid any bad press from its less than impressive online presence, owners seemingly have thought on their feet and changed the name completely. Signs are obscured by parasols and the few that can be seen have the words 'Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar' emblazoned on them. According to scathing Google reviews, the venue is constantly changing its name. When our reporter visited, she was greeted with a warm invite, eager to sit her down in the otherwise empty pub. And when she requested to see a menu, she was handed one filled with images of 'boots of beer' but with no prices displayed. But while there were options listed including a 500ml Guinness and a 300ml local Mythos, she was told the 'smallest' beer available on draught was a whopping 1L boot. To give venues the benefit of the doubt, we asked to clarify prices prior to placing orders. Justifying the €10 price for a 1L boot, the server said 'that is a normal price, it's just because of the size'. When later asking to pay, our reporter was told the card machine does not work and was asked to pay by cash. When the reporter said she does not have cash, she was made to wait nearly 20 minutes to finally be signalled over to pay. While one could assume this was a genuine one-off issue, online reviews indicate that it is a running ruse to get tourists to pay in cash. And it seems the tactic isn't reserved to just one spot. Further in the main square sits rooftop restaurant and bar Polloniatissa. Several of its workers stand around in the square persuading customers to come in, some even attracting unassuming couples by offering to take a picture of them, before then guilt-tripping them into dining at their venue. When our reporter visited, she was taken up to the rooftop, and provided with a drinks and food menu upon request. A worker at Polloniatissa who, when the reporter tells him she has waited half an hour to pay, asks if she can 'go to an ATM?' Here, the menu did for a change, have prices displayed. A small cocktail would cost €10, a medium €20, and a large €46. And when asked for clarification on sizes, the waiter, in a refreshing wave of honestly answered 'small is like a glass, medium is like three cocktails and large is massive'. This sounded promising. But Brit tourists just outside had told us of how cocktail prices and sizes were kept secret before a huge fishbowl was slapped on the table with a €46 bill following after. While they had stuck to the agreed small €10 cocktail when our reporter's bill came, the waiter had charged an extra €8 for tzatiki and bread which was not disclosed as an additional cost, when offered with the order of a chicken souvlaki. The waiter insisted the bread and dip had been served 'as a starter'. And in a similar instance to Velvet, or George Bar, whichever you could say their official name is, the reporter was again told the card machine was 'giving problems'. The waiter then turned away and began serving other customers without any explanation of what to do next. After 10 minutes of waiting, when the reporter again asked to pay, she was told the machine was still not working and was instructed to go down to the square and go to an ATM if 'that is easier'. Down in the small square, there are four ATMS, one on each corner - a sign that would suggest it is a trick utilised by a number of the restaurants. Google and Tripadvisor reviews would support this assertion. When our reporter refused and said she would wait to pay by card, another 15 minutes went by at which point she complained to another staff member. He immediately began ranting about his colleague, saying 'I honestly cannot tell you, I cannot tell you why he has not done it'. When she explained she was told the card machine did not work, he replied 'yes it does not, can you go to an ATM?' The worker then told a colleague: 'Why don't you take her to the ATM?' A few seconds later the disgruntled employee told us the machine did now miraculously work and takes the payment. Just a two-minute walk down from Hippocrates Square, where Polloniatissa sits, a man is using a flock of exotic birds to entice people to the 'Old Town Restaurant'. Or is it now called the 'Eat Lovers Taverna'? Or the 'Small Boat'? The restaurant, after a low 1.2 star review, is seemingly embarking on a never-ending rebrand project. Whichever it is, there is not a single clear sign on the building, which is complete with a rooftop terrace and striking pink and blue lights. It is done, it seems, so customers have no idea where they are dining, and so cannot search up its poor reviews. When our reporter visited and asked to sit on the rooftop for drinks, she was told it was 'not possible' and could only be seated upstairs if dining. Instead, she was offered an outdoor seat. The waiter came over to take her order but she requested to see a drinks menu first. The menu listed a Mythos 500ml for €7 and a 1L for €12. The waiter convinced the reporter a 1L 'will be nice' as it 'comes in a boot'. At the end when the reporter was ready to go, she was called to the till and billed the correct €12 amount. No faulty card machine tricks, no overcharging. However, the following day when the reporter returned to test out what happens when you do not request to see prices, the results were very different. Waiters were excited to see a returning customer - something which seemed to indicate it was a rare instance - and led her up to the rooftop. She was asked what she would like without being offered a menu, and the reporter asked for a 'standard' strawberry daiquiri and a chicken gyros. After a few minutes of waiting, she was incorrectly brought to the table an Aperol spritz. When she clarified this is not what she had ordered, it was taken away and replaced with the correct drink. A minor inconvenience. However, after around half an hour of waiting, a dish was brought to her table. It had originally been taken to the neighbouring table, who had confirmed it was not what they ordered. They then brought the dish to the reporter and offered she ate it. She said she ordered a chicken gyros and the waiter responded by suggesting she took it anyway, adding it was a 'beef and chicken' gyros. She said she does not eat beef and the plate was taken away. After another long wait the correct dish finally arrived. After finally being ready for the bill after a meal that took a lot longer than anticipated, the waiter said 'I will bring you a limoncello or a vodka'. When the reporter refused and asked instead for the bill, the pushy waiter continued to try and convince her. After another 'no thank you', the waiter disappeared and returned with, instead of a bill, two shots of prosecco in hand and placed them in front of the reporter. The reporter had to continually stated she had not ordered this and did not want it, with the waiter asking 'why?' and adding that it was not vodka but just some prosecco. Finally admitting defeat, the waiter turned around and left. After walking off he was seen using a secret signal to staff downstairs to kill the extra drinks - they had clearly been planning to put it on the bill. Still waiting for the bill, she asked another waiter, who requested she headed downstairs to pay. Approaching the till, she was asked to pay €35, with no explanation of costs. Asking for a breakdown, she was told the 'medium' cocktail was €15, apparently 'a discount' from the actual €20 cost, and the 'chicken souvlaki' was €20. After explaining the dish was a gyros and not a souvlaki, the cost was brought down by €5. Opposite 'Eat Lovers Taverna' in what is known as the Jewish Martyrs Square, sits 'Rendez-Vous'. Here, MailOnline sat down for a 'seafood souvlaki' and requested a Coke with it to drink. The menu had prices listed but did not have a specific listing for 'Coca-Cola' or soft drinks. Though, there was one line which listed 'refreshments, small 330ml €5 and large 1 liter €10'. Having not seen this by the time the waiter came by, the reporter asked how large a 'large Coke' was. She was told it was the size of two cans, and assumed that would come to around a pint. What arrived was a colossal 1L glass filled with heavily diluted Coke which was too flat to drink. During her time at the bar, a couple came in and asked the waiter about the disposable vapes displayed near the counter. The waiter told them that the vapes were priced at €15 each, to which the man was taken aback and asked 'for one?' The waiter then asked them whether they were from the UK and said it is 'cheaper there', to which the couple responded that the same vape would cost €5 in the UK. Back over by the Old Town's clocktower, next door to Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar, sits Lithos Bar. Again, there is very little signage to show the name of the bar. You could think it has something to do with the 1.5 star TripAdvisor reviews. As you walk in, there is a tiny sign reading 'Lithos Bar' that you may be able to spot if lucky. Our reporter was welcomed and again provided with menus upon request. And in a recurring trend among a number of the restaurants, while the food menu had prices stuck on, the drinks menus consisted of just pictures of large fishbowls. There is absolutely no indication of size or price. When ordering, the man asked about what flavours the reporter liked to recommend the correct cocktail, but again left out any mention of price or size. When our reporter asked how big the cocktails were he signalled that they were large like in the pictures. We then asked if there were any smaller options and he confirmed he could 'sort something', and when asked about the price was told it would be €10. We ordered a tzatiki to go with our drink and asked if the bread was included, which the waiter agreed there would be. It was then a surprise when the cocktail arrived in a large fishbowl not different to those in the images. When exclaiming 'I'd asked for a small cocktail', the reporter was told 'that is the smallest we have', with the waiter laughing at our reaction. In a sigh of relief however, the bar did stick to the original price agreed upon and only charged €10 for the fishbowl. This was somewhat confusing as other British tourists told of having paid more than €20 for the same sized cocktail at the same bar. As MailOnline attempted to locate 'The Gate', yet another apparent 'rip-off' restaurant with on average one and two star reviews, there seemed to have been a mistake. Only a restaurant named Castello stood in its place. Again, it is only through old reviews that holidaymakers are able to figure out that the restaurant and building is the same, and has just been rebranded in an attempt to confuse tourists. Here, in yet another case, the drinks menu had nothing but colourful pictures of fruits and descriptions of the fancy cocktails and 'slush puppies' on offer, but no indication of the prices or sizing. When our reporter ordered a Greek salad and some sparkling water, a small bottle of sparking water was brought out promptly. The rather reasonable portion of salad came to only €8.50, which was clearly stated on the menu. But the €5 charged for a sparkling water came as a shock. When the reporter questioned the price she was told 'that is the price' and then asked if she would like to provide a tip. 'They're scammers. Scammers.' Speaking to British tourists in the cobblestoned streets of Rhodes Old Town, many expressed their shared frustration over the 'rip-offs' and 'scams'. One couple told MailOnline: 'There's a lot of rip-offs around here let me tell you. 'We just got this one beer and a water from the shop, €12. How is that €12? 'And they always try to say "oh it's cheaper, it's cheaper if you give me cash". 'There's so many like that. I was trying to buy a bag and the woman said €20 but if you give it in cash I'll give it for €10. 'They're scammers. 'And bar this one place on the right, everywhere the gyros sound like its coming out of microwaves. 'The one back there, we literally heard it come out the microwave, it went "PING". 'And they do that boot thing. You can get a 1L one, or 2L ones. 'You know actually, we got two daiquiris around there right, it cost us like €60. '€60 for two daiquiris. It came out in the massive bowls. 'And some of the bars they charged like €8 for a 1L boot, some of them charge like €16. 'Actually one of them charged €16 for half a litre, an even smaller one.' Another couple told of a similar incident, pointing towards Polloniatissa. Katherine Lombard and Kyle Watson, both of the Isle of Man said: 'We had two drinks there that cost us €60. 'It was a cocktail and a boot of beer. It was like €66 euros or something. 'The boot was €20 and the cocktail was €46. I'd only seen it the day after. 'They bring out the big fishbowl which isn't what we asked for, we just thought it's a cocktail and a large beer. 'Other than that we have kind of managed to avoid it. As soon as someone asks us to come in we sort of think to ourselves "no". And the 'tourist traps' and pushy tactics seem to be no secret, with one couple telling us they were aware of it 'before' they arrived and had been careful not to get caught out. Charlotte and Ryan Squibb, from Colchester said: 'We haven't been caught out by any of them because I knew about it before we came. 'They apparently say it's cheap food but then they get you in and end up giving you huge drinks which are like ten euros a go. 'So we haven't gone near them, we know all about it.' Meanwhile, Mark and Ethan Williams, 38 and 18, from Exeter, had just arrived on a big family holiday and had already been subject to the extortionate prices. Mark said: 'We just got charged €150 for one round of drinks for nine people. 'They said it was €6 a pint before we went in but obviously when you go to pay you can't really argue. 'They get you with the boots, they brought out big 1L ones. 'And the cocktails were like €25 each and they're massive. 'We probably should have known. We're here for two weeks and only got here two days ago. 'It just means we'll be more wary going forward.' Another couple, who did not wish to be named, told of their frustrations with the prices. They said: 'There was a place just down there we went the other night was really expensive but not good food. 'The prices were on the menu but it was €40 for one gyros between two, a glass of wine - which was €12, a water and some pitta.
