Rethymno

Rethymno: the Renaissance city of Crete

Rethymno has perhaps the best-preserved old town in all of Crete. Narrow alleys with Venetian mansions and Ottoman minarets, an atmospheric old town that smells of history, and a picturesque Venetian harbor with the lighthouse that is one of the most photographed spots on the island. Dominating from above is the Fortezza, the large Venetian fortress with views of the entire city and the sea.

It is a city that can be walked for hours, with small shops, cafes in courtyards with jasmine trees and taverns with authentic cuisine. Next to it, a long sandy beach stretches for kilometers.

How to get there from Heraklion

Rethymno is about eighty kilometers from Heraklion, a comfortable drive of about an hour via the northern road, with sea views almost the entire way. It is an ideal destination for a day trip.

You can arrive comfortably with your own car, park near the old town and have the freedom to stop along the way, for example at the Arkadi Monastery or at a beach.

What to see and do

Get lost in the alleys of the old town, climb the Fortezza for the view and walk along the walls, and enjoy the sunset at the Venetian harbor. Try Cretan cuisine at a tavern in the old town and, if you have time, visit the historic monastery of Arkadi, a few kilometers southeast.

Good to know

Η παλιά πόλη είναι πεζόδρομος σε μεγάλο βαθμό, οπότε αφήστε το αυτοκίνητο σε ένα πάρκινγκ στην περίμετρο και συνεχίστε με τα πόδια. Φορέστε άνετα παπούτσια για τα καλντερίμια. Αφήστε το αυτοκίνητο στην περίμετρο της παλιάς πόλης και συνεχίστε περπατώντας, εκεί κρύβεται η γοητεία της.