Rethymno

A Venetian-Ottoman old town and long-beach resort on Crete's north coast, with trips south to Arkadi Monastery and Preveli's palm beach and up Mount Ida to the Idaean Cave of Zeus.

Rethymno lies in the middle of Crete's north coast, about 60–80 km from Chania to the west and Heraklion to the east. It is Crete's third-largest city and capital of the Rethymno regional unit. The old town preserves layers of Venetian (1204–1669) and Ottoman urban fabric: the Fortezza on its hill, the Rimondi Fountain, the Venetian Loggia and the old harbour lighthouse, interspersed with minarets, enclosed wooden balconies and bougainvillea-draped alleys. Half a day to a full day on foot is enough to explore it. East of the old town stretches a town beach more than ten kilometres long, lined with resort hotels. Excursions fall into three routes: the southeastern inland route takes in Arkadi Monastery, the ancient site of Eleutherna, the pottery village of Margarites and Melidoni Cave; the Mount Ida route passes through the mountain village of Anogeia up to the Nida Plateau and the Idaean Cave, mythical birthplace of Zeus; and the south coast route runs through the Kourtaliotiko Gorge to Preveli's palm beach, Plakias and Damnoni, with Agia Galini and Triopetra further east. The south coast is about 40 minutes to 1 hour's drive away. The climate is Mediterranean: May–Jun and Sep–Oct are the most pleasant, Jul–Aug is hot with crowded beaches, and winters are mild but many seaside tavernas close. A Renaissance Festival is held at the Fortezza in July. Getting there: the nearest airports are Chania and Heraklion, with frequent KTEL buses taking about 1–1.5 hours. The old town is best explored on foot, but sights in the surrounding area are spread out, so renting a car is recommended. Plan to stay 2–4 days; Rethymno pairs well with Chania and Heraklion on a Crete road trip.

Top sights

• Fortezza of Rethymno – A headland fortress built by the Venetians between 1573 and 1580. Its walls encircle the entire hill, and inside is a mosque with a large d…
• Rethymno Old Town – An old town blending Venetian and Ottoman architecture, with alleys of Rimondi Fountain, minarets and wooden balconies. Fortezza fortress o…
• Arkadi Monastery – A symbol of Crete's fight for independence. In 1866, the besieged defenders and refugees blew up the gunpowder store and died, and the chur…
• Rimondi Fountain – A public fountain built in 1626 by the Venetian governor Rimondi, with three lion-head spouts and Corinthian columns. It is a landmark and…
• Neratze Mosque – Originally the Venetian Augustinian Church of Our Lady, converted into a mosque in the Ottoman period with three added domes and a tall min…
• Venetian Harbour & Lighthouse of Rethymno – A small semicircular Venetian harbor crowded with seafood restaurants. At the end of the breakwater stands a 19th-century Ottoman-era stone…
• Rethymno Beach – A golden sand beach stretching more than 10 km from the new harbor on the east side of the old town. Hotels, restaurants and beach bars lin…
• Archaeological Museum of Rethymno – An archaeological museum in the Venetian-era Church of St. Francis in the old town, displaying artifacts from the Rethymno region in chrono…
• Margarites – A mountain village at the foot of Mount Ida, famous for handmade pottery, with more than a dozen pottery workshops where you can watch mast…
• Ancient Eleutherna & Museum – A Dorian to Roman ancient city on the northern slopes of Mount Ida. Its cemetery yielded Geometric-period aristocratic tombs and the “Godde…
• Idaean Cave & Nida Plateau – The mythical Idaean Cave on the plateau of Mount Ida (Psiloritis) at about 1,500 m, where Zeus is said to have been raised. The Nida Platea…
• Anogeia – A traditional Cretan mountain village at the foot of Mount Ida, known for lyra music, handmade weaving and charcoal-grilled lamb. A symbol…
• Melidoni Cave – A limestone cave with a stalactite-filled chamber. It was a sacred site for Hermes in ancient times. In 1824, hundreds of villagers were sm…
• Argyroupoli – A mountain village built on the site of the ancient city of Lappa, where abundant springs well up in the valley below. Waterfalls, water mi…
• Bali – A resort fishing village between Rethymno and Heraklion on the north coast. Several small bays enclosed by headlands have clear blue water…
• Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni – Over 200 late Minoan rock-cut tombs in an oak grove beside the road south of Rethymno toward Spili. It is worth a half-hour stop on the way.

Where to eat

• Avli Restaurant – A courtyard restaurant in a 15th-century Venetian mansion, known for its Cretan tasting menu paired with olive oils.
• Zefyros Fish Taverna – A family seafood institution on the old Venetian harbor, where you can pick your own fish and watch the sunset by the l…
• 1600 Raki Ba Raki – A modern raki bar run by the owners of Avli, offering affordable Cretan cured meats, cheeses and bar snacks.
• Bakalogatos – A family meze spot on Mavrokordatou Street in the old town, open late, known for its snails and meze platters.

Itineraries

• Crete West-to-East Road Trip – A self-drive route across Crete, flying into Chania, driving towards Agios Nikolaos, and flying out of Heraklion.