Rethymno Old Town

Ρέθυμνο

An old town blending Venetian and Ottoman architecture, with alleys of Rimondi Fountain, minarets and wooden balconies. Fortezza fortress on the hill overlooks the harbor and a 13-km beach.

Rethymno lies on the north coast between Heraklion and Chania, roughly 80 km from each. It is Crete's third-largest city. Its old town survives more intact than Chania's from the Venetian period (1204-1669), and Ottoman-era minarets and enclosed wooden balconies were later added, creating a distinctive mix of styles. Highlights include: the Fortezza on the hill to the west, built by the Venetians in 1573 to guard against the Ottomans and one of the largest Venetian fortresses, with a mosque dome, walls overlooking the bay and an entrance fee of about €4, best seen at sunset; the Rimondi Fountain in the center of the old town (1626, with three lion-head spouts), the Venetian Loggia and the Porta Guora gate; the Neratze Mosque, formerly a Venetian church, which has Crete's tallest minaret and now serves as a music academy; the restaurants and lighthouse in the small Venetian harbor; and the handicraft, leather and filo pastry shops in the alleys, draped with vines and bougainvillea (the Kokkinos bakery in the old town is recommended). East of the old town stretches Crete's longest city beach, 13 km long, lined with resort hotels that make it ideal for a few days with the family. Nearby, you can visit the Arkadi Monastery, a symbol of the 1866 uprising (20 km), and the Preveli Palm Beach on the south coast (35 km). The Renaissance Festival, held every July, performs inside the fortress. Getting there: KTEL buses run from Heraklion or Chania in about 1-1.5 hours, one per hour. The old town is walkable, and if you drive, park in the lots near the harbor.

Rethymno Old Town

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