Discovering Rethymno, one of Crete’s most enchanting towns

Rethymno combines an old town’s charm and history, with a close proximity to a long sandy beach. Although it is in essence a city, it feels extremely laid back and provincial, mostly due to its Venetian and Turkish history and appearance.

You can arrive at Rethymno by sea on one of the frequent ferries, and be just five minutes’ walk away from the centre of the old town. But don’t be in a rush; take time to sample a real cup of coffee in the Venetian harbour area.

The Fortress dominates the area and makes Rethymno very photogenic indeed. Built in the 16th century, this fort is an integral part of the old town, well worth the climb to see the views on all sides, and feel the ocean breezes.  At the entrance to the fortress there is an interesting museum, exhibiting items from Neolithic to Roman times.

Below in Rethymno’s pedestrianised streets of charming Venetian inspired buildings, you can feel the influence of its past. There are several minarets and domed mosques, the main ones being the Neratze mosque and the Kara Musa Pasa mosque. One restored Venetian building with an interior courtyard, houses eight halls full of an outstanding folklore collection with over 5,000 items. Head for Souliou Street to find just about anything you may want to purchase as a reminder of your holiday.

There is, what seems, an endless beach strip, which stretches from the east side of Rethymno, way out towards neighbouring villages.Turtles are constant visitors along this beach between June and August, in order to lay their eggs. Stroll along the harbour wall to visit the Venetian lighthouse. For really incredible views over Rethymno and dramatic sea vistas, head uphill following signs to Agia Irini.

Venturing beyond the town, there are some seriously impressive gorges, monasteries, traditional villages, ancient churches, and stunning mountains views of Psiloritis and the Lefka Ori (White Mountains).

Rethymno is nearly equidistant from two airports, Chania and Heraklion, or you can arrive by ferry from Pireas on an overnight sailing.