Rethymnon
Rethymnon is the third largest city in Crete with a population of about 30,000. The old town of Rethymnon is one of the most beautiful in Crete, together with Chania. The visitor will be delighted to discover its architectural past, from the Ottoman and Venetian times. Picturesque alleys, taverns with traditional music, gardens, aromas, monuments and a beautiful sandy beach. Rethymnon is a good starting point to discover the surroundings, the coastal and mountain villages, the historical sites or the beaches of the south, especially Preveli. (See more in « Rethymnon city » of our blog).
How to get there
La Crète est desservie par de nombreux vols directs, depuis les grandes villes européennes. ils atterrissent à Héraklion ou à Chania. Réthymnon, qui n’a pas d’aéroport, se trouve entre ces deux villes, à 3/4h de route. On y accède aussi en bateau, en provenance du Pirée. Enfin, pour les déplacements intérieurs, on peut utiliser les transports publics de KTEL.
To know, to visit, to do
Visit the largest fortress in Crete, the majestic citadel of Fortezza, the small Venetian port with its lighthouse, lined with small restaurants, the archaeological museum, temporarily housed in the basilica of St. Francis in the old town of Rethymnon venetian Loggia, the Rimondi fountain, the municipal garden, the mosque Nerantzes, the Church Saint-François… Enfin, le visiteur peut profiter d’une baignade agréable sur la longue plage de sable fin.
To visit in the surroundings
Margarites, the traditional pottery village. The beautiful historic monastery of Arkadi. And in the south of the department, by the sea, the village of Plakias in a beautiful natural setting. Also, the monastery of Preveli and swim in the the palm beach. Finally, discover the Agios Pavlos, and finally, the fishing village, and very lively in summer, of Agia Galini.
Restaurants
Raki Baraki (5-20€), cool atmosphere, authentic Cretan mezes (tapas). Taverna Zissis (8-20€), an award-winning restaurant with local cuisine, nice decor and warm surroundings. Lemonokipos (10-40€), under the lemon and pomegranate trees, offers good food
Top 10 in Crete: Loutro – Elafonisi – Falasarna – Balos – Chania – Samaria gorge – Rethymnon – Knossos – Agios Nikolaos – Vai Beach
