Rethymno
Rethymno is the third largest city of Crete after Heraklion and Chania. It is a romantic city with more of a provincial air and a place one falls in love at first sight. Visitors are able to feel the positive vibes of the city from the very first moment, making them feel at home.
The old city of Rethymno still preserves its old urban structure to a great extend, formed during the Venetian period and later reformed during the Turkish occupation.
How to get to Rethymno
The city of Rethymno lies in between Chania & Heraklion city and as it has no airport you will have to either find a flight to Chania or Heraklion airport.
If you decide to rent a car arriving at the airport either of Chania or Heraklion you will need only 1 hour till Rethymno from both cities.
| Languages spoken | Greek - Hellenic |
|---|---|
| Currency used | Euros (€) |
| Country name | Greece - Hellas |
Places to see
When visiting Rethymno you should definitely go and visit the below monuments and places :
The Fortezza of Rethymnon Crete: The Venetian stronghold of Fortezza is built on top of a low hill above Rethymno Town, Crete. The hill is known as Paleokastro, which means old castle in Greek and suggests the existence of an older structure in that place. This huge fortress, with its turbulent history, was built between 1540 and 1570 by the Venetian maritime power as a bulwark against Turkish pirates.
The Venetian Loggia in Rethymno Crete: The Loggia of Rethymno is a 16th-century Venetian building situated right in the center of the Old Town of Rethymno. It is a wonderful square building with three visible walls, each provided with three equal semicircular arches. The middle arch provides an entrance at the ground level. The southern side of this elegant structure has no opening.The Loggia of Rethymno used to be the meeting place of the noble people of the town to discuss economic and political issues. It also acted as a hosting place for many business and entertainment activities of the Venetians.
The Archaeological Museum in Rethymno Town, Crete: The Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon was founded in 1887 by the Society of Friends of Education. Since 1991, the museum is housed in the Pentagon bastion opposite the main entrance of Fortezza, while the gift shop of the museum is housed in Lotzia. The museum hosts findings from various ancient sites, caves, and excavations all over the prefecture of Rethymnon Crete.These findings date from the Late Neolithic and Proto-Minoan times till the late Roman period
The Rimondi Fountain in Rethymno Crete, Greece: A small but elegantly classical structure stands at Petichaki square, in the heart of the old town of Rethymno, close to Loggia. This is the Rimondi fountain built in 1626 during the Venetian rule. Named after the Venetian governor of the period, A. Rimondi, it continually threw water from three springs that had the form of lion heads and provided an important water source for the inhabitants of the Old Town.
The Ideon Cave in Rethymno Crete: The Cave of Ideon Andron is found 20km from Anogia, a small traditional village at the borders of the prefectures of Heraklion and Rethymno, towards Nida Plateau. Mythological beliefs say that this was the place where the Greek god Zeus grew up in his childhood. The cave is perched on the Eastern face of Mount Psiloritis, or else Mount Idi, at an altitude of 1,495 meters.
The Holy Monastery of Arkadi in Rethymnon Crete: Arkadi is a place of special historical interest, known for the events that took place during the revolution of 1866. The monastery is built on the edge of the high plateau. This is one of the most important monuments of Crete and an interesting pole of attraction for visitors.