The steep climb up to this family-run taverna is worth the effort for the outstanding views alone: there's a commanding outlook over the translucent waters of Varkotopo beach and its mountainous backdrop. In business since 1975, Psaropoula does Greek and Cretan standards, but it's the grilled-seafood banquets (€18 to €28 for two people) that attract most folk here.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
22.81 MILES
Crete’s most famous historical attraction is the Palace of Knossos, the grand capital of Minoan Crete, located 5km south of the city of Iraklio. The…
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
20.62 MILES
This state-of-the-art museum is one of the largest and most important in Greece. The two-storey revamped 1930s Bauhaus building makes a gleaming showcase…
25.83 MILES
Gortyna (also Gortyn or Gortys) has been inhabited since Neolithic times but reached its pinnacle after becoming the capital of Roman Crete from around 67…
24.85 MILES
Phaestos was the second-most-important Minoan palace-city after Knossos and enjoys an awe-inspiring setting with panoramic views of the Messara Plain and…
11.13 MILES
The 16th-century Arkadi Monastery, 23km southeast of Rethymno, has deep significance for Cretans. As the site where hundreds of cornered locals massacred…
14.24 MILES
Although just a huge and fairly featureless hole in the ground, Ideon has sacred importance in mythology as the place where Zeus was reared by his mother,…
8.77 MILES
A must-see for anyone visiting the ruins of Eleutherna is the accompanying modern museum that contextualises the ancient city through the exhibition of…
3.52 MILES
About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…
Nearby Rethymno Province attractions
0.06 MILES
Bali's most central beach – between Livadi and Limani – is this pretty strip of sand flanked by young palm trees. There are some quite classy bars here…
0.19 MILES
The old port of Limani has a narrow crescent of attractive beach with greyish-brown sand lined with sunloungers, plenty of cafes and water-sport operators.
0.3 MILES
Brown-sand Livadi is Bali's biggest and widest beach, with bit of a party vibe. It’s packed with chairs and umbrellas, and bars, tavernas and cafes run…
0.41 MILES
Karavostasi, the northernmost of Bali's string of beaches, is also the smallest and quietest. Its tanned-sandy beach is family friendly, with sunloungers…
3.52 MILES
About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…
6. Paraschakis Olive Oil Factory
3.97 MILES
If you're out this way for Melidoni Cave, tack on a visit to this nearby olive-oil factory for a lowdown on the production process. Its welcoming American…
4.29 MILES
While Iraklio gets all the plaudits as Crete's main wine producer, Rethymno has the honour of being the first place in Greece to be named a 'European City…
4.82 MILES
This charming village, 9km southeast of Melidoni, served as a bishopric under Venetian rule and is a maze of lanes lined with well-preserved stone…