Rethymno Province
The 16th-century Arkadi Monastery, 23km southeast of Rethymno, has deep significance for Cretans. As the site where hundreds of cornered locals massacred…
Must-see attractions in Rethymno Province
Rethymno Province
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,…
Rethymno Province
A must-see for anyone visiting the ruins of Eleutherna is the accompanying modern museum that contextualises the ancient city through the exhibition of…
Rethymno Province
About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…
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Archaeological Museum of Rethymno
Rethymno
Set inside the atmospheric Venetian-built Church of St Francis, this well-curated museum features a stunning collection of well-preserved relics unearthed…
Rethymno
Looming over Rethymno, the star-shaped Venetian fortress cuts an imposing figure with its massive walls and bastions but was nevertheless unable to stave…
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Rethymno Province
The archaeological site of Ancient Eleutherna is a Dorian-built settlement that was among the most important in the 8th and 7th centuries BC, and also…
Rethymno Province
Historic Moni Preveli cuts an imposing silhouette high above the Libyan Sea. Like most Cretan monasteries, it was a centre of resistance during the…
Rethymno
Rethymno’s compact historic harbour is chock-a-block with tourist-geared fish tavernas and cafes. For a more atmospheric perspective, walk along the…
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Military Museum of Chromonastiri
Rethymno Province
Offering a sobering account of the Battle of Crete – one of WWII's most infamous battles, which was waged in 1941 in this very area – is this small war…
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Rethymno Province
This peaceful square is anchored by a statue of an unknown solider that honours Anogia's role in WWII. As the main centre of resistance against Nazi…
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Rethymno Province
A popular hike from Rethymno is through this lush, leafy gorge that spans 4km along a scenic stream. Along the route you'll encounter stone houses from…
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Rethymno Province
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…
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Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni
Rethymno Province
Wandering around this leafy cemetery created by the Minoans between 1600 and 1150 BC, you can practically sense the presence of uncounted souls once…
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Rethymno Province
Here guided tours take you 270m below ground and through seven chambers with such fanciful names as Sanctuary of the Fairy and Zeus’ Palace. All teem with…
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Rethymno Province
Also known as Palm Beach, dazzling Preveli is one of Crete’s most celebrated strands. At the mouth of the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, where the river…
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Rethymno Province
Agios Pavlos' main beach comprises a brown arc of sand that's topped by steep dunes, and a rocky bluff that resembles a recumbent dragon. When the sun's…
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Rethymno Province
On the western outskirts of town are these botanical gardens filled with an aromatic variety of plant species from Crete and across the globe. You're free…
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Rethymno Province
Fronted by a massive sculpture of Hercules killing the lion, this private museum in the village of Axos is essentially a showcase of the work of self…
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Rethymno
Built right into the cliff beneath the Venetian fortress, tiny Agios Spyridon has enough atmosphere to fill a cathedral. This Byzantine chapel is filled…
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Rethymno Province
A short walk uphill from the lower village square, this humble museum presents the paintings and sculptures of Anogia-born folk artist Alkiviadis Skoulas …
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Rethymno Province
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…
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Rethymno
The highlight of this dusty old museum are the displays of fossilised tusks and bones from the dwarf Cretan elephant and pygmy hippopotamus. Both were…
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Rethymno Province
Near the top of Mt Psiloritis, at 1750m, Skinakas Observatory is operated by the University of Crete and is the country's most significant stargazing…
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Rethymno Province
Agia Gallini has its place in the annals of Greek mythology as the site where Icarus and Daedalus are believed to have taken their ill-fated flight from…
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Rethymno Province
Crete's most famous musician, the lyra player and singer Nikos Xyouris, was born in this modest house on the lower village square, and today his family…
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Rethymno Province
Karavostasi, the northernmost of Bali's string of beaches, is also the smallest and quietest. Its tanned-sandy beach is family friendly, with sunloungers…
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Rethymno Province
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…
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Rethymno Province
Right on the Nida Plateau, high on Mt Psiloritis, you can make out this sprawling landscape sculpture created by German artist Karina Raeck in 1991 to…
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Rethymno
The cornerstone of the permanent collection of this well-curated modern-art museum, founded in 1992, is the oils, drawings and watercolours of local lad…
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Rethymno
This nicely restored 16th-century landmark originally served as a meeting house for Venetian nobility to discuss politics and money, and morphed into a…
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Rethymno Province
Separated by a headland, Triopetra is divided into two beaches: ‘Big Triopetra’ and ‘Little Triopetra’. The former is the main attraction and features a…
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Rethymno Province
Up a footpath at the northern end of town, this place is a treasure trove of local vintage artefacts. The giant loom or the coffee-bean roaster might…
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Rethymno Province
Coins unearthed in Panormo indicate that a village flourished here between the 1st and 9th centuries AD, but the only in situ evidence from this period…
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Rethymno
Another vestige of Venetian rule is this small fountain where water spouts from three lions’ heads into three basins flanked by Corinthian columns. Above…
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Rethymno Province
Ancient Lappa’s cemetery lies north of the town and is reached via a signed 1.5km footpath from the main square. Hundreds of tombs have been cut into the…
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Rethymno
This triple-domed mosque began life as an Augustinian church and was converted by the Turks in 1657, although the recently restored minaret wasn't added…
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Rethymno Province
The main local attraction is this restored fountain that spurts water from 19 stone lion heads into a long trough. Fill up your own bottle with some of…
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Rethymno Province
Spili is a bishop’s see (seat of a bishop), based at the massive modern monastery on the main road at the western end of town. You’re free to walk around…
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Rethymno Province
For wonderful views overlooking Panormo's port, head up the hill to a tiny segment of stone wall that remains from a 13th-century fortress. It's believed…
