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 The picturesque
town of Rethymno, is the capital town of the province of the same name.
This province extends from the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) to the Idi
Mountains through to the borders of the provinces of Chania and Heraklion.
Rethymno is positioned on the north coast of Crete, 80 km west from
Heraklion, and 75 km east of Chania, where the two airports
of Crete are to be found, about an hour’s drive away by
car. Rethymno harbour has a direct ferry connection with the mainland of
Greece. The mediaeval old town of Rethymno, with its narrow streets,
Venetian palaces and Turkish minarets has a distinct atmosphere.
Along
with the numerous seemingly unlimited sights to see and the beautiful old
town, with the Venetian “Fortezza” or fortress, the scenic harbour, and
the many enticing tavernas, cafes and restaurants with wonderful Cretan
delicacies, Rethymno has one of the most magnificent fine sandy beaches,
which stretches to the east almost as far as the eye can see.
The beach,
which is the longest in Crete, continues for several
kilometres,
here and
there en route broken into small shingle coves where here and there one
can find the scattered tiny hamlets reminiscent of the mountain villages.
Altogether between Rethymno to the town of Prinos there are no less than
8
beaches, which have been awarded the
European Blue Flag. There is much to
delight in exploring the many different archaeological sites, monasteries,
churches, Venetian and Turkish monuments and memorials, and of course
there are archaeological, historical and folk museums, as well as other
art museums waiting to be visited. Exploring one of the
many Cretan gorges
in this area, is sure to reward you with the sight of numerous caves and
little grottos. Those of you who delight in traditional customs, will
enjoy the numerous cultural festivals and traditional days of celebration
in Rethymno, where you get the opportunity to experience a slice of Cretan
life.
Religious days, the seasonal times of the year and many other
reasons mostly form the basis for the regional and public festivities. So
in the middle of July you will find for example the
Cretan wine festival
with its 500 year old tradition, which lasts three weeks and is attended
by thousands of people. Of further interest, in the many outlying villages
not far from Rethymno, traditional handicrafts are still very much alive.
For example, the lovely
pottery in Margarites, or the basket weaving of
Mixorrouma, the
traditional stone masonry in Alfa, or the village of Anogia where lengths of material are still woven on traditional weaving
looms, and where traditional Cretan folk art is still being produced.
There are also interesting
wood carving workshops in Argyroupoli, Agios
Konstantinos and Margarites.
In the wonderful surrounding area of Rethymno
we have chosen some
lovely villas and apartments. We feel sure that you
and your family will be simply delighted with the beaches, and will
thoroughly unwind and relax through your experience of Cretan life. There
are endless opportunities to indulge oneself at the many little tavernas
with delicious freshly cooked fish and seafood, and the huge variety of
other Cretan culinary specialities. Because of the central position of
Rethymno and the excellent bus service, there is also the chance, should
you wish, to visit virtually all of Crete on day outings.
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