Rethymno city
Tour of the old town which preserves buildings and elements from the
Arab, Venetian and Ottoman periods (it is truly a palimpsest). A visitor
can admire Catholic and Orthodox churches, mansions with wooden
gables, mosques and palaces with coats of arms, public buildings and
narrow cobblestone streets.
A visit to Giorgos Hadjiparaschos workshop, with the handmade phyllo
for kantaifi, in the old town, a family business almost 100 years old,
where father and son open the phyllo in front of visitors by hand. He
explains to us the method and the materials he uses. It goes without
saying that the syrupy sweets that one can buy there are unique.
A visit to the traditional musical instrument workshop of the Stagaki
family, third-generation instrument makers, where he himself gives a
tour of his small museum, showing all the stages of the construction of
the Cretan lyra, while he has all kinds of musical instruments that
visitors can try to play.
Archaeological Museum of Rethymno, temporarily housed in the
Venetian church of Saint Francis. Small, compact and easy to
navigate, it gives a general overview of the antiquities of the prefecture.
Venetian castle of Rethymno, Fortezza, which is preserved in excellent
condition. Beautiful view, cannon balls, the residence of the prefect and
if we are lucky, objects of modern art that are occasionally exhibited
inside the castle.
Margarites Village with traditional pottery workshops.
Specifically, I recommend the “Tsikalario” workshop, which has received an
NSRF grant, the owner has created a modern exhibition space with
information about the history of pottery in the area, she gives tours of the kilns
that were used in the past, as well as the more modern facilities. She also
demonstrates how to make pottery on the wheel and how to decorate it.
Museum of Ancient Eleutherna
The Museum is the first archaeological site museum in Crete, although
smaller in size, is similar to those of Olympia, Delphi, and Vergina. The
museum was created to house the results of the excavations carried out for
thirty years in the ancient city of Eleutherna.
Vossakos Monastery
It is dedicated to the Holy Cross and it is built in a small plateau between
mountains. The rough landscape surrounding it is amazing. The monastery
itself is built like a fortress and it is probably dated to the Venetian times. It
has been restored by the Archaeological service and the visitor can admire
the buildings which are located on two levels with two courtyards.
The Arkadi Monastery
It is built as a fortress, and it is famous for the holocaust during the Cretan
revolution. The monastery's catholicon itself, as well as the complex of
buildings around it, is of great interest, along with the history of the holocaust.
The gunpowder storeroom that was blown up by the revolutionaries
themselves so that they would not fall into the hands of the Ottomans is half-
standing and has become a monument to pay tribute, while the wooden table
on which the marks from the Turkish scimitars can still be seen today is also
preserved.
Visit to a winery for wine tasting.
The Cretan vineyard has in recent years claimed one of the best places in
world wine history, and this is due to the new generation that took over the
wineries of their parents or grandparents and, having completed specialized
studies, led the traditional wineries to new modern paths.
Monastery of Attali-Bali
A Venetian fortress-style two-aisled monastery, dedicated to the Birth of John
the Baptist and his Beheading, with a labyrinthine floor plan outside the
catholicon and all the elements of Venetian architecture.
Spili village
A beautiful village with a square where a visitor can admire centuries-old
plane trees and a series of 25 fountains in the shape of lion heads from
whose mouths water flows constantly. Also, one can see many traditional
watermills, one of which is still in operation.
Chromonastiri village
It is famous for its Military Museum. On the slopes of Mount Vrysina with the
peak sanctuary associated with prehistoric Rethymno, the settlement has
been declared historic and preserved due to its long and important history.
The museum itself, an annex of the War Museum of Athens, is housed in a
Venetian villa, which after the occupation by the Ottomans became a konaki.
Its collection is impressive.
Settlement of Geni Gave
Or, in its more Greek form Drosia (the Ottoman name prevails), a must-stop
for food. Excellent roasted suckling pig is the specialty of the taverns, an echo
of another era, when the main road from Heraklion to Rethymno passed
through here.
Anogia village
The residents are engaged in livestock farming and one can purchase local
cheese packaged for travel. Hospitality and raki treats from the locals in the
cafes, as well as Byzantine churches. It is also famous for its
“galaktomboureko”, made from fresh milk. The history of the village begins in
prehistoric times and reaches up to the present day, contributing greatly to
every liberation and revolutionary struggle on the island. The cave of Ideon
Andron, a very important archaeological site, is very close to the village, as is
the Nida Plateau.
Agia Galini: The Emerald Jewel of Southern Rethymno
Agia Galini, a picturesque seaside resort, is located 61 kilometers southeast
of Rethymno, next to the mouth of the Amarianos River. Lively and
cosmopolitan during the summer months, ideal for swimming in clear waters,
on organized or not, beaches. It is an ideal place for eating in one of the
tavernas.