Rethymnon can be explored through two distinctive landmarks: the Old Town between Palaiokastro Hill and the old Venetian harbour, and the beach, which starts at the historic city centre and stretches twelve kilometres east to Scaleta. When planning your trip, you can choose your focus first: history and architecture in the city, or the long coastline. Museums, events and local specialities offer further ways to shape your stay around these themes.
Old Town, Harbour and Fortezza
Rethymno’s Old Town extends from Palaiokastro Hill, where the Fortezza stands, to the old Venetian harbour. The historic centre lies below the walls of the Venetian fortress. As you stroll through the narrow streets, you will see buildings with traditional architecture; pergolas covered in grapevines and colourful flowers adorn the corners. The Old Town also retains features from the Ottoman period: oriels, symbols of the Muslim faith and inscriptions on portals, as well as Venetian monasteries converted into mosques with minarets.
Individual buildings also tell of their former functions: the Loggia served as a meeting and consultation place for nobles, where they discussed political and economic matters. The Rimondi Fountain consists of three basins; water flows from three spouts shaped like lions’ heads. Three routes lead to the Fortezza: Heimarras Street, the paved route along Katechaki Street, and a newer paved route that starts at the city’s northern ring road.
Museums and Historical Themes
The Archaeological Museum of Rethymno displays exhibits on the history of the prefecture from the Neolithic period to Roman times. Within the wider Rethymno destination, the museum has been housed since 1991 in a pentagonal building in front of the Fortezza’s main entrance.
The Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno is housed in a 17th-century Venetian mansion. Its permanent exhibition spans five rooms and features traditional crafts and folk art. Traditional occupations presented include coppersmith, saddler and farrier. Temporary exhibitions are held on the ground floor.
Culture in Different Seasons
The venues are also shaped by the seasons. Winter venues for arts and cultural events include the conservatory, the Church of St. Francesco and the Touring Club hall. During the summer season, almost all the city’s visual arts, music and theatre events take place at the Erofili Theatre in the Fortezza.
Within the wider Rethymno destination, the Renaissance Festival takes place every summer, with music, theatre and dance performances as well as art exhibitions. Carnival is a traditional event featuring a parade organised by volunteers each year. If one of these festivals is a key reason for your trip, check the exact dates in advance.
Coast, Nature and Regional Discoveries
Rethymno Beach is twelve kilometres long, starts at the historic city centre and stretches east to Scaleta. Within the wider Rethymno destination, the beach has fine-grained, light-brown sand; the municipality’s coastline also includes the Venetian harbour. Biotopoi Nature Park is located in Rethymno. Traditional coffee houses in Rethymno serve local specialities.
The wider Rethymno destination also offers further cultural and historical themes. The Chromonastiri Military Museum is housed in a Venetian villa built in 1610 for the Clodio family. It includes a room devoted to the historic Battle of Crete and displays weapons dating from the Greek Revolution of 1821 to the Second World War. At Arkadi Monastery, the twin-naved Church of Saint Constantine and the Transfiguration of the Saviour was built in 1587; it is a building from the period of Venetian rule, featuring elements of Renaissance architecture.
The Armeni Necropolis is another regional historical site: it is an extensive Late Minoan cemetery where more than 220 tombs have been excavated. The tombs were family graves containing several deceased people. Their grave goods provide insight into the art, religion and social organisation of the time. Alongside the Old Town and coast, Rethymnon therefore offers a selection of historical highlights to help you prioritise your travel interests.
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Return to the main travel overview: Rethymno.
