Greece Property for Sale - Real Estate In Greece Buy & Sell
 Villas, Apartments, Land, Businesses & Houses for Sale in Greece.
 Greek Islands Property For Sale - Crete, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Paros

This prefecture offers some lovely countryside with good hiking, interesting villages, as well as the attractions of the city of Rethymno itself; and on the south coast both wildness and some fine beaches can be found, in varying combinations of the two. There are also ancient cities and monasteries, some of which are described below.

Rethymno Prefecture ('nomos' in Greek) is the smallest of Crete's four prefectures in both size and population, with the city of Rethymno Crete's third largest city (after Iraklion and Hania) as well as provincial capital , situated on the north coast of Crete 78km/48.5miles to the west of Iraklion and 58km/36miles to the east of Hania. Rethymno prefecture is bounded by the Psiloritis mountain range on the east and the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) on the west and its north-south distance is one of the narrowest in Crete. The northern coast of this province dips south lower than the provinces to east and west, and though the part of the Aegean Sea north of Crete is generally known as the Kritiko Pelagos (Cretan Sea), the gulf between the city of Rethymno and the higher part of the coast to the west is known as the Ormos Almirou (Bay of Salt, literally) and the province is bounded in the south by the Liviko Pelagos (Libyan Sea).

Cretan Folk Music Center

Rethymno (both city and province) was a very important center of Cretan folk music, with some of its vintage recordings from 1920-1955, as well as others from Hania province and city, memorialized in a fabulous collection entitled Protomastores (''first/best masters', roughly). Although the collection has been reissued on CDs, it originally comprised a box of ten cassettes, accompanied by a book with text about the musicians (with adjacent English translations), photos, and song lyrics (in Greek), as well as an introduction with photos and text about the instruments and drawings illustrating Cretan dance (with English translation). Anyone interested in authentic Cretan folk music should ask for this collection in music stores. You won't get the book, though, with the CD collection.

Rethymno Town

The city of Rethymno (population approximately 25,000), despite the increase in tourists during the past 25 years, is still a more provincial and slower-moving place than either of the two big cities in both directions. A long sandy beach flanks the town, with the walls of a massive Venetian fort at one end up above it on the hill, and below it the old Venetian harbor and a lighthouse. The old parts of town are graced with both Venetian and Turkish buildings, the latter with over-hanging wooden balconies with iron supports, though sometimes it's hard to tell which is which, as generations have restored and added on to the buildings. There are mosques, and Turkish fountains. The University of Crete has some of its departments in Rethymno, bringing students from all over Greece to the city, along with the usual ambience of university towns.

Historically

Historically, Rethymno was first a Minoan settlement which was situated east of the fortress, and later the ancient autonomous city of Rithymna; later a small Roman town; and during the 9th and 10th centuries and Arab one. Its history during Byzantine times is largely unknown, It fell to the Venetians during the 13th century. The town center during those times was closer to the shore, including the old Venetian and Turkish districts near what is called the Inner Harbor. There were many Greek converts to Islam during Ottoman rule (something that happened in all Crete) though they continued intermarrying with Christians, drinking wine, and speaking Greek. The population of Rethymno by the 19th century was mostly Muslim, but in 1923 most of them were evicted to the new nation of Turkey during the compulsory exchange of Muslims and Christians that followed the disastrous Greco-Turkish conflict. 'Chronicle of a City', by Cretan author Prevelakis, deals with this traumatic event.

Venetian Fortress "The Forteza"

The Venetian Fortress (also called 'Forteza' and 'Palaiokastro'), is allegedly the biggest castle built by the Venetians anywhere in Greece, costing a fortune and taking ten years to build with forced labor imported from several islands, all this in response to repeated pirate raids during the middle of the 16th century. The notorious Turkish pirate, Barbarossa was one of the assaulters of the town. Nevertheless, the city fell (in 1645) to the Ottomans in one day, the Turks just going around the fort to take the city. The fortress itself held out between 23 days and two months, depending on whom you believe. There had been prior fears that without a moat around it, it would not keep invaders out, though still it seems that it offered little protection to the town itself.

The entrance to the fortress is across from the Archaeological Museum, on the southeast corner (not on the waterfront). Besides the cafι, there is a deep well off to the left with a downward sloping passageway leading to it. ' In the center, past remains of arsenals, officers' houses and the like, is a large domed structure (first a church and then the Ibrahim Han mosque), which was built as a refuge for the entire town population. in the event of an attack.

The domed Ibrahim Han mosque (left) has a carved prayer niche (known as a mihrab) pointing the direction of Mecca, though this has been vandalized. The cisterns where rain-water was collected are marvelous, with light coming through slits on the sides. Standing up on the fortress walls and looking out at the town and harbor, as well as the coast to the west, is a fine pastime while visiting Rethymno. (Open Sat-Thurs 8:30am-7pm;Nov-March closes 6pm;2.90euros). In August and September there is a twenty-day Renaissance Festival held here.

The Town Beach: A breakwater keeps the sea calm for swimming, and there are cafes and showers, but you must expect crowds in summer. Better beaches to the east (beyond the harbor) which go on for miles, still crowded, but with cleaner water. You'll find all the rest along the way as you walk along the beaches, restaurants, bars, travel agents, hotels, etc.

Archaeological Museum (open Tues-Sun 8:30am-3pm;3euros). Across from the fortress, this structure was built by the Turks as a bastion,and later used as a prison. The museum was rehoused here in 1990. A beautiful building with Neolithic finds from the Yerani caves (right), with clay and stone idols, tools of bone and obsidian; one of the most inclusive collections from that period in any Cretan museum; finds from the Protopalatial settlement at Monasteraki in the Amari valley, which was excavated by the University of Crete. Figurines from the peak sanctuary of Mount Vrysinas above Rethymno: votive offerings, mostly of worshippers and cattle, and Linear A script on a stone vase. More finds from various tombs; Mycenaean period idols; finds from excavations at Eleftherna in the foothills of Mt. Psiloritis/Mt. Ida. Artifacts from later periods: Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman.

Historical and Folk Art Museum (open Mon-Sat 9am-2pm and 6-8pm; 3euros). On Mesolongiou St. A very interesting museum with weaving , embroidery, lace. traditional costumes, knives, pottery wooden chests, musical instruments, farm implements, smith's tools, a guide to bread-making techniques, basketry, photos. Accounts of how many of the objects were found. An impressive display that illustrate the old ways that people lived for centuries in Crete up until a few decades ago.

The Guora Gate (Porta Guora), near the Platia of the Four Martyrs, is all that remains of the old walls that were meant to fortify the town after attacks by both pirates and Turks during the 16th century. It was the entrance to the old Lower Town which was near the Inner Harbor (below right) (at the northeast end of the present city) and had three bastions, with soldiers' quarters built next to one of them, some of which have survived (at Odos Ethnarchou Makariou and Leoforos Kountourioti. Though this was the main gate, there were two others. Very close by you can see a minaret and and old sundial.

Just south of here are the Public Gardens which were laid out during the Ottoman period, near the Turkish cemetery. The Rethymno Wine Festival is held here during the last days of July as well as a Handcrafts Exhibit.. These gardens were converted in 1923 from what had been the Turkish cemetery adjacent to the Sultana's mosque (dedicated to the Sultan's mother) just outside the Guora Gate.

On Wednesdays, there is a weekly market/fair off of Odos Kanzantzaki.

The Rimondi Fountain (left and right) One of the 'markers' for the part of the city of Rethymno most attractive to visitors, the other being the Venetian Loggia (below right), both are on Paleologou, at opposite ends.

The fountain's water flows from lion head taps into a marble basin , (resembling the fountain in the town of Spili, below) and was built by J. Rimondi, the Rector, in 1626, on the site of a previous fountain. There are Corinthian half-columns and a decorated cornice. One of two columns remains that supported the old dome that covered the bowl. This is the best known of several fountains scattered throughout the town.

Built during the 16th century, the Venetian Loggia was used for official meetings and also for social gatherings and gambling. It has remained very intact, with its three arches on each of its sides, one for the entrance, and the others windows, and inside are pillars with Ionic capitals used to hold up the roof. Under the Ottomans it was a mosque, and later it housed the Archaeological Museum before it moved to its present location, where there is now a shop with reproductions of Classical art.

There are five mosques in Rethymno, the most famous of them, the Nerandzes (left) , which is also the best preserved. When converted to a mosque in the 17th century, it was given three domes, and a minaret was added in 1890.

It once housed a music school and later a concert hall. There is also an old Turkish School and a Hamam (Turkish Bath). Ayios Frangiskos (St. Francis) ( above left) is a large church with sculpture on the frames of the doors and a wooden-beamed basilica. There are three large churches besides this one: Syria ton Angelon, Ayhios Andonios, and the Cathedral.

Interesting Sights in Rethymno Province

Just east of the city is the road that goes to the very pretty Prasano gorge, the trail just past Prassies (south of Ptatania on the coast), which is accessible by bus.. Prasano (which means green) is a gorge formed by the Platanias River (platani/platanos meaning plane tree) which is dries up between mid-June and mid-October, and is flanked by olive and cypress trees, as well as the plane. The trail ends up on the coast near Misiria.

The Monastery of Arkadhi

The Monastery of Arkadhi (Moni Arkadiou) (open daily 8am-8pm;2 euros) is 25km/15.5miles southeast of the city in the Psiloritis foothills, with nice scenery along the way if you are driving on the old road. In 1866, during the long Greek War for Independence (with Crete liberated only in 1913), freedom fighters and their families (300 armed men and 600 women and children) under the leadership of the Abbot Gabriel, took refuge inside and blew up the gunpowder magazine and themselves with it after a two-day battle with the 15,000 besieging Turks, just at the point of defeat when the Turks began entering the fortress-like monastery. Needless to say, both Greek and Turk died in the explosion. This horrific event marshaled international support for the long and bloody struggle in Greece against Ottoman rule. The munitions storeroom remains vault less to this day, and the monument outside of the entrance presents skulls of some of the victims with various relics of -the event housed in a small museum. Every 7-9 November the anniversary of the blast is 'celebrated', (because, no matter how terrible the event, it stood as a symbol of the struggle for independence, synopsized in the slogan, 'Freedom or Death!') . Though the main gateway had to be rebuilt after the explosion, most of the monastery remains intact. Before the explosion, it was one of Crete's richest monasteries, much visited by travelers. During World War II it gave support to the resistance, as did others in Greece.

The double-nave church survived, a gem among Venetian monuments, with its 16th century west facade (dedicated to The Transfiguration of Christ and the Saints Constantine and Helen). The rest of the monastery is 17th century, though it was founded as early as the 11th century. There are pairs of Corinthian columns in the colonnade. On the north side of the courtyard you can see bullet holes in the old Old Refectory and the roofless gunpowder storeroom., but, counteracting all this sadness, the views from the east gate and from the walls above, (the latter looking South towards Mt. Psiloritis/Ida), are lovely.

There is an ancient bridge below the monastery near the modern road from Rethymno. A dirt-road starting near the Arkhadi cafι-and leads to the Viran Episkopi-Eleftherna road a pleasant walk of two hours. If you take the old road from Rethymno via Adhele and Piyi, you can stop in Panormos (left) where there's a taverna with its own wine in different vintages (Taverna Panorama) and lovely views over olive orchards.

Eleftherna (right) was one of the main ancient cities in Crete. Built on a ridge in the foothills of the Psiloritis range above two tributaries of the Mylopotamos River, it was the birthplace of the 4th to 5th century BC philosopher Diogenes, and minted its own coins with depictions of Apollo and Artemis. Evidence of Minoan occupation has been found at Elefherna, which was later one of the major Dorian city-states from the 10thcentury BC until medieval times, and fell to the Romans during the 1st century BC but thrived under Roman rule as well. Major excavations were done here since 1984 by the University of Crete (Archaeology and History Departments, based in Rethymno). The acropolis and defensive tower stand on a high promontory between two streams with a narrow road (more of a cobbled path, of the kind known as a 'kalderimi') leading to it, with the city on the slopes below and on the other side of the valley where the modern town is now situated. There is a bridge spanning one of the streams reachable in a walk of about a half hour. Beyond the acropolis and the little chapel of Aghia Irini are cisterns cut out of rock, which were supplied by an allegedly Roman aqueduct which channeled water from nearby springs.

A large structure from the Early Christian period was found on the site of a sanctuary from the Archaic and Hellenistic periods not far below the summit of the promontory. An Early Iron Age cemetery was excavated on the valley floor (now heavily farmed) below the acropolis, at a site where a later Roman road was built. Skeletons of children who had been buried in pithoi (big clay urns) were found, as well as stone chambers with evidence of both burial and cremation practices. Bodies were cremated on elaborate pyres, surrounded by jewelry, pottery, ivory work, weapons, personal possessions and the fires were built to reach and stay at temperatures of 900 degrees Centigrade . After the pyres were quenched, the bones were cleaned and stored in pithoi or amphorae. Strong evidence was found during the 1990s of human sacrifice carried out here during the 8th century BC, and in front of the funeral pyres of persons of importance, correlating with Homeric accounts of the sacrifices of Trojan prisoners in front of the funeral pyre of Achilles during the same period. The evidence included a knife and whetstone found near the neck of the headless victim. Other finds on this site included gold, crystal, bronze, glass, faience, pottery , and some beautifully carved ivory heads. An Archaic statue of a female torso was also found which is housed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, as well as fragments of a limestone kouros (6th century). On the east side of the acropolis hill are Byzantine finds from the 10th century, a domed church with frescoes from the 12th century, the remains of a Roman villa, and an Early Christian basilica.

In the new town, Nea Eleftherna an open air sanctuary was found with terracotta figurines of animals and humans. Nearby Margarites has a long ceramic tradition, with pottery workshops and shops selling their work all over the village.

Perama, to the north , takes its name from the fact of its being a crossing-place over the Mylopotamos River ('perama' being a ford, 'mylo' a mill, and 'potamos' a river). There is evidence of there having been a Minoan sanctuary here (bronze figurines), and it was later a Roman, Venetian, and Turkish settlement. In modern times it is mainly an agricultural town with some light industry. There's a large cave, near Melidhoni 5km/3.1miles from Perama, the walk taking about half an hour. In 1824, during the independence struggle , three hundred villages suffocated after a Turkish commander set a fire at the entrance to the cave, after having failed to suffocate them by blocking the entry with stones (the villagers having opened holes in the barricade). A shrine at the entrance commemorates this horror, and inside, one finds stalactites and stalagmites instead of bones.

Axos was a large ancient city, first built in Minoan times and associated with many myths, and which had its port at present day Bali (left). It had an acropolis and massive walls, built later, and (like Elevtherna) minted its own coins, with depictions of Zeus, Apollo and Artemis. There was a temple of Aphrodite there, as well as a 7th century temple, as well as bronze shields and helmets which were votive objects, and beautiful churches from Byzantine and Venetian times, some with good frescoes, Aghia Irini (right) is among them, and remains of the aqueduct. Axos was a guerilla center during the independence struggle of the 19th century, and the town was burned by the Turks. The site is located on a hill above he present-day town which has weaving and embroidery, for sale and tavernas much frequented by tourists. An appealing town.

Anoyia (right) is located on the northern slopes of the Psiloritis range at 750meters/2460feet, and is a town with a lot of history, most of it illustrating the importance of the concept of resurrection in the Greek mentality, as the town was destroyed several times, to rise again and again from the ashes. In 1822 it was burned by Serif Pasha-this during the second year of the long Greek War of Independence-and after some heroic resistance. In 1866 it was burnt by Resit Pasha (having taken part in the big uprising of 1866), but fought again in 1897, and, though not burned again at that time, it was burned in 1944 by the Germans in reprisal partly for sheltering the kidnappers of the German general Kreipe, an act carried out by Greek guerillas aided by the British.

The present village is known for its-weaving and embroidery-which is much touted as some of Crete's best. Though the older (and lower) part of the town appears to be old from a short distance, its structures were all built of concrete after World War II. Alleys with steps lead up to the upper village, which in all ways seems more modern. There's still a lot of old Cretan traditional life in Anoyia, with animals pastured near the houses in the odd vacant field, , and various kinds of craft workshops here and there, including carving. Some of the women who weave or embroider exhibit their works in the 'saloni' (living -room) of their houses, which double as work-shops. Anoyia is the home of one of Greece's most famous traditional music families.

The Idean Cave Area

The Nida plain (right) beneath the Idean Cave, the cave itself, and Mt. Ida (Mt. Psiloritis), highest mountain in Crete at 2456meters/8,055feet, all took their ancient name from a word meaning 'wooded place', which it must have been in Minoan times. The cave is at 1500 meters/4920feet and was inhabited during Neolithic times (4th millennium BC). It was first excavated in 1884 and again in 1917 and 1956, the last excavation undertaken by Spiros Marinatos, (who excavated the village of Akrotiri in Santorini after the famous volcanic explosion of around 1450BC).

Like most caves in Crete, the Idean cave was, at various times a habitation and at others a place of refuge from danger. In early Minoan times, it was a place of the cult worship of a god of vegetation, and later of Zeus, according to legend, hidden in the cave by his mother so that his father Kronos wouldn't swallow him as his done his siblings. Though locals are certain that this was the cave where Zeus was raised, there have been other contenders (Mt. Dhikti in Lasithi province for one).

The cave (left) was considered sacred and was a place of pilgrimage, one of its visitors being Pythagoras. Excavations unearthed a building dated to 1600BC with very thick walls, within which was found a bull rhyton and three vases. Burnt timber, broken pots pointed to the probably occurrence of earthquakes. Also found was a potter's workshop with a wheel, bronze tools, vases, and a pit for preparing the clay. Votive offering from the 9th century BC up through Roman times were found there, including bronze and terracotta figurines, basins, wine jars, gold and ivory objects, as well as tripod cauldrons. Many of these finds are housed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Also of great interest were ivory objects from the Near East, including some from north Syria, dated from the 8th to 7th centuries BC.

The climb to summit of Mt. Ida from the cave takes about seven or eight hours round-trip, and is not advised to be undertaken solo, or in early spring (as there might still be snow on the ground). There are shelters and chapels along the way. Take supplies and sleeping gear, just in case you need to spend a night somewhere. The summit can also be reached from the Amari villages to the west, and though the peak is visible most of the way, there are no marked trails. You can also reach the summit from the south, from Kamares. It was in the Kamares Cave that the famous Kamares ware pottery was found (see Heraklion Archaeological Museum). The Grave of author Nikos Kazantzakis with a snow covered Mt. Ida in the back ground.

Amari Valley

Just east of Rethymno the road at Perivolia heads southeast to this beautiful broad valley that lies beneath the southwest flank of Mt. Psiloritiis. It is a valley of orchards-olive, cherry, pears and figs, with forty small villages scattered throughout, and there's plenty of water, as the greenness of the area attests. It is also a place that has served as a refuge, notably after the Venetian conquest, and during the Nazi occupation. To the west of the valley is Mt. Kedhros ('kedhros' the word for cedar tree) at 1777meters/5,828feet, with a road to the northwest that connects with the village of Spili . At the head of the valley on the eastern side stands the 14th (or 15th)century church of Apostoli, and a little farther on, you can see the whole valley from Aghia Fotini.

The village of Thronos (left), just off of the main road past there, sits beneath the site of ancient Sybrita (right) , whose acropolis was on the hill behind Thronos. Though there isn't much left of this ancient town, the views from up there are wonderful. Sybrita was once the ruling town of the entire fertile and wooded valley of Amari, its port at Soulia (now Aghia Galini). Present-day Thronos is a small place, with one of its main attractions the mosaic that spreads from under the village church built on the foundations of the the much larger Byzantine church there. Inside are 14th and 15th century frescoes. The village takes its name from the time when the village was a bishopric (hence the name, which means 'throne'). Thronos is one of the few villages in the valley with some rooms, and, more interesting, (and little known to other than traditional Cretan music aficionados), is the home of one of the old and respected craftsmen who made Cretan lyras (the Cretan lyra being a small, upright held fiddle played with the fingernails and the main melody instrument played in traditional Cretan music). One of the truly spectacular features of this village is its nature, with amazing views of the surrounding countryside with an other-worldly quality when mists settle in distant valleys. From here you can hike in about two hours to the Moni Arkadhi, or you can walk to the village of nearby Kaloyeros (which means 'monk'-literally: the 'good old man'). The stone church of Aghios Ioannis Theologos (above left) with 14th century frescoes (above) is near this village.

A short way down the main road is Moni Asomaton, a wealthy monastery (left) where the Abbot ran a neighborhood school during the Ottoman rule, and,which was, like the Moni Arkadhi, a monastery that gave strong support to the freedom struggle in Crete. Since 1931 an agricultural school, it combines modern farming equipment with old Venetian buildings. From here the road forks, and the right one will take you to Monastiraki and to the village of Amari.

A Minoan settlement was found at Monastiraki by University of Crete excavations since 1980. The site (right)can be viewed as you enter the village, This was probably a small palace center where some thick-walled rooms and storerooms were found, the latter containing pithoi (big clay storage pots) and Kamares-style pottery, as well as clay seals Near Lambiotes village is the chapel of the Panayia , with late 14th century frescoes.

Both Monastiraki village and the next, Opsigias, are attractive, but Amari is exceptionally beautiful, with a lazy, old-world feel to it, such that when here, it is hard to believe that you less than an hour's drive from the city of Rethymno with its tourist-choked summer streets. It this general ambience that is the chief highlight of Amari. There is a Venetian clock tower (photo left) visible from the 'stenakia' (the narrow lanes), and with some wandering you'll stumble upon it and can go in, as they don't lock the place.

Outside of Amari , the church of Aghia Anna, has some 13th century frescoes (right), possibly the oldest in Crete. Continuing south on the main road, or on the back road that parallels it from Amari, you come to the village of Vizari, near the site of a large Roman village with one of Crete's best preserved Early Christian basilicas Dated to the 8th century, the church has a tiled floor. The village was destroyed by Arabs. The large present day village of Fourfouras is to the south , with a fountain at its entrance. This town is one of the starting places for hikes in the Psiloritis/Ida range. Windy roads also head towards the western side of the valley (the hill of Samitos in between ), and it is possible to make a circle around and back to where you started at Thronos, or to points farther south.

The western side of the Amari valley is full of World War II war memorials dated one day apart between a series of adjacent villages as they were systematically burned in 1944. This destruction was accompanied by the usual executions of whatever men and boys who were caught. Seven villages were first looted (the booty taken to Rethymno) and then burned, and finally dynamited --schools, churches and wells, included. It is believed by many that these atrocities were not so much in reprisal for the kidnapping of German General Kreipe but a form of revenge by the German army as it faced defeat at the end of the war, and perhaps insurance against further resistance at the point of retreat. One church to survive the horror (perhaps because it was hidden a field of grain) is just off the road between Vrisses and Kardhaki, with Byzantine painting decorating the altar. The door may well be open. The destroyed villages were all rebuilt after the war. They include: Gerakari, Kardhaki, Gourgouthoi, Vrysses, Smiles, Dryes, and Ano Meros. There's a ruined monastery near Kardhaki,-- Aghios Ioannis Theologos, Photi with remains of frescoes (see above).

Yerakari is famous for its cherry orchards and in Meronas, there are 14th century frescoes in the church of the Panaghia. From Gerakari you can take the road north back to Aghia Fotini near Thronos (having made a full circle if you entered the valley from there) or take the new road west to Spili., the latter with incredible views along the way. It begins as a dirt road at the end of Yerakari's main street (up hill), but soon turns into a modern highway.

Coastal Aghia Galini (left) This village, sitting at the western end of the Messara Gulf is a good example of what happens to lazy Greek fishing villages when package tourism hits, this one wasn't even inhabited by Greeks for very long before tourism first arrived during the 1980s. Villagers from Melambes and Saktouria moved down here less than a century ago, and the population grew to about five hundred. With a harbor hemmed in by mountains, there isn't any good beach, but that hasn't stopped the construction of hotels and apartment buildings Though an expensive place in general you can find some good tavernas with good prices, and there's a campsite on the east side near the river mouth, to which you can walk from the beach or reach via dirt road a little outside of the village. Sleeping on the beach becomes the only option for many, as it can fill up in July and August. The Paximadhia islands, with good beaches, lie offshore, and to the west of the village are the beaches of Aghios Yiorghios and Aghios Pavlos, accessible on foot (two hours to the first), or via boat . Aghios Pavlos, is in a nice bay Needless to say, these places have tavernas and some rooms. To the east of Aghia Galini there is a main road going first north a little ways and then southeast to the Messara plain in Heraklion province.

To the west 30km/18.6miles, is Plakies (right), is an improvement over Aghia Galini, though it has become a tourist destination in recent years. There are plenty of rooms, even in the cheaper categories, but high season is still high season and they fill up fast. There's a youth hostel here, at the back of the town (most of which is, however, spread out along the waterfront). The beach to the east along the bay is windy.

The best beaches are near olive groves farther to the east, walkable along a dirt road accessible from the main road, or over the hill if you follow the beach. Both walks take more than half an hour, and the first you'll come to is Damnoni . Unfortunately, this one has gotten built up quite a bit., and for seclusion you'll have to go beyond here to the cove beyond, which has some caves in the rocks behind it. Bathing suits are dispensed with in these parts. Beyond there is Amoudhi beach, which has a taverna and rooms. Lefkoyia,an inland village is a short walk from Ammoudhi, and is quiet place to stay, away from the crowds at Plakias.

West Of Rethymno

North Coast: To the west is Souda Beach, which you can walk to in about half an hour along the coast (about 3km/1.86miles).

South Coast: Above Plakias is Mirthios, a small and friendly village , cheaper to stay in and with a youth hostel, and, though farther from the sea, has the advantage of great views. There are good hikes from here. Beyond Sellia to the west are some some coves, is the village of Rodhakino (which means peach), situated above a ravine, with the beach of Koraka (crow) down below. This was the place where the German General Kriepe was taken off of the island to Egypt after being kidnapped by the resistance during World War II. There are rooms here, a taverna , and Polirizio beach in the bay to the west, with more of the same.

The Road from Rethymno  to the south

This road goes just about due south and forks a little more than half of the way down, one fork heading south east to Spili and Aghia Galini , and flanking the southwest side of the Kedros mountains on the west side of the Amari valley, another fork heading south to Preveli and southwest to Plakias/ leaving initially from the center of the city of Rethymno.

Whichever route you take, the scenery is fabulous. The Minoan cemetery at Armeni has been excavated, and many larnaxes (photo left)(burial chests/ clay coffins) found, as well as figurines and grave gifts. (open Mon-Fri 9am-3pm). Seven acres of chamber tombs were found there, dating from the 2nd millennium BC. The finds from this site are on display at the archaeological museums in Heraklion and Rethymno. The cemetery is in an oak forest. In fact, the area between the cemetery site and the village is a forest conservation area with pine, cypress and oak trees.

The village of Armeni was named for Armenian soldiers who were given land grants here during the 10th century after Nikeforos Phokas retook Crete from the Arabs.

Spili is a nice town below a mountainside, with a wonderful Venetian lion head fountain in the main platia (photo right), the water pouring out of the mouths of a long row of lion heads (nineteen, to be exact). A cool shady place. There are nice winding streets in the upper part of the village with some old kalderimia (cobbled streets).

From Spili you can walk to Gerakari in the Amari Valley, or to Lampini, where the Byzantine church was burned by the Turks in 1827 (during the War of Independence) with the villagers inside. That fragments of frescoes remain is a wonder.

Karines is a pretty village a little past here. There's a cave at Patsos which was a Minoan, Dorian, and Roman sanctuary. There are nice walks in just about every direction from here that pass through lovely countryside and small villages. From Spili, if you take the left fork at Asomatos, you'll be on your way to Preveli, continuing on straight will take you to Myrthios and Plakias.

Below Levkoyia is one of the few rivers in Crete that flows all year, the Megapotamos, with a 19th century bridge along the way. The Kourtaliotis gorge of this river is at the sea near Preveli, and at the mouth of the gorge where the river empties into the sea there are sandy beaches lined with date palms, and pools upstream in the river.

The abandoned lower half of the monastery Moni Preveli (left) is here, called both Kato Preveli (right) and Aghios Ioannis. The abbot here was collecting arms for a revolt here in 1821, at the beginning of the War of Independence, but the Turks heard about it and came to destroy the monastery, but the abbot welcomed them and got them so drunk that they fell asleep, and the monks escaped, but the place was sacked and burned. Today, the wooden ikonostasis remains amid broken walls, and there is a shady courtyard.

Piso Preveli, a short distance away and up on the bluffs has been largely preserved, as well as 17th century icons there (open 8am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm). During World War II allied troops were given food and shelter here after the Battle of Crete and helping organize them for their rescue by submarine on beaches near the monastery (most likely at Palm Beach (see below). A monument commemorates these events as well as offerings to the icon in the church.

Palm Beach is just to the east of the monastery and requires some effort to get down to by either foot or vehicle. A lovely estuary oasis with palms and oleanders, it is best visited outside of peak season, when it not only gets very crowded, but becomes also rather foul for lack of toilet facilities for the hordes of visitors. Garbage has also been a serious problem, though hopefully by the time you read this, some improvements in this will have been made.

West of Rethymno

The Old Road heads inland from the coast after a few minutes, heading towards Roustika with its nearby monastery of Profitis Ilias, founded near the end of the Venetian period. The village is attractive, and there is a frescoed church there. On the New Road along the coast is Yerani, and the nearby Yerani cave, which was discovered in 1967 when the road was being built. The cave was a Neolithic sanctuary, where well-made obsidian and bone tools were found (shown in the Rethymno museum). Also found were bones of the giant deer (strangely named 'dwarf deer').

Around here the road follows the Almirou Gulf (Sandy Gulf) and there are sandy beaches right by the road as well, sheltered a little from the road and traffic by oleanders. Swimmers should be forewarned that strong currents can be a problem here, and to take caution. Various streams cross the road along here, which provide some good bird-watching. At this point you can see the White Mountains (Levka Ori) in front of you towards the west, as you approach the western boundary of Rethymno province on its coastal end a little past the inland village of Episkopi The old road towards the latter is more scenic, however, with some nice villages along the way.

From Episkopi the road heads almost due south to the fascinating village of Argyroupolis (which means 'silver city')., built on the site of ancient Lappa (right). There's little preserved of the ancient site, but the village very beautiful, set above and on the slopes of the Mousselas river valley, which is filled with springs from which the city of Rethymno gets perhaps a fourth of its water. During Venetian times, this town was a center for Cretan aristocracy. The red-tiled roofs of the village are pitched, the slopes below them very green, and a lush green mountain looms up on the other side of the river valley, giving the village the look of a place somewhere in the Balkans. A path leads down the wooded slope to the pedestrian road along the stream below, with tavernas where one can sit and listen to the sound of the ubiquitous springs.

The countryside near Argyroupoli is also worth exploring, with Myriokephala and its former monastery church of the Panayia founded in the 10th or 11th century, which has Byzantine frescoes that are among Crete's earliest. There are large-canopied trees in the village. Another road climbs to Asi Gonia at 400meters/1312feet, a village noted for its traditional Cretan architecture, and which was the home village of author Yiorgos Psychoundakis, who wrote The Cretan Runner, a book which describes the incredible rescue of the women of a village from execution by a German platoon by guerrillas who fired on the platoon from a hill up above. There is a sheep-shearing festival here at the church on 23 April, where the sheep are brought at dawn, milked, sheared, and dedicated to Aghios Yiorgos, (Saint George) the village's patron saint.