Rethymno: More of Crete

Rethymno (or Rethymnon) is a striking town of about 40,000 people situated approximately halfway between Heraklion, Crete’s capital, and Chania. We stopped off here while visiting the two larger cities. Rethymno is a rare combination of history and modern-day luxury, with its Venetian-era Fortezza (fortress) and multicultural old town, tropical beaches and exquisite Cretan cuisine.

The fortress sits atop Rethymno’s sparkling old town like a crown. The citadel of the city, the Fortezza was built by the Venetians in the 16th century and was captured by the Ottomans in 1646. The Venetians, as a marine power, intended to use Rethymno as a shelter and an intermediate base between Heraklion and Chania by building a small harbour. This led to Rethymno becoming a city whose expansion necessitated the construction of new fortifications.

The events that followed in Crete from the first half of the 16th century onwards – the Turkish threat and the development of artillery after the European adoption of gunpowder for use in firearms – led Venice to embark on the organisation of Crete’s military defences and demonstrated the need for the Fortezza in Rethymno.

By the early 20th century, many houses were built within the citadel. These were demolished after World War II, leaving only a few historic buildings within the Fortezza. Today, the citadel is in good condition and is open to the public.

The Palaeontology Museum in Rethymno is well worth a visit. Inside the mosque of Veli Pasha, you’ll find exhibits from Crete’s history from up to 300 million years ago. Other exhibition options are the Historical and Folklore Museum, situated in a 17th-century manor house, and the Archaeological Museum, opposite the main gate of the Fortezza.

Rethymno offers culinary treats inspired by Crete’s flavourful cuisine and famously tasty local produce. There are restaurants in old buildings with beautiful gardens, and rakadika – small traditional tavernas unique to Crete – that serve meze complemented by the local schnapps-like drink, raki, as well as ouzo and rakomelo.

Walking around the old town you’ll arrive at the famous Rimondi Fountain, constructed in 1626. The Rimondi Fountain is one of the town’s most prominent landmarks, located in Platanou Square, which was the town centre during Venetian times. It was named after a Venetian commander of Rethymno and used to supply a large part of the town’s water needs. The fountain is representative of a delicate, fine-detailed Venetian architecture style.

Finally, along Nearchou Road, you’ll come to the picturesque Venetian harbour with its restored lighthouse, built between 1830 and 1840. Behind the port is the 16th-century Venetian loggia.

The nearby Arkadi Monastery is a handsome example of Renaissance architecture from Crete’s Venetian rule. The current fortress-like structure (it’s referred to as a monastery-castle) was completed in the 16th century and a handful of monks still live in the cells and continue its work.

The Arkadi Monastery has a rich history. During the 16th and 17th centuries, it served as a centre of learning and copying of manuscripts in Crete, and it housed a gold-embroidery workshop whose fabrics and vestments were sold to churches and monasteries around the world.

But today the monastery is a symbol of freedom and sacrifice. By the mid-19th century the Ottomans had occupied Crete for more than two centuries, despite frequent bloody uprisings led by Cretan rebels determined to win independence and a union with Greece.

On the morning of 8 November 1866, the Arkadi Monastery sheltered almost 1,000 men, women and children. An army of 15,000 Ottomans and 30 cannons, directed by Turkish commander Suleyman, arrived on the hills of the monastery and demanded that the rebels surrender, but the Cretans responded with gunfire. After a skirmish the last Cretan fighters were finally defeated; they withdrew and hid within the monastery together with the women and children.

Surrounded by the Turkish soldiers, Cretan patriot Konstantinos Giaboudakis obtained the consensus of those inside to do the unthinkable – ignite the barrels of gunpowder stored there and die, rather than surrender. A massive explosion ensued. Although the exact numbers remain a matter of debate among historians, it is believed that of the 964 people present at the start of the assault, 846 were killed in combat or at the moment of the explosion, 114 were captured and four escaped. The explosion also killed more than 1,500 Ottoman soldiers.

The explosion did not end the Ottoman occupation, but it did attract the attention of world powers and in 1898 the Turks withdrew from the island they had held since 1669. Crete won its independence and, finally, was united with Greece in 1913.

The monastery is open to the public, welcoming travellers and pilgrims, as well as visitors who choose to stay overnight in its cells. If you are in or near Rethymno while journeying through Crete, a visit to the monastery is a must, if only to feel its unique aura.

The largest beach on Crete (12km) stretches along the east side of the city, from Rethymno to Skaleta. You can take advantage of the water sports in the Adelianos Kampos and enjoy a quiet swim in the rocky coves of the Pegianos Kampos. All along the beach, you’ll find beach bars with umbrellas and lounge chairs, shops and hotels.

Another beach worth mentioning, although it’s not actually in Rethymno but only about 35 minutes due south, is the unique palm beach of Preveli (pictured above) on a small bay of the Libyan Sea. Behind the sandy beach is a mountain stream that runs into a gorge lined with Cretan date palms. The sight of the mountains in the background, a gorge spilling its river into a saltwater lagoon on the beach and the deep blue of the sea are images of Crete at its very best.

There is no access by road to Preveli Beach and the palm canyon. There is a boat from Plakias and Agia Galini – but only in the morning – or you can walk down from the car park in about 20-30 minutes.

Back in Rethymno, take a walk at sunset by the sea along Kefalogianni St, beneath the sturdy fortified walls enclosing the town square and through the old neighbourhood of Toube. It’s an unforgettable sight.

This post concludes the three-part series on Crete, the largest and southernmost of the Greek Islands. It is a fascinating place to visit and when I lived in England many decades ago it was very popular with Brits as a place to retire – probably still is – particularly the town of Agios Nikolaos (which should not be confused with the village of the same name on the Greek mainland.) Sounds like a cue for another post later on!