Location

General Information about Crete

Crete, is the island of surprises and contrasts. High mountains and deep gorges, archaeological sites alongside traditional villages where life continues in a relaxed and friendly way, clear blue seas bordered by golden sandy beaches. Zeus, the king of Greek gods, was born in a cave on Mount Idi, the highest mountain. He represented hospitality and his spirit lives on today in the hearts of all Cretan people.

Geography

Crete is the largest Greek Island. It covers 8,336-sq. m with 1.100 kms of coastline. It is considered as one of the most prosperous areas in Greece. Its geographical location, climate, diverse natural beauty as well as its unique cultural and historical treasures have favoured its development. Crete is renowned for its breath-taking mountain ranges and long sandy beaches running down to emerald-blue seas. This particular geography allow the existence of a large number of rare flora and fauna species, such as the sea lily along the coastal zones, sea turtles caretta-caretta in Rethynnon and Eleanor’s Falcon in Lassithi. In the valleys and semi-mountainous areas, one can find more than 100 different varieties of flowers and plants, while in the high mountains and deep Cretan gorges the visitor may encounter interesting flora and fauna including the wild goat kri kri, which is found only in Crete.

Climate

Crete enjoys perhaps one of the best subtropical Mediterranean climates with over 300 days and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine each year. The light rainy season is normally confined to the period between November and March. Mild temperatures prevail year round.

Population
The population of Crete currently is approximately 600.000 people. The majority of inhabitants live in the four main towns of the island, Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos and Heraklion, the capital. The remainder of the population is spread in smaller towns and scattered fishing and mountain villages.

Main Religion: Greek Orthodox
Language: Greek is the official language, but English and German are widely spoken.

History and Culture of Rethymno

Rethymno, on the north coast of Crete, lies on the island's longest sandy beach and is known by visitors as the "hidden jewel" of Crete. Since 1400 BC the Minoans, Venetian, Turks and Cretans have built their ancient cities, minarets, citadels, the hilltop Fortezza, winding narrow streets, fishing harbour and lighthouse which create an old-world charm. Situated at equal distances from Heraklion and Chania, Rethymno is also only a short distance from the most spectacular countryside making it an ideal centre to explore the island.

Rethymno, the only well-preserved Renaissance town in Greece, is famous for its literature & arts. Its story was recorded in the book The Tale of a Town by the world-famous author Prevelakis who was quoted by Hemingway.

The site of Rethymno has been inhabited since the Minoan period. The city flourished under Venetian rule & the Palazzos (mansions) can still be seen in the old town today. The Rethymnian tycoon Kallergi owned even the grand palazzo Behamin-Kallergi in Venice Grand Canal. The huge Venetian castle Fortezza, built in the 16th century to protect the city from pirates, overlooks the picturesque harbour with its charming 13th century lighthouse.

Directly opposite the main entrance to the Fortezza, the Archaeological Museum occupies a converted Turkish bastion. Its collection is set out chronologically from Neolithic through Minoan to Roman times.
Stroll in the narrow streets of the old town and don't miss the 17th century Neranzes Mosque, the best preserved in the city, the 17th century Venetian Rimondi Fountain with lion-headed spouts standing alongside busy cafes and shops selling fresh vegetable and fruits and the elegant 16th century Venetian Loggia. The small Historical & Folk Art Museum is housed in a Venetian mansion nearby. On display you can find local crafts including some brilliantly coloured weaving, pottery, lace and jewellery.

The region of Rethymno is rich in archaeological sites. Armeni with its Minoan cemetery. Eleftherna founded in 1700 BC with the remains of a tower on a rocky ridge and a derelict Hellenistic bridge in the valley below and Argyroupoli, the waterfall village built on the remains of ancient Lappa dating from the Roman times - being amongst the most famous with their ongoing excavations. Not to mention the numerous monasteries and churches like the Atali Monastery in Bali, and accessible by road through the Kourtaliotiko gorge, the Monastery of Preveli which stands in an isolated but beautiful spot overlooking the Libyan sea.

Monastery of Arkadi

The buildings date from 1731, include a 19th century church and a small museum displaying religious artefacts. East of the Preveli Monastery a steep path leads to Preveli beach, a palm-fringed oasis. Visit also the Monastery of Aghia Irini that won the international award of Europa Nostra in 1993 for the quality of its restoration and see the hand embroideries created by the nuns. The 5th century Monastery of Arkadi stands on the top of a winding gorge. The most impressive of its buildings is the double-naved church with an ornate Venetian facade, which dates back to 1587, this is featured on the 100 Drachma bank note. In 1866, when Arkadi was crowded with hundreds of refugees, it came under attack by the Ottoman army. The Cretans chose death over surrender…..

In Thronos, the beautifully frescoed church of Panagia dates back to the 14th century. The Venetian buildings of Moni Asomaton nearby, now an agricultural college, stand in a lush oasis of palm plane and eucalyptus trees…and numerous more churches all over the region, each with its own history !
The prefecture of Rethymno features unique natural beauty. It has the highest mountain range in Crete, Mount Ida (Psiloritis), home to many sanctuaries including the famous Ideon Andron, the cave where Zeus was born. At the foot of Mount Ida, Anogia, the famous textile village of the 13th century leads through a paved road to the Nida Plateau.

Plakias

Preveli

Preveli

Senic beaches…Rethymno city boasts the longest sandy beach in Crete and the second largest nesting beach in Greece for the endangered species of the turtle caretta-caretta. Plakias until recently a fishing harbour, nowadays a full-scale tourist resort features a grey sandy beach of 2 kms sited at the mouth of Kotsyfou gorge offering daily boat connection 'services to the palm-beach of Preveli. Scattered fishing villages are found along the south coast of Rethymno, including Aghia Galini, at the southern end of the Amari Valley.