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Rethymnon in Crete
Hotels and apartments
The picturesque town of Rethymno (Rethymnon or Rethimno),
is the capital town of the province of the same name. This province
extends from the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) to the Idi Mountains
through to the borders of the provinces of Chania and Heraklion. Rethymno
is positioned on the north coast of Crete, 80 km west from Heraklion,
and 75 km east of Chania, where the two airports of Crete are to be
found, about an hour’s drive away by car.
Rethymno harbour has a direct ferry connection with
the mainland of Greece. The mediaeval old town of Rethymno, with its
narrow streets, Venetian palaces and Turkish minarets has a distinct
atmosphere. The oriental flavour of the town brings to life the ever
changing history since ancient times. Along with the numerous seemingly
unlimited sights to see and the beautiful old town, with the Venetian
“Fortezza” or fortress, the scenic harbour, and the many
enticing tavernas, cafes and restaurants with wonderful Cretan delicacies,
Rethymno has one of the most magnificent fine sandy beaches, which
stretches to the east almost as far as the eye can see. The beach,
which is the longest in Crete, continues for several kilometres, here
and there en route broken into small shingle coves where here and
there one can find the scattered tiny hamlets reminiscent of the mountain
villages. Altogether between Rethymno to the town of Prinos there
are no less than 8 beaches, which have been awarded the European Blue
Flag. There is much to delight in exploring the many different archaeological
sites, monasteries, churches, Venetian and Turkish monuments and memorials,
and of course there are archaeological, historical and folk museums,
as well as other art museums waiting to be visited. Exploring one
of the many Cretan gorges in this area, is sure to reward you with
the sight of numerous caves and little grottos. Those of you who delight
in traditional customs, will enjoy the numerous cultural festivals
and traditional days of celebration in Rethymno, where you get the
opportunity to experience a slice of Cretan life. Religious days,
the seasonal times of the year and many other reasons mostly form
the basis for the regional and public festivities. So in the middle
of July you will find for example the Cretan wine festival with its
500 year old tradition, which lasts three weeks and is attended by
thousands of people. Of further interest, in the many outlying villages
not far from Rethymno, traditional handicrafts are still very much
alive. For example, the lovely pottery in Margarites, or the basket
weaving of Mixorrouma, the traditional stone masonry in Alfa, or the
village of Anogia where lengths of material are still woven on traditional
weaving looms, and where traditional Cretan folk art is still being
produced. There are also interesting wood carving workshops in Argyroupoli,
Agios Konstantinos and Margarites. In the wonderful surrounding area
of Rethymno we have chosen some lovely villas and apartments. We feel
sure that you and your family will be simply delighted with the beaches,
and will thoroughly unwind and relax through your experience of Cretan
life. There are endless opportunities to indulge oneself at the many
little tavernas with delicious freshly cooked fish and seafood, and
the huge variety of other Cretan culinary specialities. Because of
the central position of Rethymno and the excellent bus service, there
is also the chance, should you wish, to visit virtually all of Crete
one day outings. One of our offices offers excursions to the Palace
of Knossos, to the Archaeological museum of Heraklion, to the Lassithi
plain, to the Samaria Gorge, to the monasteries of Chania, to Arkadi
and Margarites, to the region of Sfakio, or even to Santorini by ship.
Smaller boats make trips from Rethymno along the cost to Panormo,
Bali and Georgioupolis. For those who love to go by foot, the countryside
and mountains surrounding Rethymno is something of a paradise for
walkers.
Hotels & apartments in Rethymnon
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| Address in Greece: Astrikas - Chania - Crete |
Samaria gorge. Crete, Greece
Having a total length of sixteen kilometres, this gorge is the largest in Europe and certainly the most famous and visited among the many gorges of Crete.
Until about the middle of the century it was a wild landscape with a totally undisturbed ecosystem and home to a great number of wild birds and mammals as well as to a small population of woodcutters and shepherds who lived in Agia Roumeli or in the village of Samaria inside the gorge.
Today this village has been abandoned, but the steep slopes of the gorge and the thick forests in the surrounding area are still populated with many rare species. These include over fifty species of wild birds - among them, the extremely rare harrier eagle (Gypaetus barbatus) and golden eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos), both threatened with extinction - and about ten species of mammals among which the famous Cretan wild goat otherwise known as kri kri and the Cretan polecat known as zourìdha. As for the flora of the area, it is abundantly rich and includes many wild flowers native to this land.
In 1962, the gorge, together with a small area to the west and east of it, was officially declared a National Park, so that its delicate ecosystem could be protected.
The park extends over an area of 5100 hectares and, unlikeits quiet days in the past, today it is visited by some 300,000 people a year, all of them determined to walk the gorge. Visits are allowed between May and October, but in July and August the tourists are so many that it is impossible to be alone even for a minute. On the other hand, if you can come between May and early June, or between the middle of September and the end of October, you will certainly enjoy it a lot more.
A good time to visit the gorge (in fact, a time before it is officially opened to the public) is the first weekend of April, when a two-day festival is held in Samaria in honour of Osia Maria. The liturgy in the small Byzantine church is chanted by father Giorgis Chiotakis of Sfakia, an amazing priest who likes a good feast as much as anyone else and yet is a truly holy man.
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