Rethymno’s compact historic harbour is chock-a-block with tourist-geared fish tavernas and cafes. For a more atmospheric perspective, walk along the harbour walls, past the fishing boats to the prominent lighthouse, built in the 19th century by the Egyptians.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Phaestos was the second-most-important Minoan palace-city after Knossos and enjoys an awe-inspiring setting with panoramic views of the Messara Plain and…
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The 16th-century Arkadi Monastery, 23km southeast of Rethymno, has deep significance for Cretans. As the site where hundreds of cornered locals massacred…
19.7 MILES
The ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, about 13.5km east of Hania, spread over two hills that lord grandly over Souda Bay. Founded in the 7th century BC…
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The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from…
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Although just a huge and fairly featureless hole in the ground, Ideon has sacred importance in mythology as the place where Zeus was reared by his mother,…
11.45 MILES
A must-see for anyone visiting the ruins of Eleutherna is the accompanying modern museum that contextualises the ancient city through the exhibition of…
14.55 MILES
About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…
27.82 MILES
There are few places where Hania's historic charm and grandeur are more palpable than in the old Venetian Harbour. It's lined by pastel-coloured buildings…
Nearby Rethymno attractions
0.04 MILES
This nicely restored 16th-century landmark originally served as a meeting house for Venetian nobility to discuss politics and money, and morphed into a…
0.08 MILES
Punctuating the old pier in the Venetian Harbour, the 9m-high lighthouse was built in the 1830s, when Egypt ruled Crete. (Britain forced Egypt to give…
0.09 MILES
Another vestige of Venetian rule is this small fountain where water spouts from three lions’ heads into three basins flanked by Corinthian columns. Above…
0.12 MILES
The cornerstone of the permanent collection of this well-curated modern-art museum, founded in 1992, is the oils, drawings and watercolours of local lad…
0.13 MILES
This triple-domed mosque began life as an Augustinian church and was converted by the Turks in 1657, although the recently restored minaret wasn't added…
6. Archaeological Museum of Rethymno
0.17 MILES
Set inside the atmospheric Venetian-built Church of St Francis, this well-curated museum features a stunning collection of well-preserved relics unearthed…
7. Historical & Folk Art Museum
0.17 MILES
In a lovely 17th-century Venetian mansion, the five-room permanent exhibit here documents traditional rural life on Crete with displays of clothing,…
0.24 MILES
At the southern edge of the old quarter, this arched stone gate is the only remnant of the Venetian city wall. It was built in the late 16th century and…