10 Best Things to Do in Rethymno

Porta Guora (Grand Gate) is the main entrance of the south side of Rethymno, through the city’s Venetian fortified walls. The stone archway dates back to the 1560s and is the only part of the original city wall left standing today.

While not a huge monument, Porta Guora is still considered an important landmark. It’s the main entrance for those wanting to step into the main laneway of Rethymno Old Town. If you walk underneath the archway and continue down the old cobblestone street heading north, you’ll reach the main market area and many of the Old Town’s historical attractions.

Rimondi Fountain is one of the Old Town’s still-functioning masterpieces from the Venetian era. The fountain was built by the then-governor Rimondi in 1626 to provide the city’s residents with clean drinking water. It’s situated in the northern end of Petychaki Square.

The well-preserved collonaded fountain has freshwater flowing from the 3 lions’ heads carved into the wall. You can refill your bottle, just as the locals still do, before continuing your stroll around the rest of the Rethymno’s Old Town.

The Historical and Folk Art Museum of Rethymno showcases an outstanding collection of handicrafts and artefacts of different eras. Located on Vernardou Street, it occupies a fully restored Venetian mansion that was built in the early 17^th century.

The museum displays more than 5,000 rare artefacts, including basket weavings, costumes, ceramics, metalwork, maps, weapons and coins. For around €4 per ticket, the Historical and Folk Art Museum of Rethymno is an excellent place to delve deeper into the local culture and history of Crete.

Rethymno has been a magnet for traditional arts and handicrafts for decades, with the Old Town being one of the best spots to buy them directly from the local artisans. The winding streets and honey-coloured stone buildings not only house the city’s main attractions, but also excellent shopping venues for you to pick some souvenirs to take home.

Souliou Street, a skinny laneway off the main thoroughfare in the centre of the Old Town, was originally a shoemaker’s street. Today, it’s Rethymno’s main shopping strip where you can find all sorts of gifts and trinkets, from jewellery and pottery to local food and natural products. Some of the best things to buy here include olive oil, soap and honey.

The Archaeological Museum of Rethymno contains a large collection of artefacts dating from the Neolithic Age to the Roman period. It’s housed inside the Venetian-built St Francis Church, not far down from the Grand Gate in the centre of the Old Town. 

You can easily spend a couple of hours admiring the museum’s well-presented displays. Highlights include a 9,000-year-old limestone statue of a goddess, a war helmet decorated with boar teeth, a marble statue of Aphrodite, and hunting tools found in the caves around Rethymno.

Neratze Mosque (Gazi Hussein Mosque), just south of the Rimondi Fountain, serves as Rethymno’s music conservatory. It was originally called the Church of Santa Maria under the Venetians before the Turks converted it into a mosque during their occupation in the 17^th century.

The mosque is well worth a visit for being the foremost symbol of the struggle between Venetian and Ottoman rule over Crete. You can appreciate its well-preserved exterior and minaret, which towers over Rethymno’s Old Town. Neratze Mosque houses the Municipal Odeon arts centre, where music lessons and concerts take place.

Arkadi Monastery is found on a plateau around 19.5 km southeast of Rethymno’s city centre. A popular excursion from several towns on Crete, the 16^th-century baroque monastery overlooks a pretty setting of olive trees and vineyards.

It’s a particularly important monument, not just for its beauty, but also as a symbol of Cretan resistance to the Ottomans in the 19^th century. You can explore the well-preserved church, monks’ residences, and onsite museum within the complex. It’s a relatively relaxing day trip with regular buses between the monastery and Rethymno.

Rethymno Beach lies at the east of the Old Town, next to the Venetian Harbour. It's a long stretch of soft sand with plenty of beach chairs waiting to lure you in for a lazy afternoon in the sun. It may not be the island’s prettiest beach, but it’s convenient for those staying in Rethymno thanks to its proximity to the city’s amenities.

If you want to venture further to a more picturesque Mediterranean coastline, head over to Preveli Beach, some 46 km south of Rethymno. It’s arguably the most beautiful beach in Crete – this little cove is where the Kourtaliotis River meets the Mediterranean Sea.

Fortezza of Rethymno (or Venetian Fortress) is an imposing walled fortification dominating a rocky outcrop on the western side of the city. It was built in 1573 to protect the city from the invading Ottomans, who finally took control in the 17th century.

The fortress complex has been beautifully restored. Its main draw is the St Nicholas Church, which was converted into a mosque under Ottoman rule. From the protective stone walls, you have a panorama of the sea. Fortezza of Rethymno is perfectly positioned to watch the sunset. The fortress also remains open after sunset.

Rethymno’s old Venetian Harbour is the place to be for hearty dinners and drinks with views of the Mediterranean. The small enclave, with fishing boats and yachts moored at its edges, is surrounded by well-loved seafood restaurants and cosy cafés. Every evening, the harbour area buzzes with energy, with people heading down for fresh fish and a glass of wine with beautiful ocean views.

Just about every restaurant along the waterfront overlooks the Egyptian Lighthouse, which sits on the very edge of the Venetian Harbour. This famous landmark was built in the 1830s by the Egyptians, who were given access to the port by the Ottomans. It makes for a beautiful view as dusk sets over the city of Rethymno.