Description

Rethymno

Welcome to Rethymnon, the small Mediterranean town with its Renaissance architecture, Venetian fortress, museums and beaches. We are sure that like thousands of others, you will find so much to enchant you that you will return annually to Rethymnon.

As for the surrounding province, the difficulty is in deciding what to visit first. The endless beaches, the monasteries and the churches, the ancient sites or the Venetian and Turkish monuments? The area is rich in characteristic villages and areas of great natural beauty, as well as caves and soaring mountains.

THE MONUMENTS OF RETHYMNON

The Fortetza Fortress
Built after 1573 to protect the city's population. It comprises four bastions and three entrances while to the north, its design is typical of the period with three look-out posts (salients).

Ibrahim Han mosque
The most significant of the surviving buildings, built by the Venetians as a cathedral.

The Venetian harbour
From 1300, Rethymno's harbour was constantly being changed and re-built to make it safer and hold more boats. Due to the prevailing currents along the coast, this was never entirely successful. It retains its picturesque character even today.

The Loggia
The most characteristic Renaissance monument of Rethymnon and the most important architectural reminder of the Venetian occupation.

The Rimondi Fountain
Rebuilt in 1626 on the foundation of the earlier one, the new fountain is architecturally and sculptural ornate.

Saint Franciscus Church
The catholic monastery of the Franciscan order. It sports a single sloped wooden roofed basilica with an impressively decorated entrance.

The Neratzies, the Kara Mousa, the Great Door, and the Veli Pasa mosque.
The five surviving mosques are a reminder of the years of the Turkish occupation. Of these, the first is the only one that can be visited, which is used today as a music conservatory.
The Prefecture Building (Nomarchia)
Built after 1869 is a commemorative building in neo-classic design.

The Old Town
Has been preserved in good condition with the public and private monuments of the Venetian, Turkish and later periods.

Preveli

The monastery of Preveli
It stands 37 km south of Rethymno, in an imposing landscape which is mentioned at the mid-19th century diary of Sir John Spratt (admiral of the British Royal Navy), as "one of the happiest places to withdraw from trials and responsibilities of life".
There are lots of legends concerning the foundation of the monastery, which is believed that started during the Venetian occupation of the island.
A number of its monks activities made the monastery one of the richest of western Crete and due to its isolated position it played important role in Cretan revolts against the occupying forces.

The monastery consists of two separated blocks, “Pisso Monastiri” and "Kato Monastiri". Arriving from Rethimno we first meet “Kato Monastiri” with the church of "Agios Ioannis o Prodromos" today being isolated and after two kilometers to the south we meet Pisso Monastiri, most renowned to the visitors, dedicated to "Agios Ioannis o Theologos".
The existing buildings are not the original ones, but what is left from the Turks destructions and the later modifications and extensions.

There are many valuable relics kept in the monastery museum such as:

The icon of Christ "king of the kings" work of the painter Michail Prevelis (1750),
The icon of "Agios Ioannis o Theologos" (13th century)
The miraculous Crucifix (18th century)
The splendid iconostasis and many others.

Plakias

Plakias is a coastal village, 40 km south from Rethimno, with 237 permanent residents, built at the cove of the bay of the same name on a wonderful sandy beach, 1300 m long, between the capes Stavros and Kako Mouri, that is ideal for swimming and sea sports.
The first mention of Plakias was in the census of 1961 when only 6 fishermen were its permanent inhabitants. The natural beauty of the place helped Plakias to become a renowned tourist resort now providing all the facilities that a visitor could wish.
Large hotels, youth hostel, small traditional style apartments, camping site, taverns, restaurants, bars, everything to make the visitors' stay comfortable and unforgettable.
There are many small-secluded beaches for the naturalism lovers as well as some organized ones providing quite few facilities such as sun chairs, umbrellas, sea sports etc.

Included

* NOTE: !!! Our Guides are LICENSED and Members of the Union official Guides in Crete.

** NOTE: !!! Our Drivers are Professionals and English speaking.

INCLUDED
Vehicle, fuels, tolls (wherever exist), parking fee,
English-speaking driver, English or French-speaking guide, insurance covery of the passengers up to €500,000 in total, VAT and all taxes.

NOT INCLUDED
*Entrance fees in archaeological and historical sites, hotel accommodation wherever needed, beverages and meals.

If you are interested in booking this Private Tour please fill in these details that follow and you will be informed of the pricing details.