Rethymno traditional town: top attractions & sights, island of Crete | exotic Greece
Welcome to the city of Rethymnon, a place blessed with beauty, embraced by breathtaking mountains and the deep blue of the Mediterranean, decorated with renaissance colors and inhabited by people known for their hospitality, honoring their ancestors and traditions.
It is a place one falls in love at first sight and visitors are able to feel the positive vibes of the city from the very first moment, making them feel at home.
Rethymno town is a rare combination of history and modern-day luxury, with its Venetian-era Fortezza and old town, tropical beaches and exquisite Cretan cuisine
The Fortezza (fortress) sits atop Rethymno’s magical old town like a crown. It’s like travelling back in time, to the period of the Venetians. You’ll climb to the fortress and hear the echoes of the sea. You’ll walk along the Venetian port with its old lighthouse and get lost in the maze of alleyways, admiring the ornate doorways and the Venetian crests that decorate them. You’ll visit the mosques and their minarets and hop between the dozens of shops, restaurants and cafes.
One of the most luxurious destinations in Greece, Rethymno will welcome you with its hospitality, high standards of service and Cretan cuisine. To the east, the longest beach in Crete (12km) awaits you. Here your dreams of a luxurious beach holiday will become a reality.
What to do in Rethymno
Landmarks from many eras
At the Neratzi Mosque (music conservatory), you’ll mark its sky-high minaret (built in 1890) as the meeting point. The New Square is ringed by grand homes, the Catholic Church of St Francis, an Ottoman mausoleum and an Ottoman school. At Platanos Square, you’ll pass bustling restaurants and cafes and arrive at the famous Rimondi Fountain, constructed in 1626. The renowned Makri Steno (long alley) that leads from the National Park to the Fortezza, with its Venetian homes and marble fountains, is one of the most beautiful streets in Rethymno.
The Venetian port and lighthouse
Along Nearchou Road you’ll get to the picturesque Venetian harbour with its restored lighthouse, which was built between 1830-40. Behind the port is the 16th-century Venetian Loggia. Rethymno will surprise you with the beauty, sights and attractions you’ll encounter along all of its streets.
Rethymno’s tropical beach
The largest beach on the island – 12km – stretches along the east side of the city, from Rethymno to Skaleta. You’ll take advantage of the water sports in the Adelianos Kampos and enjoy a quiet swim in the rocky coves of the Pegianos Kampos. All along the beach you’ll find beach bars with umbrellas and lounge chairs, shops and hotels.
A luxury stay in the Mediterranean
In Rethymno’s old town, Venetian buildings with sea views have been converted into elegant boutique hotels. Alternatively, you can opt for large and luxurious, all-inclusive resorts with pools, restaurants and bungalows in lush gardens outside the town.
Cretan cuisine: authentic flavours, accompanied by raki
In Rethymno, you’ll enjoy culinary treats inspired by Crete’s flavourful cuisine and traditions. Restaurants in Venetian buildings with beautiful gardens, rakadika where you’ll complement meze with the local schnapps-like drink raki, and quaint little tavernas. Rest assured that all Cretan dishes are prepared using fresh, local produce.
It was originally built during the Minoan civilization (ancient Rhithymna and Arsinoe) and was strong enough to mint its own coins and maintain urban growth. One of these coins is today depicted as the crest of the town: two dolphins in a circle.
The city's Venetian-era citadel, the Fortezza of Rethymno, is one of the best-preserved castles in Crete. Other monuments include the Neratze mosque (the Municipal Odeon arts centre), the Great Gate (Μεγάλη Πόρτα or Porta Guora), the Piazza Rimondi and the Loggia.
Το Ρέθυμνο είναι πρωτεύουσα του ομώνυμου νομού της Κρήτης και έδρα του μητροπολιτικού Δήμου. Εμφανίζει μεγάλη τουριστική κίνηση κατά τη διάρκεια του καλοκαιριού, ενώ οι 10.500 και πλέον ενεργοί φοιτητές καθιστούν την πόλη ιδιαίτερα ζωντανή κατά την υπόλοιπη περίοδο του χρόνου. Ο πληθυσμός του δήμου ανέρχεται σε 55.525 κατοίκους. και είναι η τρίτη μεγαλύτερη πόλη της Κρήτης.
Η οικονομία της στηρίζεται στον τουρισμό, καθόσον υπάρχουν πολλά αξιοθέατα, μεγάλη αμμώδης παραλία και ισχυρή ξενοδοχειακή υποδομή.
Η Φορτέτζα είναι το ενετικό οχυρό της πόλης, έργο του 16ου αιώνα, το οποίο στη συνέχεια χρησιμοποιήθηκε από τους Οθωμανούς. Το Οχυρό της Πύλης Φορτέτζας, γνωστό ως Ριβελίνο, είναι πενταγωνικό οχύρωμα στην ανατολική πύλη και χτίστηκε από τους Οθωμανούς μετά την κατάληψη της πόλης.
#rethymno #topgreekdestinations #mysticgreece
Heraklion - City Tour 2018 (Crete/Greece) | Let's Travel
** Let's Travel **
to the capital of Crete (Greece).
Content:
- Morosini Fountain (Lion Fountain)
- Agios Titos
- Venetian Loggia
- Turkish Pumphouse
- Old Venetian Harbor
- Fortress Rocca al Mare (Koules)
Please thumbs up if you liked it!
Thanks for the support!
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** Let's Travel **
in die Hauptstadt von Kreta (Griechenland).
Inhalt:
- Morosini Brunnen (Löwenbrunnen)
- Agios Titos
- Venetian Loggia
- Turkish Pumphouse
- Old Venetian Harbour
- Fortress Rocca al Mare (Koules)
Bitte die Daumen nach oben, wenn es euch gefallen hat!
Danke für die Unterstützung!
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** Let's Travel **
στην πρωτεύουσα της Κρήτης (Ελλάδα).
περιεχόμενο:
- Κρήνη Μοροζίνι (Κρήνη Λιοντάρι)
- Άγιος Τίτος
- Βενετική Λοτζία
- Τουρκική πύλη
- Παλιό ενετικό λιμάνι
- Φρούριο Rocca al Mare (Κούλες)
Παρακαλώ μπράβο αν σας άρεσε!
Ευχαριστώ για την υποστήριξη!
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** Let's Travel **
Girit (Yunanistan) baskenti.
içerik:
- Morosini Çesmesi (Aslan Çesmesi)
- Agios Titos
- Venedik Loggia
- Türk Pumphouse
- Eski Venedik Limani
- Rocca al Mare Kalesi (Koules)
Begendiyseniz, parmaklarinizi çapraz tutun!
Destek için tesekkürler!
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** Let's Travel **
à la capitale de la Crète (Grèce).
contenu:
- Fontaine de Morosini (Fontaine du Lion)
- Agios Titos
- Loggia vénitienne
- Pumphouse turque
- Vieux port vénitien
- Forteresse Rocca al Mare (Koules)
S'il vous plaît gardez vos doigts croisés si vous l'avez aimé!
Merci pour le soutien!
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** Let's Travel **
till Kretas huvudstad (Grekland).
innehåll:
- Morosini fontän (Lion fontän)
- Agios Titos
- Venetian Loggia
- Turkiska Pumphouse
- Gamla venetianska hamnen
- Fästning Rocca al Mare (Koules)
Vänligen håll dina fingrar korsade om du gillade det!
Tack för stödet!
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** Let's Travel **
a la capital de Creta (Grecia).
contenido:
- Fuente Morosini (Fuente del León)
- Agios Titos
- Loggia veneciana
- Sala de bombas turca
- Viejo puerto veneciano
- Fortaleza Rocca al Mare (Koules)
Por favor, cruza los dedos si te gustó.
Gracias por el apoyo!
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** Let's Travel **
nella capitale di Creta (Grecia).
contenuti:
- Fontana Morosini (fontana del leone)
- Agios Titos
- Loggia veneziana
- Pumphouse turco
- Vecchio porto veneziano
- Fortezza Rocca al Mare (Koules)
Tieni le dita incrociate se ti è piaciuto!
Grazie per il supporto!
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Rethymnon - Creta - Grecia - Breve visita alla città
Rethymnon (Greek: Ρέθυμνο, [ˈreθimno], also Rethimno, Rethymnon, Réthymnon, and Rhíthymnos) is a city of approximately 40,000 people in Greece, the capital of Rethymno regional unit on the island of Crete, a former Latin Catholic bishopric as Retimo(–Ario) and former Latin titular see.
It was originally built during the Minoan civilization (ancient Rhithymna and Arsinoe), but was never a competitive Minoan centre. It was, however, strong enough to mint its own coins and maintain urban growth. One of these coins is today depicted as the crest of the town: two dolphins in a circle.
Scavi archeologici hanno dimostrato che la città coniava le proprie monete in periodo ellenistico, il che fa supporre che fosse dedita a floridi commerci. Alcuni scrittori del III secolo d.C. fanno riferimento alla città e ad un suo tempio dedicato ad Artemide. Scarse sono le informazioni nel successivo periodo bizantino; negli anni della dominazione veneziana (iniziata nel 1212) aveva qui sede un rettore il quale rispondeva al duca che risiedeva a Candia.
Nel secolo XVI la presenza ottomana nel Mediterraneo orientale si fece sempre più minacciosa e al pari di Cipro l'isola di Creta fu soggetta a sempre più frequenti incursioni piratesche saracene. Fu così che nel 1540 fu dato avvio alla costruzione di una cinta muraria disegnata dall'architetto Michele Sammicheli: l'opera fu ultimata nel 1570, ma non valse ad impedire l'anno successivo il saccheggio della città da parte del corsaro Occhialì. Sempre nel 1571 Cipro si arrese agli ottomani e ciò fece di Creta il nuovo principale obiettivo di conquista della Sublime Porta, per cui i veneziani si affrettarono ad ampliare e fortificare il castello che sorgeva sul promontorio. La nuova fortezza, disegnata all'architetto militare Sforza Pallavicini e impostata secondo i canoni della fortificazione alla moderna, fu progettata per poter contenere, in caso d'assedio, l'intera popolazione cittadina. Contemporaneamente la città acquisiva uno stile rinascimentale italiano: fu costruita la piazza centrale, il corso, la loggia. Tutti gli sforzi di ammodernamento furono tuttavia vani: quando nel 1646 i turchi sferrarono l'attacco a Creta, dopo la veloce presa della Canea le truppe di pascià Hussein giunsero di fronte a Retimo e la cinsero d'assedio, costringendola alla resa il 13 novembre dopo una resistenza di poche settimane.
Durante il periodo ottomano la città mantenne il proprio impianto urbanistico originario, ma le chiese furono trasformate in moschee e si elevarono nuovi minareti; le antiche case dei patrizi veneziani che avevano abbandonato l'isola furono poi adattate al gusto dei nuovi padroni. Nei due secoli e mezzo di amministrazione ottomana la città conobbe un periodo di decadenza e la tendenza all'insabbiamento del porto ridusse ulteriormente il ruolo di Retimo a livello commerciale. Nel XIX secolo, come del resto in tutta l'isola, crebbe l'insofferenza greca verso i governanti ottomani e si moltiplicarono gli episodi di resistenza.
Archaeological excavations have shown that the city minted its own coins in the Hellenistic period, which suggests that it was dedicated to flourishing trade. Some writers of the third century A.D. refer to the city and its temple dedicated to Artemis. Little information in the subsequent Byzantine period; in the years of Venetian rule (begun in 1212) he was based here a rector who answered the duke who lived in Candia.
In the sixteenth century the Ottoman presence in the eastern Mediterranean became more and more threatening and like Cyprus the island of Crete was subject to increasingly frequent incursions by pirates Saracen. So it was that in 1540 was begun the construction of a wall designed by architect Michele Sammicheli: the work was completed in 1570, but were insufficient to stop the year after the sacking of the city by the pirate Occhialì. Always in 1571 Cyprus surrendered to the Ottomans, and this made Crete the new main objective of conquest of the Sublime Porte, for which the Venetians were quick to expand and fortify the castle that stood on the headland. The new fortress, designed military architect Sforza Pallavicini and set according to the canons of the star fort, was designed to contain, in case of siege, the whole town population. At the same time the city acquired a Renaissance style Italian: it was built the main square, the course, the loggia. All modernization efforts were vain, however, when in 1646 the Turks they launched the attack on Crete, after the quick capture of Chania the troops of Hussein Pasha arrived in front of Rethymno and the besieged, and forced its surrender on November 13 after a few weeks of resistance.
Caterina Carpinato: Crete in Venice
Paper Presented at the conference:
FROM KORNAROS TO KAZANTZAKIS: Language, Culture, Society, and History in Crete
VENETIAN FORTIFICATIONS OF HERAKLION
Rethimno Venetian fortress
Crete - Greece -August 2009.
Rethimno Venetian fortress
Castles of Crete - Frangokastello's Venetian Fortress, Touring the Historic Landmark
Crete is not just beautiful beaches, rugged landscape, and great parties - its all about history, too. The island is strategic, meaning it was a target of many empires and civilizations through the millennia, including the city-state of Venice. It was during Venetian rule over Crete when this fortress was built.
In a previous video we highlighted the Frangokastello beach and we passed the castle on the way in - this time we won't just walk by en route to the beach bar, we'll take a stroll through the fortress, checking out every nook and cranny while discussing the history of the place.
We also mentioned another local legend relating to this castle in our Orthi Ammos video, which is located just at the end of Frangokastello beach. The sand shares a storied past and we are reminded of it every year, so it is said.
Enjoy this bit of Cretan history and subscribe to the good life!!
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Music attribution: Future Gladiator by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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