he town of Rethymno rests against the edge of the sea and lies approximately half-way between Herakleio and Chania. The capital of the Prefecture of the same name, with a population of 18,000. Rethymno consists of two parts: the old town, with its medieval character and the new town.

		he town is dominated by the imposing Venetian fortress known as Fortezza. This was built between 1571 and 1600 to designs by the famous architect Sanmicheli on Palaiokastro hill in accordance with the respects of the military architecture of the time.
It has three bastions on its southern side and one on the east, connected by battlements. The walls of the Fortezza provide a superb view of the town and the sea which embraces it. A small open-air theatre has been built inside the walls and various events are held there every summer.

ethymno is the most attractive little town with its own character. As one walks through its narrow Venetian alley-ways with their little old houses with wooden covered balconies, their mosques and minarets, their Venetian mansions with magnificent flights of steps, coast-of-arms and Latin inscriptions, one has a strong sense of being carried back through time to the magic of another age.

he Fortezza, the Venetian loggia and fountains and the Turkish mosques stand harmoniously side- by-side today, but they are testimony to the turbulent past of the town, which is distinctive all around the whole Prefecture. Its worth to pay a visit to the Archaelogical Museum, the Rimondi Fountain, the church of Our Lady of the Angels and the minaret of the Neranje Mosque.

The idyllic picture of the town is completed with the picturesque Venetian harbor, where the fishing- boats moor today and the modern harbor next to it, for larger vessels. We suggest a visit to the Lighthouse on the end of the north pier, where you can enjoy a unique view over the town.

Photos and text taken from "Crete - today and yesterday" and "Crete - A tour of all the towns and villages" (Toubis Editions)

Previous highlight The seductive southern part