Rethymno Province

Wild beauty Rethymno is peppered with historic sites and natural wonders. Ribbons of mountain road wind through the timeless interior, passing fields of wildflowers and traditional hamlets cradled by olive groves. Descend into the spooky darkness of grotto-like caves; explore steep, lush gorges; and rest in the shade of lofty Mt Psiloritis, Crete’s highest peak. Visit enduring monasteries, Minoan tombs and Venetian strongholds. Rethymno is also a magnet for artists, many practising age-old trades with modern twists.

The eponymous capital on the northern coast is a bustle of atmosphere-soaked cobbled lanes, laden with shops, restaurants and bars and flanked by a wide, sandy beach. The southern coast is graced with bewitching beaches in seductive isolation. Weave your way through this spellbinding land from shore to shore.