Must see attractions in Rethymno

Looming over Rethymno, the star-shaped Venetian fortress cuts an imposing figure with its massive walls and bastions but was nevertheless unable to stave…

Set inside the atmospheric Venetian-built Church of St Francis, this well-curated museum features a stunning collection of well-preserved relics unearthed…

Rethymno’s compact historic harbour is chock-a-block with tourist-geared fish tavernas and cafes. For a more atmospheric perspective, walk along the…

Built right into the cliff beneath the Venetian fortress, tiny Agios Spyridon has enough atmosphere to fill a cathedral. This Byzantine chapel is filled…

The highlight of this dusty old museum are the displays of fossilised tusks and bones from the dwarf Cretan elephant and pygmy hippopotamus. Both were…

The cornerstone of the permanent collection of this well-curated modern-art museum, founded in 1992, is the oils, drawings and watercolours of local lad…

This triple-domed mosque began life as an Augustinian church and was converted by the Turks in 1657, although the recently restored minaret wasn't added…

In a lovely 17th-century Venetian mansion, the five-room permanent exhibit here documents traditional rural life on Crete with displays of clothing,…

Located between Iliakaki and Dimitrakaki, the trails and tree-shaded benches found here offer respite from the heat and crowds. Old men doze and chat…

This nicely restored 16th-century landmark originally served as a meeting house for Venetian nobility to discuss politics and money, and morphed into a…

Another vestige of Venetian rule is this small fountain where water spouts from three lions’ heads into three basins flanked by Corinthian columns. Above…

Punctuating the old pier in the Venetian Harbour, the 9m-high lighthouse was built in the 1830s, when Egypt ruled Crete. (Britain forced Egypt to give…

This building began life as a monastery but was turned into a mosque by the Turks, who added the domes and a minaret, of which only bits remain. It is…

At the southern edge of the old quarter, this arched stone gate is the only remnant of the Venetian city wall. It was built in the late 16th century and…