Rethymno Attractions Outside City
Rethymno Attractions Outside City
Kourtaliotis Gorge
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The Gorge of Kourtaliotis is located 22km south of Rethymno and has a length of 3km. It is one of the most spectacular natural attractions of Rethymnon. It starts from the village Koxare and flows between the mountains Kouroupis (984 m) and Xiro Oros (Dry Mountain - 904m). The huge cliffs of the canyon reach a height of 600 meters and are full of openings and caves, where significant fauna species live. The canyon is crossed by the Kourtaliotis River which flows up to Lake Preveli, after merging with Frati Gorge. In its latest part it is called Big River. |
Agia Galini
Agia Galini is 61 km southeast of Rethymno and 68 km southwest of Heraklion, about midway along the south coast of Crete. In Agia Galini you can find some of the most luxury Villas in Crete. |
Kournas Lake
Lake Kourna is the only lake with fresh water in Crete. It is situated in a magnificent location, just 4km away from Georgioupolis Chania. It is a rather small lake, known from antiquity with the name Korisia. Lake Kournas is a remarkable destination for an afternoon walk or a day trip. The relaxing and beautiful landscape is ideal for nature lovers. In Lake Kournas, there are two fountains with only one of them being visible, especially during the end of the summer: the Eye, as the locals call the fountain. This natural lake was created by the holdback of the underwater that comes from the White Mountains, the resistant rocks and the lie of the natural cavity. Basically the lake is a huge hollow which is fed from the southeast side with water due to its soil. Lake Kournas is an important part of the Greek ecosystem, as it is one of the few areas in Crete where there is abundant fresh water throughout the year. This is one of the reasons that the Lake Kournas is a protected area by the Natura 2000 Network. The lake is surrounded by a greenery environment with rare plants and trees. The dark color of the lake is caused from the seaweeds coming from the depth of the lake. Many animals find shelter here. Lake Kournas is a favorite destination for both locals and tourists. It is the ideal location for a relaxing walk around the transparent water of the lake. On the one side of the lake there are cafeterias and taverns, offering a remarkable view to the lake. You can swim in the magnificent small beaches with white sand, located next to the cafeterias. Also visitors can do pedals here to explore the lake. |
Argiroupoli Village
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Argiroupolis is the site of the ancient city of Lapa. According to the myths, Lapa was created by Agamemnon, the hero of the Trojan war. The older coins of the city show the goddess Vritomartis Artemis, who was a Cretan goddess influenced by the Minoan religion. In the Greek wars they were allies of Knossos but when Knossos destroyed Lyttos the people of Lapa accepted the Lyttoans in their city and their homes. |
Anogeia - Idaion Andro
The village of Anogia (or Anogeia) is located in the Prefecture of Rethymnon. Anogia is the birthplace of many famous local folclore singers such as Nikos Ksilouris. |
Mili Gorge
Mili Gorge. 7 km outside Rethymno, to the south, up on the hills, it is an idyllic one-day tour for those who like to walk in the country. A real paradise, a place of purifying harmony, beauty and peace, the splendour of nature. A walk to another world, unspoiled and uplifting, untouched from progress or tourism, in the green, between trees and plants, along little steams, under the songs and sounds of many kind of birds. Old and now deserted watermills, along the stream, were supplying Rethymno with flour during the last centuries, giving the name to the old and the new settlements. Taking Theotokopoulou street, passing from Evligias hill, with the pine tree forest, the road comes to the Nunnery of Agia Irini. It was founded in 981 and it is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete. It was completely destroyed by the Turks at 1896 and it was restored on 1989. 2 km after, there is the new village of Mili from where you can get down to Mili gorge and the old settlement. Taking the gorge to the end, it leads back to the coast of Rethymno. |
Margarites –The pottery village
The village of Margarites Μαργαρίτες, is 30 km south east from Rethymnon town in the centre of the island of Crete in Greece. Located in picturesque green rolling hills, the village is well known for its pottery, and attracts large tour buses in the busy season. After the rushed tourists have left, it is then possible to stroll around this very charming village and enjoy the many pottery studios.
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Melidoni Village & Melidoni Cave
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Leaving Rethimno to the east you can either strike immediately onto the new national (not so big) road for a flat, fast route or maybe and much better follow the old road. |
Monastery of Preveli
The Holy Monastery of Preveli in Rethymnon Crete: The important monastery of Preveli sits on the rocky hills of Preveli canyon, on the southern side of Rethymnon prefecture, Crete. It consists of two monasteries, the Lower or Kato Preveli and the Upper or Pisso Monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos, about 3 km far from Kato Preveli, which is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The monasteries date back to the middle 16th century. Many times along their history, they were destroyed but they were always restored. It is said that the monastery owes its name from the noble Preveli family from Rethymnon town who contributed in its restoration in the 18th century. Kato Preveli is a typical Orthodox monastery with the church of John the Baptist in the centre. The buildings in the rectangular courtyard constitute the cells of the monks and some additional buildings. The monks spend most time of the year here rather than in Pisso Preveli, which is deserted today but still makes a beautiful sight nestled among the mountains. Many valuable relics and icons of the monastery were looted during the wars. The remaining collections can be seen at the Ecclesiastical Museum of Kato Preveli, where there are religious garments, relics, icons from the 17th century and a historical cross that depicts the Baptism of Jesus Christ and was used as a banner in wars. Kato Preveli Monastery consists of a double aisled basilica with a complex of buildings around it holding the dining hall, the food cellars, guest reception and meeting halls. Near the large dining hall is the monk's hostel which has exits to the slopes of the mountains, which was very useful in times of war in the past. An old fountain with the inscription 1701 is still used as water source. In the interior, the icons of Saint John and Saint Charalambos and the biblical frescoes are works of artists from the Cretan school of Art and date from the 16th century. The Monastery of Preveli served as a refuge for soldiers and rebellions in the many wars of Crete for liberation. The monks of the monastery have always played an important role in the history of Crete, providing shelter to the Cretan soldiers even though their lives were put in danger. The monastery today is open to visit and offers excellent views to the mountainous landscape of Crete |
Arkadi Monastery
The Monastery of Arkadi (GR:Αρκάδι) constitutes a landmark of architecture and civilisation considering the magnificent facade of the church, the highly developed spiritual tradition as well as the flourishing development of fine arts. However, the holocaust, which took place in 1866, gave the monastery an eminent place in history, elevating it to an eternal symbol of freedom and heroism, which is acknowledged the world over. The Monastery of Arkadi lies on a low plateau, 23 kilometres from the town of Rethymno. Built during the last Venetian period, it consists of a large set of fortress-like buildings. The main building included the cells, the warehouses where the agricultural products were treated and stored, the stables. In a word, it was a well-equipped little fortress where people could find refuge in times of trouble. The elaborate central entrance was restored just four years after the 1866 explosion. It leads to the interior court, through a vaulted passage. In the middle of the court, stands the impressive church, with its two naves dedicated to Saint Constantine and Saint Helen, and to Our Lord. Completed in 1587, its facade clearly shows the different currents in the development of Cretan art during the 16th and 17th centuries. In the south-west corner of the church, one can still see a section of the burnt iconostasis that survived the 1866 holocaust. The church is surrounded by a large and roomy precinct and the vaulted passages with their row of arches have retained their grandeur. The cells on the three sides of the court and the communal rooms on the north side are impressively austere. The history of the monastery goes back to Byzantine times, when a monk, possibly named Arkadios, founded the monastery which in turn was named after him. Already in the 16th century the monastery played an important role in the cultural life of Crete. There were many copyist monks, a rich library and a school. The Turkish invasion reduced its cultural activities for a while, but the Arkadi Monastery was able to recover promptly and received a unique privilege among Greek monasteries: the Turks allowed the ringing of its bells. The monastery proved to be not only a remarkable cultural centre, but also played an all-important role in the fight against the Turks: when the Turkish Army (15,000 men) surrounded the monastery in November 1866, 300 fighting men and 600 hundred women and children had taken refuge in it. When the walls came tumbling down and the Turks began the massacre, one of the rebels, Kostis Giamboudakis, blew up the powder magazine and the sky-high explosion reduced the monastery to a pile of rubble. This heroic feat is considered one of the greatest in Cretan history and has turned the Arkadi Monastery into one of Europe's Monuments to Freedom. There's a museum in the monastery with many impressive relics of the 1866 Holocaust and some beautiful icons. Many efforts have been made for the restoration of the monastery in the last years. Two monks live there. |
Ancient Eleftherna
Some km after Arkadi monastery, it is the most important archaeological site in Rethymno and one of the most interesting current excavations being conducted by the Archaeological section of The university of Crete. Inhabited from the ancient years till the Byzantine era, it is the only site in Crete that can give valuable information to archaeologists in how a settlement developed during the years. There can be seen the ruins of dwelling complexes, sanctuaries, cemeteries, the ancient wall, the aqueduct, the huge cisterns and the bridges and an early Christian basilica. Eleftherna is not yet an organised archaeological site. |
30th Dimakopoulou Str.
Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Z.C. 74100
T./F. (+30) 2831026942
Tel. (+30) 6948 806 111 & (+30) 6970 807 988
Email. info@musestravel.com