Rethimnon

About Rethimnon

Rethimnon a small Mediterranean city with its Renaissance architecture, Venetian fortress, museums, endless beaches, monasteries and churches, Venetian and Turkish monuments, areas of great natural beauty and local people, famous for their hospitality that may share a glass of ‘raki’ with you.
The town is literally built in front of the sea, the Aegean Sea, the influence of which is felt deeply by its people. Behind the town rises majestically a scenic backdrop of hills and mountain peaks, the highest being Vrissina, at 858 metres.

Get in
There is a daily ferry from Pireaus (Athens), which arrives early in the morning.
There are regular bus services from both Chania and Heraklion. All busses stop at the bus station, just west of the center of Rethimno. From the bus station it's a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi-ride to the ferry.

By Ferry
Ferry services from Athens (Piraeus port) to Rethimno Crete island

By plane
The distance from Heraklion to Rethymno is 80 km and from Chania to Rethymno 45 km. Chania airport is much smaller and far less busy than Heraklion airport

Get around
Bus - as with most places in Greece, tickets must be purchased at a shop before boarding public buses.
Taxi/Cab - cabs can be hailed on the streets, but expect to share the cab with strangers who might also hail the cab on the way to where you're going.

See
Historic Buildings. Rethimno has many historic buildings remaining from the Venetian occupation of Crete (17th century) including the Fortessa and the lighthouse.
Beaches. The good sandy beach begins in the town and extends several miles to the east, backed by hotel developments. In the west, after a little industrial area, a rocky unspoilt coastline takes you towards another good beach 5 miles to the west of Rethimno, towards Georgiopoli.
Parks. There is a small park in the centre with a very small zoo containing some Cretan mountain goats.

Do
Boat Trips. Boat trips are available from the harbour.

Buy
During the main summer season, Rethimno is very touristic. Shops and visitors everywhere, the closer to the beach the more! They offer anything considered "souvenir". Recommend to ask your hotel receptionists for recommendations of local stores.
Olives, Raki, Ouzo and wines are common commodities of Crete origin. Cheapest at the locals supermarkets, away from the hotels/beaches (we got 1kg Olives at below 2 Euro). Aside Oranges/Orange juice, fruites and juices are rather expensive.

Eat
Pitta Gyros / Pitta Souvlaki
Very nice restaurants are located inside the city. The restaurants on the beach front are tourist oriented, though food quality is okay (though lower than in most of the small tavernas in the back streets). As the quality changes every season with new cooks/managements, your hotel receptionists will be able to give you quite good ideas.

Drink
Most of the bars close to the Rimondi Fountain are noisy and get very busy. but ok if you like to watch the crowd pass by. There are more relaxing places in the narrow streets nearby. Try the "PUNCH BOWL" just like a traditional Irish pub, it is full of curios and the landlady who is also Irish serves a great pint of Guinness. It' situated at number 42 Arabatzoglou.

For a late night drink try "EXTREME" a good venue for rock music, it's in the lane between the museum and the harbour. There are more disco style bars close by. The promenade has mostly coctail bars which are modern and brightly lit, with music going on to the early hours. Try "Metropolis" music club near Venetian harbour

Paleochora

About Paleochora
Paleochora is a small town of about 2000 inhabitants nestling 75 km southwest of Chania, under the immense White Mountains on the Greek island of Crete. In the summer it entertains up to a couple of thousand tourists of all European nationalities.
On a small peninsula, at the southernmost tip of Europe, Paleochora enjoys very hot summers but with pleasant sea breezes.
Probably because of its distance from the airport in Chania it is fairly quiet even in high season and has retained a wonderful old-fashioned feel. Many visitors seem to return year after year.

Get around
There are many places where you can hire cars/scooters/motor bikes.
There is also a bus station that has frequent buses coming in and out of Paleochora.

See
The Acretan Museum next to the main church.
The flowers in the spring.
The carnival at the start of Lent.
The Fortress.
The Byzantine/Venitian frescos in the churches specially those in Kandanos.
There is a cinema in the summer – in the open air – with a reasonable choice of films, changed quite frequently but even if you're only there for a week there's a good chance you'll catch Zorba The Greek!
Dolphin spotting boats go out each day in the tourist season.

Do
Walk the local gorges.
Walk up to the radio masts for a stunning view of the area.
Visit the local villages - specialy Azogires with it's Museum in the old Monastery; it's 'evergreen' plane tree; The Holy Father's cave and the Alfa Kafenion.
Both the Paleochora Beaches are Blue Flag beaches and both have life guards in attendance in the peak season.
The Sandy Beach on the western side of the peninsula has a lovely sand, is well stocked with beach umbrellas and some bars. It provides fabulous safe bathing, and is well used by families. A treeline at the top of the beach provides extra shade. Watch out for the wind though!
The Rocky Beach on the east side is much smaller but has a very nice restaurant, The Wave, just next to it.
Catch a ferry, west to Elaphonisi or east to Chora Shakia.

Buy
The town enjoys a traditional long siesta, with shops open late into the night – very nice shops, too.
Several large supermarkets are in the town - these do not keep the siesta.

Eat
On the east is a Rocky beach, the harbour and some of the town's evening eateries - the remainder are mostly on the main street, which closes to traffic at 7PM from May to October, when the tables are set out. It's a great chance to hear the local music and enjoy some traditional Greek/Cretan cuisine.
Lots of choice of places to eat and drink - you'll hear the music bars but Agios, at the crossroads by the church, is good value.
Have a look for the local tavernas, in particular try ODAS next to the Agricultural bank.
For fish try: The Galaxy or The Caravella.
For fusion food try The CalypsoWhich offers a main menu and some wonderful daily specials board with dishes from Greece, The Med and beyond. Look out for superb homemade curries, the best fillet steaks and imaginative vegetarian options. [1]
The Grameno Taverna, 5 km out on the western road towards Kondura, is rewnowned for its authentic Cretan food and well worth a trip out of town.
In the opposite direction, there's the Alpha Kafenion at Azogires which does the world's best omlette!
Coronet Internet & Gaming Cafe, Paleochora (Main Street on the village)

Drink
If you find a 'locals' taverna you might be lucky and find the local krassi (wine) or tsikudia (raki).
During the night you can entertain in the Nostos Night Club, La Jettee and Skala. The annual Paleochora music festival from 1st to 10th of August hosts concerts, exhibitions and song contests.

Tourism
In Paleochora, the visitor can choose between a variety of day activities and watersports, such as windsurfing, scuba diving, fishing, canoeing. It also worth visiting the tiny village of Anydri and its little gorge which leads down to the wonderful beach of "Yianniskari" and its crystal-clear waters, the village of Azogires and the Byzantine churches and chapels of the area. The Church of Agios Georgios in the Anydri village exhibits 14th century frescoes by the local master, Pagomenos. Moreover, from Paleochora a six-hour coastal walk, partly by the E4 European Footpath, leads to Sougia. The walk passes through the ancient site of Lissos.

The village is an ideal base for trips to other nearby seaside destinations. There is daily small ferry to Sfakia, Sougia, Agia Roumeli and Loutro, leaving Paleochora at 9:45am and returning from Sfakia at 1pm. Three times per week boats depart from Paleochora at 8.30am to Gavdos and return at 3pm. Every day there are five buses to Chania and an early one (departure at 6am) to the Samaria Gorge.

Ierapetra

About Ierapetra
Ierapetra, also called the "Nymph of the Libyan Sea" is the most southerly town of Europe with the most sunshine and the least rainfall on the whole of Crete.
Because of the mild climate, which favours the cultivation of spring crops, it is one of the most important vegetable-growing centres in Greece.

Get in
Having the distinction of being the southernmost town facing the African coast, Ierapetra enjoys the smoothest, almost rainless weather in Europe, with a temperature that rarely drops below 12 C all year long! No doubt Ierapetra, "the bride of the Libyan sea", is the sunniest holiday resort in Europe.

Get around
Ierapetra combines a brilliant past with a present of economic growth and extension. It has the largest population in the prefecture of Lassithi (East Crete) and the fourth largest in all Crete. In 2001 census 15,400 inhabitants were registered within the town, and the population of the Ierapetra municipality was 23,800.

See
The visitor can take a leisurely walk in the vivid center of the town, along the coast, in the small municipal park near the Town Hall, or in the quiet picturesque narrow streets of "Kato Mera" - the old part of the town.

Do
Anatoli Donkey Farm, Anatoli appointment. A self funded shelter for unwanted donkeys. Offering guided walks with the donkeys to carry the delicious picnic that is provided. Donkey rides for children. Farm visits to see donkeys and other animals. Get away from the tourists and enjoy the mountain air and peaceful nature and beauty. tba

Buy
The character and charm of the old warm neighborhood has been retained, whilst it has been given new life as a shopping and eating experience for the visitor. A tempting variety of shops, open-air cafes, bars, restaurants and traditional taverns, makes Ierapetra the ideal place to relax, enjoying shopping, eating, drinking or simply wondering around! Pick up a handmade gift from a colorful market stall and enjoy the exciting sounds of busy Cretan life!

Eat
Please try to avoid tourist-oriented restaurants. Ask at where you are staying, stressing that you are searching for some small place where locals would go eat, and try that instead.

Drink
The prefecture of Lassithi produces probably the best "raki" in Crete, a white spirit made from grapes. Try it at some local "taverna" or "kafenio", together with a variety of "meze" - local delicacies: The locals do that all the time!

Get out
The street near the Town Hall is where most bars and small night clubs are gathered. They are popular with locals, especially during the holidays (July-August, Christmas and Eastern), and at Friday and Saturday nights.

Eating and drinking is a major part of the Cretan merry-making, and can make a great night out on its own. You get find some excellent food in taverns in the villages around Ierapetra, either on the sea side, or further higher on the surrounding mountains.