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“Rethymno is not a place where you go to, but a place where you return from.” The lyrics of the poem are enough to describe the sense of homecoming you feel in Rethimno. The landscape of the region is full of beautiful caves, gorges, lovely beaches and the most well-preserved Renaissance city in Greece. The tourist development in accommodation facilities like hotels and apartments are well hand in hand with nature and pure essence of authenticity.
The region of Rethymno has been occupied since Late Minoan times. In the 3rd and 4th centuries BC, it was called Rithymna and it was an autonomous state with its own coinage. In Roman and Byzantine years, Rethimno is of minor importance as there few findings dating back from this period, except from the Monastery Arkadiou built in the 5th century AD under the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Arkadios. The town of Rethymno thrived under the Venetian Rule for 400 years and became a cultural centre which was clearly influenced by the European Renaissance. From 1645 until 1897 was occupied by Ottoman Turks and then was taken by Russia as Great Powers divided Crete. In 1923, Rethimno revives its cultural glory after the arrival of Greeks from the Asia Minor.
Rethymno is a region situated in the central Crete and its neighbouring regions are Chania on the west and Heraklion on the east. The region spans an area of 1.496 sq. km. and a total population of 86.532 inhabitants. The capital city of the region is Rethimno which is 78 km far from the city of Irakleio and 58 km far from the city of Chania. The region faces the Cretan Sea on the north and the Libyan Sea on the south.
The region of Rethymno is ideal for summer holidays since it boasts a large number of beautiful and clean beaches. Magnificent sandy beaches can be visited on the north coast, at the Cretan Sea as well as on the south coast of the island, at the Libyan Sea. The most popular of the beaches on the northern part are: Rethymno, Episkopi, Panormo. On the southern part the most popular beaches are: Plakias, Damnoni, Ammoudi, Preveli Lagoon near the Monastery of Preveli is beautiful sandy beach with palm trees, Triopetra, Aghios Pavlos, Korakas. The region is also well known of the interesting walking routes and paths in the mountains, where you can admire rare flora and fauna. -
Map for Rethymno