Things To Do
Old Town Rethymno
Walk, dine, drink, shop, and explore! Old town Rethymno is the center of it all. Known on the island for its rich Heraklion history - popular sites are the Venetian Fortezza, Holy Monastery, Archaelogical museum, and Venetian Harbor which includes the famous Egyptian Lighthouse landmark. Also to be noted, Rethymno has no shortage of local restaurants, fresh seafood, and native bars. We will try to organize some group recommended meals closer to the date, but guarantee amazing local Greek fare!
Balos Beach
Balos beach on Gramvousas is part of two uninhabited islands off a peninsula near Chania. These stunning beaches are often ranked best in the world. Book a day time tour to Gramvousa Island and Balos Bay, a Cretian classic. Several cheap tours are offered providing service from Rethymno and spending the day on this popular Crete beach.
Elafonisi Beach
Elafonisi is often ranked as one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire world. While the drive is not for the faint of heart, the destination is worth the journey. Elafonisi boasts an impressive vista and is a protected nature preserve known for its pink sand beaches.
Wine Tasting - Oinoxoos House
Just a 10 minute drive from the heart of Rethymno, you can set up a wine tasting and food pairing for a group and enjoy Cretan favorites!
Quad the Coast
Join Discovery Safari's ATV tour from Rethymno for a half-day of quading the Coast and checking out inland "safari" Crete
Samaria Gorge
Feeling adventurous? Join one of the many tours that take you to Samariá village and hiking the popular Cretan island Gorge.
Monastery of Arkadi
Arkadi Monastery is a beautiful site close to Rethymno. This Eastern Orthodox church dates back to the 16th century and has become a national sanctuary of Cretan resistance (after the structure was used to resist Ottoman control during the Cretan Revolt of 1866).
Knossos
Knossos is the largest Bronze age archeological site in Crete and has been called Europe's oldest city. The palace of Knossos was the political center of the Minoan civilization. In Greek mythology, King Minos lived in this palace and had Daedalus construct a labyrinth for his son, the Minotaur.
Heraklion
Heraklion, Crete's largest and most industrial city, is an epicenter of commerce and culture. Visit the archeological museum or the new history museum. Walk the streets and do some shopping in high street stores and Greek boutiques alike. Stop at a souvlaki stand for lunch or sit in a cafe and people watch. There is something for everyone in Heraklion.
Chania
Chania is a beautiful city in Crete, the second largest on the island. Like Rethymno, the architecture is often Venetian with Ottoman influences. In mythology, the original city-state on the site was founded by the son of Apollo (who married the daughter of King Minos) and was mentioned in Homer's Odyssey.