Crete
Rethymno
Crete's middle-ground base sits between buzzy Chania and concrete Heraklion: settle behind its Venetian-Ottoman old town for a few nights, fly into Chania if you can, and day-trip to Arkadi and Preveli.
Best length
3-4 nights as a base; a week if touring Crete
Nearest airports
Chania (CHQ) ~60km west; Heraklion (HER) ~80km east
Airport to centre
Direct KTEL bus from Chania ~60-70 min, about €8; from Heraklion via the city bus station ~90 min, about €8.30
Best base
Old town for atmosphere; Perivolia/Missiria for the beach
In short
Rethymno at a glance
Rethymno is the middle ground of Crete's north coast: a walkable Venetian-Ottoman old town with a fortress and a long sandy beach, quieter than Chania and far more characterful than central Heraklion. Base yourself in or just behind the old town for a few nights, fly into Chania airport rather than Heraklion if you can, and use it as a launchpad for Arkadi Monastery, Preveli and the southern beaches.
The short version
- Stay in or just behind the old town if you want atmosphere and walkability; pick Perivolia or Missiria along the beach if you want a sun-lounger holiday.
- Fly into Chania (CHQ) over Heraklion (HER) when you can: the direct airport bus is shorter, cheaper and simpler.
- The Fortezza, Rimondi Fountain and harbour are the old-town core, but the real reason to base here is reaching Arkadi, Preveli and Margarites without a long drive.
- Hire a car for at least part of the trip: the best of Rethymno's region is in the hills and on the south coast, not in town.
- Three or four nights is plenty for the town itself; a week works if you treat it as a Cretan touring base.
Rethymno is the quiet middle child of Crete’s north coast, sitting roughly halfway between Chania’s polished old harbour to the west and Heraklion’s traffic and museums to the east. Its appeal is a compact Venetian-Ottoman old town you can cross on foot in fifteen minutes: lion-mouthed spouts still running at the Rimondi Fountain since 1626, a Loggia and a leftover minaret on the Neratze, and the star-shaped Fortezza looming over it all from Paleokastro hill. A long sandy beach runs straight off the eastern edge of town, which is unusual for a place this characterful — Chania makes you travel for decent sand.
The honest read is that the old town is a lovely two or three days, not a week. Once you have walked the lanes, climbed the Fortezza for a late-afternoon view, and eaten a couple of streets inland away from the harbour-front tourist menus, the town itself is done. What earns Rethymno a longer stay is its position: Arkadi Monastery is a 40-minute hop inland, the potters’ village of Margarites sits on the same road, and the palm-fringed beach at Preveli and the Amari valley are within an easy drive south. Treat it as a base, hire a car for part of the trip, and it works far better than it does as a town you never leave.
For most UK travellers the smart arrival is Chania airport rather than Heraklion: the direct bus is shorter, cheaper and avoids the change at Heraklion’s city station. The structured planning below — where exactly to stay, the airport-transfer options with real costs, day trips and a budget in pounds — picks up from here.
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in Rethymno
The Fortezza
The Fortezza is the star-shaped Venetian fortress crowning Paleokastro hill above Rethymno, a 10-minute uphill walk from the old harbour. Entry is modest, usually around €4-5 at the gate. Inside are the domed Sultan Ibrahim mosque, scattered ruins and wide sea-facing ramparts. Go in the late afternoon for the light and cooler air, not at midday in the July heat.
Venetian old town and harbour
This is the real reason to come to Rethymno: a tangle of Venetian and Ottoman lanes that costs nothing to wander. Seek out the Rimondi Fountain with its three lion-head spouts, the arched Loggia, the slender Neratze minaret and the small Venetian harbour. Walk it slowly in the morning before the cruise-day crowds roll in.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
Old town
££ mid-rangeRestored Venetian stone houses turned into boutique hotels on lanes you can only walk, with the Fortezza, harbour and tavernas on your doorstep. Best for atmosphere and short stays; expect some evening noise near the harbour and no car access to your door.
Best for: Couples, first visits, atmosphere
Perivolia
££ mid-rangeJust east of the old town with a broad sandy beach and a run of solid hotels. A 15-20 minute walk or short bus into the centre, calmer at night, and the better choice if a sunbed-and-sea holiday matters more than cobbled lanes.
Best for: Beach holidays, families
Missiria
£ valueFurther along the same beach, more spread out and resort-style, with beachfront tavernas and a relaxed pace. Good value and good sand, but you will rely on the bus, a bike or a car to reach the old town.
Best for: Value beach stays, repeat visitors
Harbour front
£££ premiumRooms right on the Venetian harbour put you among the seafood tavernas and the prettiest evening view in town. You pay a premium and the touristy waterfront restaurants are not where locals eat, so use it as a base and walk inland to dine.
Best for: View-first short breaks
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chania (CHQ) direct KTEL bus via Souda | ~60-70 min | about €8 single | Only 4-6 departures a day; check times before you fly |
| Heraklion (HER) bus via the city bus station | ~90 min plus a shuttle to the station | about €8.30 single | Two-leg trip; allow extra time |
| Private transfer from Chania | ~60-75 min | about €70-95 | Worth it with luggage or a late arrival |
| Taxi from Heraklion airport | ~70-75 min | about €80 | Fastest door-to-door but the priciest |
When to go
Sweet spot: May, early June, September and early October are the sweet spot: warm sea, walkable old-town heat rather than the 30°C-plus glare of high summer, and noticeably fewer crowds. September is the standout, with the Mediterranean at its warmest after a summer of sun.
July and August are hot, busy and the most expensive, with the harbour and Fortezza at their most crowded around midday. Winter is mild but quiet: many old-town hotels and tavernas close from November to March and Fortezza hours shorten, so spring and autumn are the better shoulder bets. Book August stays early because Cretan demand from UK package operators is heavy.
What it costs
There are no direct UK flights to Rethymno itself; you fly to Chania (CHQ) or Heraklion (HER). UK return fares to either are often £60-£160 booked ahead outside the school holidays, with summer Saturdays and late bookings pushing well above that.
Daily budget per person
Rethymno is the best-value of Crete's three main bases, but the harbour-front tavernas are the exception: prices and quality there track the view, not the kitchen. Walk one or two streets inland, onto Nikiforou Foka or the lanes near the Rimondi Fountain, for better Cretan food at lower prices.
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