Rethymno Province
If you're out this way for Melidoni Cave, tack on a visit to this nearby olive-oil factory for a lowdown on the production process. Its welcoming American-Greek owner, Joanna, will guide you through the evolution of olive-oil pressing, from donkey-driven methods to current-day machinery. The factory is part of a local co-op used by farmers to convert their yearly harvest into liquid gold.
Local olive oil, raki and other goods are available for purchase.
25.15 MILES
Crete’s most famous historical attraction is the Palace of Knossos, the grand capital of Minoan Crete, located 5km south of the city of Iraklio. The…
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
23.28 MILES
This state-of-the-art museum is one of the largest and most important in Greece. The two-storey revamped 1930s Bauhaus building makes a gleaming showcase…
24.98 MILES
Gortyna (also Gortyn or Gortys) has been inhabited since Neolithic times but reached its pinnacle after becoming the capital of Roman Crete from around 67…
22.87 MILES
Phaestos was the second-most-important Minoan palace-city after Knossos and enjoys an awe-inspiring setting with panoramic views of the Messara Plain and…
7.16 MILES
The 16th-century Arkadi Monastery, 23km southeast of Rethymno, has deep significance for Cretans. As the site where hundreds of cornered locals massacred…
12.91 MILES
Although just a huge and fairly featureless hole in the ground, Ideon has sacred importance in mythology as the place where Zeus was reared by his mother,…
4.83 MILES
A must-see for anyone visiting the ruins of Eleutherna is the accompanying modern museum that contextualises the ancient city through the exhibition of…
0.45 MILES
About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…
0.45 MILES
About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…
3.06 MILES
While Iraklio gets all the plaudits as Crete's main wine producer, Rethymno has the honour of being the first place in Greece to be named a 'European City…
3.26 MILES
This charming village, 9km southeast of Melidoni, served as a bishopric under Venetian rule and is a maze of lanes lined with well-preserved stone…
3.51 MILES
Coins unearthed in Panormo indicate that a village flourished here between the 1st and 9th centuries AD, but the only in situ evidence from this period…
3.56 MILES
Ecclesiastic-art fans should stop in town at Panormo’s parish church, which has some stunning modern frescoes.
3.58 MILES
There's no one main beach in Panormo but a series of small, attractive coves with brown sand and a brilliant turquoise sea. The tiny swoop of sand at the…
3.58 MILES
For wonderful views overlooking Panormo's port, head up the hill to a tiny segment of stone wall that remains from a 13th-century fortress. It's believed…
3.91 MILES
Brown-sand Livadi is Bali's biggest and widest beach, with bit of a party vibe. It’s packed with chairs and umbrellas, and bars, tavernas and cafes run…