Rethymnon South Coast Crete Greece
Rethymnon town, province and villages
...A shore so pure and wide, of fine white sand... To the other side, towards Chania, barren cliffs the colour of lead - a wild, threatening sight! ...Rethymno, you know, is built on the border between tameness and wilderness...("The Chronicle of a Town ", P. Prevelakis ).
Rethymnon is the capital ( 35.000 inhabitants) of the same-name prefecture. It is one of the most delightful towns in Crete and one of the most significant tourist resorts in Greece. It offers a variety of natural and cultural leisure activities, which will satisfy even the most demanding visitor.
Rethymnon is a town of unique natural beauty which maintain even today the authenticity and the customs of the island alive.The area has a long and eventful history from Minoan times to the present. It is the only city of Crete which keeps invariable her middle age character. The Venetian buildings the old harbour , the Turkish houses, the minaretes, the Fortezza and the narrow streets give the unique physiognomy of a monumental museum . A long sandy beach streches away eastwords from the centre of the town.
The province of Rethymno is the heart of the island of Crete and one of the most beautiful places in Greece. Rethymno awaits you with its clear blue seas, the mount of Psiloritis and the most well-preserved Renaissance town in Greece. In the picturesque villages of the province, are still alive the traditional ways and rhythms. There are traces of a civilisation that dates back 4,500 years, numerous Byzantine churches and monasteries, enchanting Venetian monuments, caves, gorges and unique flora and fauna.
Rethymno villages are live postcards, which are pervaded by the aroma of the Cretan cuisine and the sound of the Cretan lyre. People live here amidst nature and emotions, outside the code of behavior found in big cities. No matter where you go, even to the most isolated village, the people will open their doors to you to treat you to a "tsikoudia" and befriend you.
Rethymno is the homeland of Zeus-the god of the Hospitality-. The great number of visitors who return repeatedly confirms the words of the poet: ”Rethymno is not a place where you go to, but a place where you return.”
Holidays in Rodakino Rethymno
Rodakino village, is situated on the foot of Krioneritis mountain above Korakas beach in the south coast of Rethymno-Crete. It is located 15 kms west from Plakias 42 kms south west from Rethymnon and 13 kms from east from Frangokastello.
Rodakino is one of the the largest villages in the area. There are a few rent-rooms properties, small hotels, some tavernas on the beach and a super market in the village. It is still a quiet and relatively infrequently visited place. It is divided in two parts: Upper and Lower Rodakino. It is surrounded by small beaches and hills covered by olive-trees.
Rodakino is also a historical place with lot of fights during its history. The village was destroyed during the Venetian occupation and one man escaped in Greece. Many years later he returned and rebuild the village. On the hill of Kourkoulos raised the flag of the revolution against the Turks on May 24 1821 . During the second war the village was destroyed again and many residents have been killed by the invaders. The inhabitants have been farmers and fishermen since antiquity, while the tourism industry is a more recent occupation.
Plakias Village in Rethymno South Crete
Plakias is a small village 36 kms south from Rethymnon town with a long-wonderful sandy beach. It has been transformed to a popular resort and a base for visiting the natural beauties of Yialia ( the south coast) in the middle of 20th century .
Spending holidays in Plakias you have many choices as the village is very well organized, hosting plenty of restaurants, bars, shopping centers, car rentals , pharamacy,petrol-stations,post-office, ATM, water sports, scuba diving schools, organised beach interesting night-life and many more.
What to see in Plakias area:
First of all the famous Preveli palm beach with its river ( Lake of Preveli) and the monastery of Preveli one of the most important during Crete’s history. Within short distance from Plakias, you can visit the mountainous villages of Mariou, Myrthios, Selia and Asomatos , which retain their traditional features and have amazing view to the vast Libyan Sea. You can hike in the gorges of Kotsifos, Kourtaliotis and Mesa Faragi. If you like rock-climbing you can visit also the vertical cliff of Paligremnos where local say that the legendary hero Digenis Akritas drank water from one of the springs in the region.
Although Plakias is a new village, the area was inhabited at least since Roman times, since the archaeologists have found many ancient objects (and some are considered Minoan). It is believed that Plakias is built at the site of the ancient city Lamon, while some others believe that it’s built in the place of the ancient city Phoenix.
