A Journey Into The Rustic Old Town of Rethymno, Greece

The Old Town of Rethymno in Crete, Greece

After soaking in the lively streets and archaeological wonders of Heraklion, we packed our bags and headed west toward another gem on the island of Crete, Rethymno. With the salty breeze at our backs and the Mediterranean sun glowing overhead, we couldn’t wait to lose ourselves in yet another picturesque old town, steeped in history, charm, and irresistible Cretan hospitality.

Where is Rethymno?

Nestled between the more famous cities of Chania and Heraklion, Rethymno sits along the northern coast of Crete. It’s a scenic drive, just under 90 minutes from Heraklion that rewards you with both mountainous vistas and coastal beauty. Though smaller than its neighbouring cities, Rethymno offers a perfect blend of Venetian elegance, Ottoman mystery, and Greek island charm.

Explore The Old Town of Heraklion In Half-Day, Greece

After seeing the magical and romantic island of Santorini, we headed further south to Crete, the largest island in Greece. We took a ferry at the Thira Port in Santorini, and arrived at Heraklion Port in less than 2 hours. The traveling time will depend on the type of vessel you use, and for us, we embarked our journey with Hellenic Seaways, which was much faster than conventional ferries.

Heraklion or Iraklion is the capital and largest city of Crete. Heraklion may not be the most appealing city or your quintessential island destination, but still an interesting place filled with beautiful historical buildings, Byzantine churches and a well-preserved Venetian wall and fortress from the 15th century. To discover all these remarkable landmarks, you just have to wander around the Old Town in the city.

Balos Lagoon: The Turquoise Paradise in Crete, Greece

Paradise is a place of great happiness and beauty.
Paradise is a place that has a complete peace of mind.

Paradise is a place where you came, you saw and you loved, 

But no choice have to leave when the time is up.

Paradise is the best word that I could think of to describe the exotic beach lagoon of Balos. Love at first sight, Balos lagoon looked exactly like those beautiful places in the postcards; surrounded by clean turquoise waters, white sandy beach, stunning landscape scenery, and this breathtaking turquoise paradise is absolutely one of the most photogenic beaches in Greece, or even in the whole world.