Rethymno Town, wine tasting & Kournas Lake Tour

Spreading from its Venetian harbor through a maze of alleyways and lively streets, Rethymno Old Town contains all the life, history and traditions of Crete’s third-largest city.

Sometimes Venetian, sometimes Ottoman but always unmistakably Cretan, Rethymno’s Old Town hides its secrets in plain sight. A walking tour takes you through the original settlement of the city located on Crete’s northern coastline, midway between Chania and Heraklion, introducing you to its distinctive buildings, street markets, narrow alleyways and historical monuments. 

You’ll understand how the Old Town grew into Crete’s third-largest settlement, spreading from the harbor in around 1300, and appreciate how it has retained its intimacy and color despite its growth, with little bars, cafes and concept stores opening in refurbished buildings. In many of the tavernas, you can enjoy traditional Cretan food and music. Rethymno is one of Crete’s best-preserved settlements. Look out for the ornate doorways decorated with Venetian crests, Ottoman mosques with minarets and the wooden facades of mansions all vying for your attention – before you emerge at the waterfront by the iconic harbor. 

Highlights of

Before heading to Kournas Lake for a beautiful lunch with a view, we will make a stop at a local family run winery for wine tasting. https://dourakiswinery.gr/

Lake Kournas is the only freshwater lake located in Crete and is vital to the ecosystem of the area, set in  beautiful scenery and filled with wonderful things to experience. Located close to the northern coast of the island, between the capital of Heraklion and the city of Chania, it is closer to the latter. Kournas Lake used to be known as Koressia in ancient times, after a city that is believed to have existed on its shores.