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GEOGRAPHY

Rethymno is one of the four prefectures of Crete. It stretches from the White Mountains to Mount Psiloritis, bordered by the prefectures Chania and Éraklio. It covers an area of 1496 km² and has a population of 81.157. The largest mountain ranges of the White Mountains, Psiloritis and Kouloukounas and the secondary ones of Kedros, Asiderotas and Vryssinas form a network of valleys, the main ones of which are Milopotamos and the two Amari valleys. The few flat areas are found near the north and south coasts, while the Nida-Plateau stretches over the mountainous mass of Psiloritis.

The city of Rethymno with its 23.126 inhabitants is the capital of the prefecture. Smaller population centres are Anogia, Spili, Perama and Episkopi. Rethymno today counts 263 villages with an average number of ca. 200 residents.

The main transport routes are the new national highway running along the north coast, the old national highway slightly south of the new road, and the road form Rethymno to Spili, Aghia Galini and to Sfalia running north to south.

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE

The Prefecture of Rethymno is semi-mountainous. Of its 1.496 km², 507 are cultivated, 936 are pasture, 36 are covered by settlements and only 17 km² are covered by forest. The largest forests can be found in the area of the Village Armeni (oaktrees), Aghios Ioannis Agiou Vassiliou (cypress), Kouroutes and south of Arkadi Monastery (thorn oaktrees). Typical are also the smaller arbutus forestation at Alones, mapletree in the Nida- Ñlain area as well as palm trees at Lake Preveli and at Selia.

The climate is mild Mediterranean and particularly dry and warm. There is sunshine ïn 245 days of the year and temperatures range from 12° to 27° C. The prevailing winds are northerly and north-westerly, while occasional hot southerlies arriving from the African continent with great strength. The natural environment of Rethymno is in a good condition and the sea-water is among the best in Europe. Fortunately large of wild nature have been preserved unharmed, in particular in the districts of Amari and near the town of Rethymno. There are 8 kinds of land in the prefecture: plains, mountains, semi-mountainous areas, sub-alpine, alpine, coastal, wetlands and gorges. The resting gorges in terms of natural beauty are those of Aghios of Patsos, Prasses, Petres and Kato Poros.

FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS ÉÍ RETMYMNO

The RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL: This is the highlight of the city’s cultural activities. Established more than 10 years ago, the festival plays host during June, July, August and September to a variety of theatre, music and dance performances as well as architectural and multi-media spectacles.

The GRETAN WINE FESTIVAL: Having á tradition of almost 40 years, this celebration in the public park of Rethymno is organised every July and offers free wine to its thousands of visitors.

The RETHYMNO CARNEVAL: The local carneval is considered the best in Crete and the special events organised comprise also dances, masked balls and marvellous treasure hunt.

The FEAST OF KLIDONAS: Every summer ïn the 2lst of June, the Lykio ton Ellinon revives the traditional feast of the beginning of summer.

The RAKI FESTIVAL: Én the town of Rethymno the traditional way of destilling raki gives rise to a revival of the customs linked to it.

RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS: The most important religious celebrations of the town are the Presentation of the Virgin Ìary (2lst of November) and Saint Barbara's day (4th of December), when the churches of the same name celebrate.

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS: National holidays are the 25th of March (Liberation from the Turkish yoke), 28th of October (declaration of Greek-Italian war in 1940), and local holidays are the 2lst of Ìáy (Battle of Crete) and the 8th of November (the blowing-uñ of Arkadi Monastery).

ANCIENT SITES

The prefecture of Rethymno is dotted with the remains of passed cultures. Until today, more than 340 sites have been detected with findings from Neolithic to Roman times. Well organised archaeological sites where the visitor can get a general picture are stated hereinafter:

ELEFTHERNA: The most interesting archaeological site to visit in the prefecture. The city of Eleftherna was built ïn a fortified hillrock, surrounded by two rivers. Its ruins can be seen either from Ancient Eleftherna or from Eleftherna.

SIVRITOS: The remains of the ancient city, which is being excavated, can be visited from the village Thronos in the Kefala hill area.

AXOS: The ruins of the old city can be visited from the village of the same name.

LAPPA: The remains of the ancient city, which is being excavated in sections, can be visited in the village

ARGIROUPOLI. Lately excavations have started in the area of the Five Virgins at á Roman cemetery.

ARMENI: 1 km north of the village Armeni lies the ancient Minoan cemetery which can be visited.

MONASTIRAKI: The excavation of the Ìinoan section can be visited from the village of the same name.

STAVROMENOS: In the village of the same name an old Roman therm construction can be visited. Please note that the movable findings from the archaeological sites are guarded and the most important are exhibited in the archaeological museum of Rethymno.

ZOMINTHOS: Important archaeological site with a large Minoan settlement and an impressive building which has been excavated.

FORT OF MONOPARI: Close to the village of Monopari on a steep hill, the ruins of a Venetian castle have survived.

FORT OF KASTRI: On a hill above the village of Kastri you can see the ruins of the Venetian castle.

AMNATOU GATE: The frieze of the interesting gate to the village Amnatos carries the inscription: "The beginning of wisdom is fear of God”

.MOUNDROS MANSION: Á Venetian mansion with an impressive gate and an from Virgil’s "Aeneade".

GLODIO MANSION OF CHRONOMONASTIRI: Country mansion belonging to a wealthy Venetian family of Rethymno.

TURKISH TOWERS OF MAROULA:. Two towers with characteristic fortress architecture in one of the prefecture’s most traditional villages.

VENETIAN AND TURKISH FOUNTAINS: The prefecture of Rethymno is dotted with fountains stemming from both periods e.g. in the town of Rethymno, the monasteries, the villages Roussospiti, Aghios Konstantinos (area of Boutsounaria), Zouridi, Kapediana etc.

POPULAR ART

Én many parts of the prefecture of Rethymno popular art is still alive.

Pottery making thrives in MARGARITES, with traditional as well as modern products.

Én the neighbouring ÁLPHA the art of stone carving lives on.

In ÌIXOROUMA, many inhabitants still weave baskets, so do people in ARGIROUPOLI.

Én ÁNOGHIA, ZONIANA and LIVADIA many woven products are made on the traditional loom while numerous traditional painters, woodcavers and instrument makers perform their skills here, too.

In ARGIROYPOLI, AGHIOS KONSTANTINOS and MARGARITES there are interesting wood-carving workshops.

AGHIA GALINI and ANOGHIA also have two special workshops processing natural glass.

FLORA AND FAUNA

The climate and geography of Rethymno and of Crete in general allow the existance of a large number of species, many of which are endemic to the island. As a result, the visitor may find natural treasures that have existed on the island for centuries and were already depicted in Minoan frescoes such as the SEA LILY (pancratium maritinum) along the coastal zone, CARETTA-CARETTA sea turtles which lay their eggs on the beaches even see the ELEONORA’S FALKON (falco eleonore) which

Migrates from Africa in the summer months. In the PLAINS, the visitor will come across the makia bush and LAUDANUM (citrus incanus cretious), the EBENUS CRETICA and dozens of wild flowers. The alert visitor may also spot HARES, BADGERS, MARTENS, FERNETS, HEDGEHOGS and MICE (apodemus sylvaticus cretious), bats and many BIRDS. In the SEMI-MOUTAINOUS AREAS, apart from bushes, the visitor may distinguish CYCLAMEN (cyclamen creticum) and various KINDS OF ORCHIDS. Éç addition to the animals of the plain areas, also a lot of BIRDS of prey can be seen. Én the ÌOUNTAINS among other varieties area the CRETAN MAPLE (acer sempervirens), the CRETAN TULIP (tulipa cretica), the YELLOW VIOLET (erysimun raulini) etc. Ôhis is also the most important habitat for birds of prey as well as for the CRETAN WILD GOAT, the THORN MOUSE (acomys minus) and a very RARE CAT SPICIES (Felix silvestris, var. agrious). In the WETLANDS of Geropotamos, Elous Sison and the Preveli-Lake, the visitor will encounter interesting fauna and flora, especially in the last the rare CRETAN PALMTREE (phoenix theophrastii). In the GORGES the visitor will recognize almost al1 kinds of aromatic plants and the famous CRETAN DITTANY (origanum dictamnus). Further information about flora and fauna can be given at the Enviroment Information Centre "Falkonas" in the village Karoti. 'There the visitor can also see the famous evergreen CRETAN ÑLANE-TREE (platanus orientalis, var. cretica, Dode) which has been known already since the abduction of Europe by Zeus.

ÔÇÅ PEOPLE AND THEIR FEASTS

The people of the prefecture Rethymno are direct, honourable and hospitable. Ôhey like learning, love their land very much and dedicatedly preserve their music, dances, dialect, traditions and customs, and not seldomly keep their traditional clothing as well - particularly in the villages. Baptisms and weddings remain events of utmost importance and the enthusiasm of the local people is sometimes expressed with gunshots The shepherds celebrate their herd with the "koura", i.e. the sheering of their animals at the end of spring which is accompanied by a lavish feast. The shepherds of one particular village, Karoti, take their sheep down for blessing to the church ïn St. Georges day. Grape harvesting heralds autumn and is followed by an inofficial celebration next to the still, where the raki is made. Én addition, religious customs áre alive, and Christmas, Easter and the Assumption of the Virgin (15th of August) are considered the most important religious feasts. The birth of the Virgin Ìáç (8th of September) is an important feast, too, and in the village Miriokephala many people come ôï pay their respects ïn that day. Other smaller religious feasts especially during the summer months give rise to local festivals where the visitor may experience Cretan music and dances ïn the spot. Carneval is extensively celebrated with reviving local customs in the villages of Meronas and Melidoni. Finally, also a few agricultural products as cherries, citrons and sultana give rise to celebrations in the villages Meronas, Garazo and Perama.

TRADITlONAL COOKING

The traditional Cretan kitchen is characterised by a large consumption of olive oil, legumes, vegetables and greenstuffs cooked together with fragrant plants and is well-known for the longevity it gives. However, it must not be forgotten that this nutrition was always combined with long periods of fasting and detoxication. The visitor will be amazed by the wide range of local greenstuffs, tables, bulbs and roots, legumes and dozens of olive types which are used in the local kitchen. Impressive, too, is the great variety of breads and pies (spinach-pie, meat-ñße, fresh- cheese-pie and pies which are only made in particular villages, as the famous Sfakian pie). Commonly used for local dishes áôe also snails and rabbit meat. Many delicacies are based ïn different innerts and special soups are made with cereals. Famous is the Cretan "pilafi", a rice dish of fabulous taste.

TRIPS THROUGH THE PREFECTURE

There are innumerable routes that you can take by car or motorbike to discover the prefecture of Rethymno. The routes suggested below take in a lot of sights and can easily be modified according to the individual interest of the visitor.

RETHYMNO - OLD OR NEW NATIONAL ROAD - ANOGIA

3 km east of Rethymno, the visitor can choose between the new or the old National Road. The second is more tiring but much more interesting. After 10 km on the new National Road, you can make a detour to visit Arsani Monastery. 18 km east of Rethymno there is the beautiful clean beach of Geropotamos where you can stop fïr a swim. Turning off at the 22nd km you have the opportunity to visit Panormo, a picturesque coastal village. At this point you can turn towards Perama, the district centre of Milopotamos. Following the old National Road from Rerhymno along the coast, the visitor gets through the hotel area and afterwards can visit the Arsani Monastery. After passing the villages Viran Episkopi and Hani Alexandrou you reach Perama after 24 km. Continuing the same route, you will cross the villages Aghios Sillas, Daphnedes and Mourtzana. Follow the junction towards Garazo and at the 44th km you will come to the village of Axos. There you can stop to visit the antiquities of ancient Axos as well as the more recent church of Aghia Irini. 8 km further lies the small town Anoghia.

RETHYMNO OLD OR NEW NATIONAL ROAD- ARGIROUPOLI

Following the new road from Rethymno in westerly direction, after 7 km the visitor will reach the village Gerani with its pretty bay and after another 5 km the settlement Petres. Having passed the river of the same name an endless sandy beach starts inviting for a swim. At the junction to Episkopi turn left and after after the village follow the signs to Argiroupoli.

Continuing on the natiïnal road, the visitor will come through the traditional villages Atsipopoulo, Prines, Gonia, Aghios Andreas and finally at kilometer 31 to Episkopi. At this point leave the old national road and turn left into an easy road which leads to the village Argiroupoli.

RETHYMNO-AMARI- AGHIA GALINI –SPILI-RETHYMNO

On this route the traveller will have á short stop at the impressive “Arch of Sima” after the village of Prasses and will admire from the slopes of Prasses gorge. The visitor will come through the original village Aghii Apostoli and will find refreshment at the fountain of the old monastery of Aghion Asomaton. Continuing through the picturesque villages Vizari, Fourfouras, Kouroutes (from where the ascent to Mount Psiloritis starts), Nithavri, Apodoulou (with an important archaeological site), the route ends in Aghia Galini. The road back leads through the village Kria Vrisi, Akoumia and Spili, where the visitor can enjoy the cool water from the fountains. In Mixarouma you can visit one of the seven Basket-weaving workshops and after Armeni the interesting Minoan cemetary before reaching Rethymno. The route can be extended considerably by visiting the villages of Mount Kedros (from Aghia fotini) and Arkadi monastery (from Thronos and Klisidi).