famous road
Kourtaliotiko Gorge Road
Cliff-hugging Cretan road descending through the Kourtaliotiko Gorge toward Preveli, with vultures wheeling overhead, springs in the canyon floor and Libyan Sea views at the exit.
18 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeGreeceCrete
Rethymno
Crete, Greece · Europe
About Rethymno
Rethymno is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Violí Charáki, 18km from Kourtaliotiko Gorge Road.
Rethymno is in Crete, Greece, with about 32,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Violí Charáki, about 4 km away.
Rethymno (Greek: Ρέθυμνο [ˈreθimno], Italian: Retimo, formerly also Rettimo or Retimno, Latin: Civitas Rethymnæ) is a city in Greece on the island of Crete. It is the capital of Rethymno regional unit, and has a population of more than 35,000 inhabitants (nearly 40,000 for the municipal unit). It is believed to haveRead more
been built on the site of the earlier city of Rhithymna.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Rethymno?
Within an hour or so of Rethymno: Kourtaliotiko Gorge Road (18 km), Preveli Beach (23 km), Aradena Bridge (41 km), Old Town of Chania (45 km).
Are there any good drives near Rethymno?
The nearest famous roads are Kourtaliotiko Gorge Road.
Where is Rethymno?
Rethymno is in Crete, Greece, about 4 km from Violí Charáki.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 32,468
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Greece
- Region
- Crete
- Timezone
- Europe/Athens
- Coordinates
- 35.3655, 24.4823
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Greece
Tourist police (English-speaking): 171.
Full driving guide for GreeceTags
Worth the detour from Rethymno
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
beach
Preveli Beach
A dramatic Cretan beach where a palm-lined river meets the Libyan Sea below a gorge, creating an almost tropical setting.
23 km · about 25 min drive
bridge
Aradena Bridge
Vertigo-inducing steel Bailey bridge spanning the 138 m deep Aradena Gorge in Sfakia, southern Crete: planks rattle as you cross, and it doubles as one of Greece's highest bungee-jump sites.
41 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Old Town of Chania
Crete's most beautiful town with a stunning Venetian harbor, a lighthouse, and Ottoman and Venetian architecture layered across centuries.
45 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Chania Old Venetian Harbour
A Venetian lighthouse, waterfront tavernas and an Ottoman mosque ring Crete's prettiest old port.
45 km · about 50 min drive
natural wonder
Samaria Gorge
Europe's longest gorge at 16 km on Crete, a dramatic hike through towering walls down to the Libyan Sea.
48 km · about 55 min drive
museum
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
One of the greatest museums in Europe, housing the world's finest collection of Minoan art and artifacts from Crete's Bronze Age palaces.
59 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near Rethymno
- 18 kmKourtaliotiko Gorge RoadCliff-hugging Cretan road descending through the Kourtaliotiko Gorge toward Preveli, with vultures wheeling overhead, springs in the canyon floor and Libyan Sea views at the exit.
- 41 kmAradena BridgeVertigo-inducing steel Bailey bridge spanning the 138 m deep Aradena Gorge in Sfakia, southern Crete: planks rattle as you cross, and it doubles as one of Greece's highest bungee-jump sites.
Driving in Greece
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.88/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€7.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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