Rethymno old town: the Fortezza, the lanes and four nights based there

Rethymno old town is the Venetian and Ottoman quarter of Crete's third largest city: a maze of lanes under the Fortezza, with a lion-head fountain from 1626, old mosques and minarets, and a harbour with a lighthouse. Spice Escapes spends four nights of its hosted Crete week here, at a hotel a seaside stroll from those lanes, for people who travel on their own and want a good town to come back to.

Rethymno is the second half of Crete Discovery, after three nights in Agios Nikolaos in the east. Below are five sights, from the Fortezza to the harbour lighthouse, then how the four nights run with a host and a small group.

The Fortezza went up after an Ottoman raid in 1571

The hill of Paleokastro once held ancient Rithymna and a temple of Artemis. After an Ottoman raid destroyed the town in 1571, the Venetians began the Fortezza there in 1573, and the works were finished around 1580.

The plan was to fit the whole town inside, and it never managed it: only the Venetian guard lived within the walls. The Ottomans took Rethymno in 1646. Today the Fortezza is the town's most important monument, and its trademark.

In the lanes: a lion-head fountain, a minaret and a folk museum

Under Venice, Rethymno grew into one of the most important centres on Crete, and the Renaissance still shows in the lanes below the fortress.

The Rimondi fountain stands on Platanos Square, once the centre of the Venetian town. The rector A. Rimondi built it in 1626. Water runs from three lion-head spouts into its troughs, and you can read the words LIBERALITATIS and FONTES on it.

The Neratze mosque began as the Augustinians' church of the Virgin Mary and became a mosque under the Ottomans in 1657. Its tall minaret was added in 1890, and the building is now a music academy.

The Historical and Folklore Museum on Vernardou Street fills a listed 17th-century Venetian building with hand-woven textiles, lace, embroidery and costumes, and one room on farming and how bread was made in Rethymno.

From the small tavernas in between comes the smell of Cretan cooking, and the music of the lyra and the laouto.

Past the harbour and its lighthouse, kilometres of beach

The lighthouse dominates the port, one of two on Crete known as Egyptian, with the other in Chania. Walk on past the harbour and the town beach begins, many kilometres of it, lined with tavernas, cafés and beach bars. The town stays lively all year, with visitors in summer and University of Crete students in winter.

Four nights at the Theartemis Palace, a seaside stroll from the lanes

The group arrives on day four, driving west from Agios Nikolaos via Heraklion's market and Archaeological Museum, with the Minoan palace of Knossos if you wish. Home for four nights is the 4-star Theartemis Palace Hotel, near Rethymno Beach, with two pools and a spa. Dinner, bed and breakfast are included, so there is no hunting for a table on your own each evening.

• Day five: west to Chania for its market, Venetian and Turkish buildings and waterfront, the Akrotiri peninsula and the Allied war cemetery at Souda Bay.
• Day six: south past the fountains of Spili to Preveli Monastery, then time by the sea at Plakias.
• Day seven: a short drive into the countryside, then free time in the old town.

Day seven is your time for the Fortezza and the fountain. Your host, Lauren Fawkes, travels with the group. Groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty, and most people book on their own.

The week runs 5 Oct 2027 – 12 Oct 2027: 7 nights from £1,499. See the dates and book online on the Crete Discovery page.

Another week? Harbour lanes on Lošinj, or the Plaka in Athens

Croatian Chillout is a spring week on the island of Lošinj with Jackie Whyte and half board at Hotel Punta, beside Veli Lošinj. Its possible itinerary opens with a wander through the old town's lanes. Dates: 1 May 2027 – 8 May 2027.

Ancient Athens is 4 nights with Jackie Whyte, at the Acropolis Select or similar, a five-minute stroll from the Acropolis and the Plaka district. Dates: 10 Mar 2027 – 14 Mar 2027.

New to group travel? Start with our guide for first-time solo travellers, or browse over 50s solo holidays, holidays in Greece and more culture and discovery holidays.

Questions people ask

Is Rethymno or Chania the better place to stay?

Rethymno is the third largest city on Crete, after Heraklion and Chania, so it is the smaller of the two. On Crete Discovery you do not have to choose: you stay in Rethymno and spend a day in Chania.

How far is the hotel from Rethymno old town?

The Theartemis Palace is an easy seaside stroll from the old town, near Rethymno Beach. Day seven also has free time in the old town itself.

Can you go inside the Fortezza?

Yes. Its restored buildings host exhibitions and cultural events, and the bastion of Prophitis Ilias holds the small Erofili theatre. We do not publish opening hours, so check them locally before you go.

Do I pay more for a room to myself?

Yes. Every Spice Escapes holiday carries a single supplement or room-to-yourself cost, and our single supplement page explains how it works.

Your four nights under the Fortezza

If the lanes and a hotel by the beach sound like your kind of base, see the dates and book online on the Crete Discovery page. Availability today: 13 places left.

Lauren Fawkes hosts the week. For questions before booking, ask Rosie, the chat on the holiday page, or contact us and ask for Lauren.