Kirchen & Klöster Geheimtipp

Arsani Monastery

Rethymno, Rethymno · Free

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

A monastery near Stavromenos.

The monastery of Arsani lies near Stavromenos, about 18 km east of Rethymno. It's dedicated to Saint George and was probably built in the 16th century.

The monastery has a small museum with church items, icons and vestments.

The monastery lies near the village of Loutra and Stavromenos, in an area of olive groves, about 8 km east of Rethymno. It's an active monastery, and the monks welcome visitors. The church has fine icons, and the small museum shows church vestments, books and silverware. The monastery is an easy stop on the way to Arkadi.

The area around Rethymno town mixes a lively Venetian old town with a long sandy coast and quiet villages in the hills. To the east, the beach runs for kilometres past Platanes and Adelianos Kampos, where loggerhead turtles nest in summer. Inland, villages such as Chromonastiri, Myloi, Atsipopoulo and Maroulas have old Venetian houses and tavernas with views. The Arkadi monastery and ancient Eleftherna are less than half an hour away. Try the local snails, staka with eggs and the town's famous pastries.

Around Rethymno

Nearest town: Rethymno, about 13 km by road
Nearest airport: Chania airport (CHQ), about 57 km by road

Rethymno sits between the mountains and two seas, and it is the easiest region to combine with the rest of the island. Its old town and Fortezza are among the best preserved on Crete, with Venetian doorways, Ottoman wooden balconies and a long sandy beach right next to the centre. More about Rethymno