Rethymno

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.

Inland, the Amari valley is full of small villages, olive groves and Byzantine chapels, and Anogeia on the slopes of Mount Psiloritis keeps Cretan music, weaving and shepherd traditions very much alive. The monastery of Arkadi is the symbol of the Cretan struggle for freedom and an easy stop on the way up.

The north coast towards Heraklion has the resorts of Bali and Panormo, small bays with fish tavernas and calm water. The south coast around Plakias, Preveli and Triopetra is wild and relaxed, with the palm forest at Preveli, long empty beaches and sunsets over the Libyan Sea. It is often sheltered when the north is windy.

Good to know: Rethymno is a central base, about an hour from both Chania and Heraklion. The south coast is roughly 45 minutes from town over the mountains.