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Rethymnon

Although the third largest town in Crete. RETHIMNON never feels like a city. as Hania or Iraklion do. Instead, it has an air of the provincial: a place that moves slowly and. for all the myriad bars springing up along the seafronf preserves much of its Venetian appearance. Arriving, especially if you approach from the east in the evening, it looks exactly as it does in old engravings or in Edward Lear's watercolours - dominated by the bulk of a Venetian fortress, the skyline picked out with the delicate spires of minarets.

All of this is increasingly under commercial threat, but for the time being it's an enjoyable place to spend some time, with a wide, sandy beach and palm- fringed promenade right in front of the tangled streets of the old town. There are hundreds of tavernas, bars, cafes and discos, but the big hotels are all out of town, stretching for miles along the shore to the east Staying in town, away from the front you'll find things relatively quiet at night though noisily animated during the day.

Arrival and information

Most people arrive in Rethimnon by road, turning off the main E75 north coast highway and descending the 1km into the town. If you're driving, you should head straight for the waterfront, which is the easiest place to find and to park. The two bus stations are diagonally opposite each other, at thecomer of Dhimokratias and Moatsou, one for the long-distance and north-coast services, the other for trans-island and village buses. If you come in on the ferry youll arrive more centrally still, at the western edge of the harbour; simply walk into the old town directly ahead of you. If you're leaving from the airport at Hania, a bus leaves from the Olympic Airways office in town to connect with flights, two and a quarter hours before departure.

To get your bearings from the bus station, walk straight down towards the front, following Dhimokratias and then Kalergi or one of the narrower alleys of the old town. Youll emerge on the beach, virtually opposite the tourist office (Mon-Fri 8am-2.30pm), where you can pick up maps, timetables and accommodation lists. When closed, the tourist police in the same building will provide maps and basic information until llpm. Alternatively, turn left on Arkadhiou to head straight for the centre and most of the accommodation.