Let me tell you about a little place called Rethymno in Crete. Well, it’s not exactly a little place – it’s a hoppin’ city in northern Crete.
Just like I didn’t know what to expect from Crete in general, I couldn’t imagine what Rethymno was like. Crete was an island I’ve never been to, so it was hard for me to imagine what their version of city living was. Turns out that the city center of Rethymno resembled Athens in the structures and population. I was surprised but happy to see we wouldn’t be staying on farm land.
What makes this city pleasant is that it’s right on the water, but it’s got everything you need. Shopping is walkable, the beach is down the street, there’s a mountain only like fifteen minutes away, and there are still goats. I saw quite a number of goats.
The shops were unfortunately geared towards tourists because this is a big tourist spot. Don’t get me wrong, there were so many shops that had wonderful one of a kind items, but a lot of stores we walked by were selling the same touristy things.
Even though this is a big tourist city, it wasn’t unbearable. There’s a long strip right next to the water of bars and restaurants (some with cheesy themes) but it wasn’t crazy packed with obnoxious foreigners and young crowds making their way from bar to bar. It’s actually a quiet city and I really liked that. It seems like a nice livable place without many unpleasant interactions with out-of-towners. (Look at me acting like I’m a local with an opinion, hah.)
Every direction you looked, the view was great and picturesque. Out of all the places I went to during my three month stay in Greece, Rethymno was probably my favorite. I met some family for the first time, established connections with said family, and walked away with fun memorable experiences in this specific city. Plus, the hotel we stayed at was much nicer than the one in Chania, so that made this trip a little more comfortable.
My parents are strongly considering buying some kind of home in Rethymno, and believe me it was a hard decision for them to single out where they would like to invest in a vacation home. Everything’s up in the air for them, but it looks like Rethymno is in the lead. And I wouldn’t be opposed to that because I would definitely vacation here as often as I could if I had a home to stay in.
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