Venetian Harbor

The Venetian Harbor of Rethymno, also spelled Rethimno, is a small, horseshoe-shaped basin on the north coast of Crete, built under Venetian rule and still the lively centre of the old town. It was one of several harbours the Venetians developed on the island during their centuries of control, and it shows the scale of their trade: the quays were made to serve galleys and merchant ships carrying wine, olive oil and other goods to Venice and beyond. Today only fishing boats and small pleasure craft use it, but the shape and the surrounding houses preserve the character of the period.

A long breakwater stretches into the sea and leads to a lighthouse at its tip, from where there are good views back across the harbour to the town and up to the walls of the Fortezza on its hill. The lighthouse is usually described as a nineteenth-century rebuilding on Venetian foundations, and the walk along the mole is popular at sunset, when the sky behind the fortress turns pink.

The waterfront is lined with tavernas serving fresh fish, and waiters invite passers-by to sit down, so the quay turns into a long outdoor dining room in the evening. Behind it, a maze of lanes leads into the old town, where Venetian doorways with carved stonework, Ottoman wooden balconies and the minaret of the Neratze Mosque mix together. The Rimondi Fountain, a short walk inland, is the town's best-known Venetian monument.

Visitors can stroll along the harbour at any hour and no ticket is needed. Early morning is the best moment to see fishermen preparing their boats and the town waking up. In the evening the atmosphere is livelier, with music and crowds, which suits those who want a relaxed meal with a view. The ground is level and paved, which makes the harbour easy to cover for most walkers.

The Harbor is also a handy base for the evening passeggiata of local families, with ice cream shops and live music in the summer months. Late in the day the stone quays hold the warmth of the sun and the water turns calm, a good moment for photographs of the fishing boats against the old houses.

It is worth combining this stroll with the other sights of Rethymno: climbing up to the Fortezza, wandering the lanes behind the quay, and, further afield, a day trip to Arkadi Monastery in the hills.