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latest
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11/07/2003 21:01 +0300
Rethymnon's Venetian Harbour
The area which is now
occupied by the medieval and the modern town of Rethymnon, has
been inhabited since the Late Minoan Period, according to finds
now in the Archaeological Museum. Known as Rithymna in antiquity,
the town was prominent enough in the 3rd and 4th centuries BC to
issue its own coins. The town remained under Roman and Byzantine
rule until it fell to the Venetians in 1210. During Venetian rule
Rethymnon once more rose to prominence, as a commercial centre of
agricultural products grown in the region --mainly wine and olive
oil-- as well as the seat of a Venetian Prefect. The
fortifications built by the Venetians, however, did not deter the
Turks, who took the town after a 22-day siege in 1646. During the
Turkish Occupation, Rethymnon rose as a centre of resistance and
consequently suffered greatly from Turkish reprisals. In 1897,
Russia took over the administration of Rethymon as part of the
occupation of Crete by the Great Powers. Crete was finally
re-united with Greece in 1913.
Rethymnon today is the third largest city in Greece (2001 pop.:
32,000), located about halfway between Herakleion and Chania, on
the north coast of Crete. |
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TRAVEL INFORMATION:
Getting there
The city
of Rethymnon is served through either the “Kazantzakis” International
Aiprort of Herakleion to the east (80 km), or the “Daskalogiannis”
International Aiprort of Chania to the west (63 km). Trasportation by the
organisers will be provided to players that have submitted their travel
schedules on time, ONLY from / to the “Kazantzakis” International Airport
of Herakleion.
The “Kazantzakis International
Aiprort of Herakleion has many domestic connections to/from Athens on
Olympic Airways and Aegean Airlines. In addition, both airlines provide
year-round direct connections between Herakleion and Thessaloniki and
Rhodes (as well as Mykonos and Santorini in season). Dozens of charter
flights arrive daily in season at Herakleion, from all major destinations
in central and northern Europe.
The “Daskalogiannis” International
Airport of Chania also has many daily connections with Athens on Olympic
Airways and Aegean Airlines, as well as direct services to / from
Thessaloniki. Chania also sees a huge number of charter flight arrivals in
season.
Rethymnon has a daily overnight direct ferry service to
/ from Piraeus (the port of Athens). Ferries depart from either port at
20:00 hours and reach their destination about nine or ten hours later.
Herakleion and Chania have more frequent ferry connections with Piraeus,
on faster and more luxurious ships.
Buses run almost hourly between Rethymnon and either
Herakleion (73 km) or Chania (55 km.)
Accommodation
Rethymnon and its environs has an almost inexhaustible
supply of accommodation, ranging from the really budget to the
magnificently luxurious. All Men’s Main Draw Players of the Greek Open of
the CEV European Championship Tour 2003 will be accommodated at the
Theartemis Palace (Tel: +30 28 31 05 39 91) and
Minos (Tel: +30 28 31 05 39 21) hotels (12 teams
in each), beginning with dinner on Thursday 10 July and ending with
breakfast on Monday 14 July. All Women’s Main Draw teams will be
accommodated at the Porto Rethymno Hotel (Tel:
+30 28 31 05 04 32), beginning with dinner on Wednesday 9 July and ending
with breakfast on Sunday 13 July.
A
list of recommended hotels for Qualification Tournament players, as well
as other visitors to the Greek Open in Rethymnon may be found at the
end of this page.
Orientation
The old (ottomoan and venetian) quarter of Rethymnon is situated south of
the headland that is occupied by the Venetian Fortress. The town beach
begins at the small Venetian harbour and curves out to the south and east
of the Old Town. The main throughfare runs west to east almost parallel to
the waterfront, a few blocks inland. The intercity bus terminal is at the
western edge of this main avenue. The ferry terminal is at the edge of the
Old Town, next to the Venetian Harbour.
Getting around
Transportation between the “Kazantzakis” International
Airport of Herakleion and the official hotels in Rethymnon will be
provided by the organisers for all Main Draw participants, according to
their travel schedules. All official hotels for the Greek Open are within
walking distance of the courts.
Taxis may be ordered by phone or hailed on the street.
Public buses serve every single village and tourist
location on the island and run very regularly between the major cities.
Numerous car-hire outlets (including all the major
multi-national companies) can be found in Rethymnon (and also at
Herakelion and Chania Airports). Be advised, however, that parking in the
city centre could be a nightmare. A home driving
license from most countries should suffice for car rental.
Motorbikes, scooters and bicycles are also available
for hire from numerous outlets.
Money
Greece is a member of the Euro-zone and since 1 January
2002 its official currency is the Euro (€). The euro is also the official
currency of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,
Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. In early June, €1,00 =
$1,14 Most foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks (open Monday to
Friday, 08:00-13:30). Other options are exchange offices, which usually
keep longer hours. Rates and commissions at travel agencies and hotels
will probably not be as favourable as at banks and exchange offices.
All banks have
ATMs available round the clock.
Most major credit cards are widely accepted at almost
every tourist-oriented establishment.
Time
Greek Summer Time, in effect from the last Sunday in
March to the last Sunday in September, is three hours ahead of Greenwich
Mean Time. In
winter Greece is two hours ahead of GMT.
Electricity
Electricity in Greece is 220V, 50 cycles,
with standard continental-type plugs with two round pins.
Telephones
Direct-dial phone service is available between Greece
and all countries of the world. International calls may be placed from any
of the cardphones located throughout Rethymnon.
Telephone cards are sold at kiosks and newsstands everywhere. Phone
calls placed from hotel rooms may carry heavy surcharges.
Mobile phone networks in Greece are compatible with the
European-wide GSM 900/1800 standards, but not with the systems available
in the USA and Japan. Vodafone (formerly Panafon), Telestet and Cosmote
are the three mobile phone service providers in Greece, with coverage in
Rethymon. Check
with your home service provider to find out if Roaming Service is
available for you. Otherwise, it's possible for very little money to
easily buy Connection Packs from any of the above companies in Greece.
These are compatible with GSM 900/1800 devices and include a number and a
small amount of air time, which can be renewed.
Newspapers
A wide variety of foreign newspapers and magazines is available in
Rethymnon -most on the evening of the same day of publication. The
International Herald Tribune, printed in Athens, is available every
morning with an eight-page English-language supplement of the Greek daily
Kathimerini. The English-language Athens News is published every Friday.
Beaches, Sightseeing & Excursions
The town beach extends approximately west to east, beginning at the Old
Harbour and running the length of Rethymnon. Other popular beaches can be
found in the eastern suburbs.
Rethymnon has a host of tourist attractions for visitors. The Old
Quarter is a maze of alleys that extends south of the Venetian Fortress (Fortezza),
that occupies the headland at the eastern edge of Rethymnon's waterfront.
Near the entrance (on the east walls) to the Fortezza is the
Archaeological Museum. Inside the Old Town, a favourite meeting point is
the Rimondi Fountain, originally built in 1588 and decorated with lion
heads and Corinthian capitals. Southwest of the Venetian Harbour is the
Loggia, a 16th-centurty meeting house for the Venetian nobility. At the
southern extremity of the Old Town stands the Great Gate (or Porto Guora).
The Ottoman legacies of the Old Town include the Kara Musa Pasha (with its
vaulted fountain) and the Nerantzes mosques --the latter converted from a
Franciscan church in 1657.
Rethymnon is an excellent base for excursions to the hinterland, where
archaeological sites and historic monasteries (including the famous Arkadi)
attract thousands of visitors each year. Attractive mountain villages
within easy reach of Rethymnon remain untouched by mass tourism and
provide a respite from the over-exploited coast.
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