A few words about the city of Rethimnon
Rethimnon is the third largest city
in Crete, located on the north coast, almost in the middle of the
island. It is a small-sized city, which today houses around 20,000
inhabitants. During the summer this number doubles in size.
Rethimnon is literally built in front of the sea, the Aegean Sea,
the influence of
which is felt deeply by its people.
Behind the town rises majestically a
scenic backdrop of hills and mountain peaks, the highest being
Vrissina, at 858 metres.
The climate is temperate and Mediterranean.
Summers are hot and dry with temperatures fluctuating between 26-32¡ C.
Spring and autumn are mild seasons, cooler temperatures range from 20-
24¡C. Winter is mild with little rain and the coldest days don't fall
much below 14¡C.
The history of Rethimnon is lost in the depths of time.
It seems that the area was first inhabited during the prehistoric period
(1350-1250 BC.), the name of the town was then, Rithimna. The gold
and silver coins found from the fourth and third century BC., point to a
golden age of this ancient city during this period. Detailed history
of the town, its cultural background and its people have been described
in detail by many authors. These books are available in local
bookstores, and have been translated into many European languages.