It is housed in the church of Agios Frangiskos in the center of the old town. It exhibits objects from the Neolithic to the Roman period, found at the prefecture of Rethymno (mainly Eleftherna, Monastiraki and Armeni). Clay figurines, funerary coffers, grave offerings, statues, grave steles, red-figure vases, bronze vessels, jewellery and glass vases, are some of the objects on display.
St. Francis Church - 4 Agiou Fragiskou str.,
Telephone: +30 28310 27506
Email: efareth@culture.gr
Open
Winter: 08:00 - 15:00 November 1 - March 31
Summer: 10:00 - 18:00 April 1 - October 31, except Tuesday.

The Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno is located next to the Neratze Mosque. It is an institution of public benefit, founded in 1973 by the President of the Historical and Folklore Institution, Christoforos Stavroulakis, and Fali Vogiatzaki. The museum is housed in a restored Venetian building with an interior courtyard. The building is a wonderful piece of urban residence of the last phase of the Venetian occupation of Crete, built in the renaissance style by traditional craftsmen.

The church of Saint Francis is one of the most important monuments of Rethymno. It was the main temple of the Monastery of the Franciscan Order. The architecture of the building - a single aisle Basilica type with wooden roof - and its ornaments are very interesting. Next to the east side of the temple two deserted chapels are preserved. Its Corinthian style main doorway is impressive, with capitals of composite order. During recent excavations around the church valuable archeological findings have been discovered, including two tombs of Venetian nobles.
During the Turkish occupation the temple was turned into an "Imaret" (a shelter for the poor).
It was also used as a cultural center until 1996. It was recently renovated to accommodate the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Collection of the Prefecture of Rethymno.

The square of Mikrasiaton (GR: Πλατεία Μικρασιατών) formerly the 1st primary school square, in Rethymnon town, covers an area of 7,500 square meters, right at the heart of the city's historical center. It is surrounded by valuable monuments and beautiful buildings, mainly used as cultural centers.
There, visitors have the opportunity to rest in a peaceful environment and at the same time visit the various monuments and cultural centers located in the area.

The Guora Gate (Porta Guora or Grand Gate)) is the main entrance of the Venetian city walls that protected the city of Rethymno. The gate was built in the years of Rector Rettore Jocopo Guoro (1566-1568). Part of the gate is preserved at the beginning of the street "Ethnikis Antistaseos". It is 2,60 m. wide, built with carved stones with skew acnes, creating a semicircular arc on the top.
According to traveler J. Gerola, the initial shape of the gate was formed by stepped cornice and pediment where a relief the lion of St. Marcos (the Venetian emblem) existed. Today the relief is preserved in two pieces and is stored at Loggia's courtyard.
Old drawings of Guora Gate: inside the walls - outside the walls

The Museum of Submarine Life is situated at Arapatzoglou street, at the center of Rethymno's old city. It was founded by the "Moshaki" family, in memory of their lost child, who drowned in the sea. The largest part of the exhibits are made up of shells, while a few vertebrates, sponges and fish are also on display.

The Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH) is one of the largest research centers of Greece with well - organised facilities and a highly qualified staff. It functions under the supervision of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology of the Hellenic Ministry of Development and consists of seven Research Institutes, which are located in various regions of Greece: Heraklion, Rethymno, Patras and Ioannina. The Foundation’s headquarters, as well as the Central Administration offices are located in Heraklion, Crete.

The Institute for Mediterranean Studies (IMS) based in Rethymno, Crete, was founded in 1985 and belongs to the research units of the Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas (FORTH). The IMS is the only FORTH centre which deals with the human and social sciences.
The purpose of IMS is to support and invigorate research in the field of the human and social sciences, as well as to promote the application of advanced technologies in the field. The IMS possesses a fully equipped Laboratory of Geophysical-Satellite Remote Sensing (GIS) & Archaeo-environment, specialized in archaeological research. The Library of the Institute is focused on Turkish Studies and Art History. In the Library archival material, as well as collections of Greek and foreign newspapers in digital form and microfilms are kept.
The objective of the IMS's research programs is to study the geographical space, the history and culture of Greece and the other Mediterranean countries in various historical periods, from prehistory to modern times.
In order to achieve these objectives, the research projects of the Institute are organized along the following axes:
Turkish Studies
History Studies
Art History
History of the Theatre - Ethnomusicology
The Laboratory of Geophysical-Satellite Remote Sensing & Archaeo-environment
Its activities concern the field of geophysical research, the satellite remote sensing, the Geo-information technologies and the archaeo-environment, with emphasis on the Mediterranean region. The Laboratory is a member of international organisations such as EPOCH, EARSel. and AGILE and participates in a number of joint research and technology programs in Greece and abroad (e-Content, INTERREG, ARCHIMED, ETPA, PEWNED, EPEAEK, INSTAP, LIFE, Region of Crete).
The research programs of the Institute are carried out by its permanent researchers and collaborating faculty members. In the frame of these research programs are prepared PhD Thesis and other diplomas which are submitted to the higher educational institutions with which IMS collaborates and, particularly, to the University of Crete, the Technical University of Crete and the Technological Educational Institute of Crete. The IMS supports education at post-graduate and post-doctoral level with a considerable number of annual scholarships, thus contributing to attract a steady flow of young researchers and to promote research in the field of humanities at the periphery.
The IMS maintains close academic links with various international research foundations (Cyprus, Turkey, Bulgaria, Italy, France, Spain, England, Belgium, Tunesia, Egypt, China, USA, a.o.).
The IMS is administered by a director and a five member academic council (A.C.). It is housed in wholly-owned premises comprising of two listed buildings in the old town of Rethymno. The core of one edifice dates back to the Venetian period (13th - 17th century).
Links:
www.ims.forth.gr/

The Fortezza castle, at the top of a low hill named "Palaiokastro" dominates the town. It was built in 1590 to protect the city from the pirates raids and the Turks.
The name "Palaiokastro which means 'The old Castle' was in use even by the Venetians which demonstrates the existance of an even older castle at this place. - Probably the acropolis of the ancient town of Rithymna.
The interior of Fortezza accommodated the following basic buildings: the storeroom of the artillery, where canons and weapons were kept, the residence of the Councilors, where one of the city's two Venetian councilors lived, the residence of the Rector, which represented a luxurious, magnificent building in the central square of the fortress.
Today parts of those buildings, as well as of some others built later, can be seen. The view from up there is magnificent, especially at night.
The municipal theatre "Erofili" stands also at Fortezza's premises. It is an outdoor theatre that hosts almost all the performances during the Renaissance Festival.

Rethymnon General Hospital is situated at 17, Trandalidou Str., close to the municipal gardens. The hospital has all major clinical specialties, outpatient clinics, intensive care unit and generally offers sufficient medical services throughout the prefecture of Rethymnon.

The monastery of Aghios Georgios the Gorgolainis (GR: Αγιος Γεώργιος Γοργολαΐνι) is located on an altitude of 400 m close to the Kato Asites village. It survived through several revolutions and wars during the Ottoman occupation.

Petrokéfalo (GR: Πετροκέφαλο) lies 16km from Iraklion and 3km from Agios Myron at 340m a.s.l with 248 inhabitants.
It is built on a rocky hillside. The hill' shape resembles to a human head and it is supposed that the village owes its name to this (petrokefali = stone head) .
The settlement was fortified and lately were discovered significant ancient findings.
The patron Saint is "Agia Paraskevi" and there is a village feast on the 8^th September in her honour.

Picture(s):
• Panoramic

11th, 12th and 13th June- We had made camp in the yard beside the Aghios Ioannis chapel at Rouvas but, the following morning, it was quite clear that I wasn’t going to go any further on foot until the shin splint had settled down a bit. Minor surgery on the blisters exposed the full extent of those problems and I hung them out to dry in the sun while Triantafyllos went off looking for paths to put on his maps. I think I was lucky not to get infected blisters but Betadine is a great resource which I used extensively.

14th June- The walk up from Rouvas is quite straightforward; once you have walked back down the stream from the Rouvas picnic area and turned right (north) up the dry river bed for two hundred yards, you scramble up a short, easy rock section (well sign posted) before the path continues up through open oak woodland (the Rouvas Forest) heading first for the Duo Prinoi chapel, which has a water tap, and then later up and over a ridge, beyond which a small dry water course leads up a steep sided valley to the flat lands of the Nidha plateau.
Distance:12 km
Time: 4.75 hrs.
Mov av 3.7 km/hr
Height overnight: 1,360m.

Agios Myron, with 708 inhabitants, lies 18 km from the city of Iraklion to the south west. Its one of the most important villages of the area with interesting town planning and impressive samples of traditional architecture. Built between two hills it commands a panoramic view and the school's clock, its main characteristic, is visible from almost everywhere in the area of Malevizi.

The University of Crete, is multi-disciplinary, research- oriented Institution, situated in the cities of Rethymnon and Heraklion. It is a University with a well-known reputation both nationally and internationally, with state-of-the art curricula and graduate programmes, considerable research activity and initiatives that reflect its dynamic character. It was established in 1973 and operated during the academic year 1977-1978. Today, approximately 10628 students attend the University. The University's staff consists of 580 Teaching and Research Staff members. Its' operation is supported by more than 400 administrative staff.

Pyrgou lies 20 km from Iraklion and 1km from Agios Myron at 400m a.s.l with 354 inhabitants. It is built on a hillside overlooking the area, with panoramic view to the village of Kroussonas and the ravine of "Agia Irini".
At the village's perimeter there are well maintained tower-like houses.

The University Hospital of Heraklion (Pa.G.N.I.) is the largest hospital facility in Crete and one of the largest public hospitals in the country. The Pa.G.N.I. provides secondary and tertiary health care in a wide range of clinical specialties, diagnostic and laboratory tests.
It is located 8km away from the city of Heraklion in the area of Stavrakia, next to the School of Medicine of the University of Crete
Telephone: +30 2813 402111 & 2810 392111
Website: www.pagnh.gr/

Kato Asites (GR: Κάτω Ασίτες lies 23km from Iraklion and 5km from Agios Myron at 450m a.s.l with 1113 inhabitants. Beautiful town with traditional architecture especially the quarters "Notiko", "Prinos" and "Kastella" close to the monastery of Gorgolaini.
Other interesting sights are:
The thermae of the king of Prinias, The uninhabited settlement of Nisi with traditional houses, the caves "Lesta spilios" at Marias aloni, "Astirakou spilios", "Sarakina" and "Katsivli spilios" at Lyssogremia and "Melissa", The chapels of "Panagia" aged 800 years, "Agios Antonios" aged 1000 years, "Agios Georgios" and "Agia Paraskevi".
The patron Saint is "Agia Paraskevi" celebrated on the 26^th July .

Picture(s):
• Alleyway
• Nissi

Prinos refuge at Prinos on Psiloritis mountain (Ida), is at 1100 metres. It can sleep 25 people, it has cooking facilities, two wood burning stoves for heating and a rainwater tank. Access is through the village of Ano Assites in Malevizi around 22km from Iraklion. From there a two kilometres of dirt road leads to a place called Melisses and then a one-and-a-half hour walk along a footpath signed with red marks, to the refuge.
Prinos hut was built in 1962 and was renovated around 1992. It is run by the mountaineering club of Heraklion. The view from Prinos to the north and east is great.