Pinelopi Hotel is:
Platanias (or Platanes) is a settlement near Rethymno mostly known about its long sandy beach that opens to the North. The beach is well organized and offers a variety of Greek taverns with local food, drinks and the chance to enjoy yourself by the seaside.
Platanias is just 4km from Rethymno Town and is also accessible by the public transportation.
Rethymno is the third largest town in Crete, combining the old town’s charm and history, with proximity to a long sandy beach. There are two sides to Rethymnon, offering two styles of visit:
On the one hand, one can explore one of the best preserved medieval cities in Greece, and search for your fairy-tale romance in Rethymno. Venetian fortification works mix harmonically with orthodox & catholic churches, mosques, majestic mansions of Venetian architecture, arches and cobbled paths which create a magical atmosphere, reminiscence of the city’s glorious past. The Fortress dominates the city and makes Rethymno very photogenic, its pedestrian streets below, strewn with charming old buildings. Venetian influences abound and the minarets and domed mosques remind of the Turkish influence long gone.
On the other hand, one can enjoy the endless sandy beach that stretches from the east end of Rethymno, lapping up the coastal “villages” of Perivolia, Platanias, Adelianos Kambos, Pigianos Kambos, Sfakaki, Stavromenos and Skaleta.
Rethymno’s convenient aspect is that it is located in the centre of Crete, making it ideal for exploring the entire island. It is nearly equidistant from both main airports, Chania and Heraklion – approximately 80km.
Rethymnon Town is 5Km from Pinelopi Hotel. Click here to see directions to Rethymnon Town.
The Minoan palace is the main visiting area of Knossos, an important city in antiquity, with a continuous life from the Neolithic to the 5th century. It is built on the hill of Kefalas, with easy access to the sea but also to the interior of Crete. Exciting myths, the Labyrinth with the Minotaur and Daedalus with Icarus, are linked to the palace of Knossos.
Knossos Palace lies 78Km from Pinelopi Hotel. Click here to see directions to the monument.
The Monastery of Arkadi is a historic monastery in Crete. It lies 23 km from the city of Rethymno. It is built at an altitude of 500m, on a fertile highland with olive groves, vineyards, pine trees, cypresses and forests. Around the monastery there are many picturesque chapels, while next to the monastery begins the beautiful Arkadiou Gorge. The strong fortification of Arkadi attracted the rebellious Cretans, resulting in a fire by the Ottomans many times, in 1646, 1821 and 1866. Many Turkish and Greek documents refer to the life and adventures of the monastery.
The Monastery of Arcadi lies around 17km away from Pinelopi Hotel. Click here to see directions to the monument.
Fortezza is a fortress in Rethymno, built by the Venetians in 1573. The Venetians chose this as a more suitable place because of the fact that it had the best land and sea views. The castle is built on a hill called “Paleokastro”. It is well preserved until today and characterizes the city of Rethymnon. The castle was designed to provide adequate living conditions for the population. Thus it includes through its walls, barracks, church, hospital, warehouses and an aqueduct.
Fortezza Castle lies 6klm from Pinelopi Hotel. Click here to see directions to the monument.
The Samaria Gorge is the most famous hiking gorge in Europe, forming part of the European path E4. Thousands of tourists descend on foot in the summer. For many, this is also the main purpose of their visit to Crete. Its length reaches 15 km and its descent takes about 5-7 hours, depending on your pace, from Omalos to Agia Roumeli.
Samaria Gorge lies 105 klm from Pinelopi Hotel. Click here to see directions how to reach it.
