Rethymno is a beautiful city on the island of Crete and there is lots to do within the city but it also makes a great base to explore the island, even without renting a car. In this blog post I am sharing with you 5 day trips that you can take from Rethymno without a car. There are of course many more places to visit but these are some of my favourites. You can get the buses from Rethymno Bus Station and you can find out more information about the times, prices and routes on the KTEL website here.
Patsos Gorge and Kourkoulou Winery
Patsos Gorge or Agios Antonios Gorge is a 5km gorge surrounded by greenery and is famous for the temple of Saint Antony which is located in a cave. There are a couple of different hiking trails with natural springs and little waterfalls on the way. There is also a viewpoint which you can find by following the signs in the gorge. There is also a restaurant at the start of the gorge with a childrens play area and some farm animals.
When I lived in the wine country, Napa Valley in California, I fell in love with wine. I went wine tasting every weekend and when I visited Crete, I wanted to try the local Cretan wine as wine tourism in Greece has been growing rapidly in the past few years. Wine production in Crete has a long history and there are many historical vineyards on the island. Wine-making is a tradition for locals and there are many wine related activities each year. Even though wine in Crete has been here for a very long time, wine tourism has only recently started to emerge. Located in the heart of the Cretan mountains, about 22km from Rethymno, Kourkoulou Winery is a new family-run winery and is located a few minutes walk from the Patsos Gorge.
With breathtaking views of the mountains and gorge, you can take a tour of their vineyards and winery and taste their exclusive Cretan wines. You can find their prices and different tour options on their website here.
Preveli and Plakias
Famous for its palm forest and tropical vibe, Preveli is on the south side of the island about 45 minutes by bus. To get to the beach, you have to walk down some steps so make sure you wear comfy shoes as it can be quite challenging in flip flops. The view on the way down is stunning and has great photo opportunities. Once you’re down at the beach you can take a stroll through the Palm Forest which is at the exit of Kourtaliotikos Gorge. You can also swim in the Grand River (Megalos Potamos) which flows through it and admire the small waterfalls that are dotted around. There is a canteen there where you can get food and drinks and there are also bathrooms, however there are no sun beds or umbrellas. To get there you can take the bus from Rethymno bus station which costs 5 euro and it leaves you at the top of the road. Then you follow the road to the start of the trail/steps which takes about 5 minutes walk and then down the steps for another 10 minutes. Please keep in mind that there is no shade on the way there so make sure you bring a hat and plenty of sun lotion.
After Preveli, you can either take the bus back to Rethymno or stop in Plakias. Plakias is a quiet seaside town with clear water, and restaurants overlooking the sea and surrounding cliffs which makes it a perfect place to eat after swimming in Preveli.
If you’ve more time, you can also visit Kalypso Beach which is a 10-minute drive from Plakias. Unfortunately there is no direct bus but once you get to Plakias you can get a taxi for 8 euros and it is definitely worth it! The water is very clear and you can also scuba dive there. There are also two infinity pools that are part of Kalypso hotel but you can use it even without being a hotel guest, by paying 10 euros for the sunbeds.
For more beaches in Crete and how to get there without a car you can check out my blog post here.
Georgioupoli and Lake Kournas
Georgioupoli is a village at the mouth of Almiros River, around 45 minutes from Rethymno by bus. It’s famous for its little church out in the sea which you can get to by walking across the rocks. Just make sure you go when there is low tide as the rocks can get quite slippy. There are loads of restaurants and cafes on the beach road as well as by the river. You can also rent a paddle boat to go up the river. You can get the bus from Rethymno Bus Station for 3 euros one way.
A nearby attraction for many people is Lake Kournas, Crete’s only freshwater lake. There are no direct buses however you can either walk to it from Georgioupoli which takes around 50 minutes or you can take the little road train which costs around 5 euros.
The little train also goes to Argyroupoli, a beautiful historic village known for its natural springs and monuments from the Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian periods.
Arkadi and Margarites
Arkadi is an Eastern Orthodox Monastery, located on a plateau with stunning views, about 23km from Rethymno. It became one the most important symbols of liberation in Crete during the Turkish occupation when the Cretan chose to sacrifice themselves by blowing up the gunpowder room rather than surrender.
The monastery is quite big so you could spend hours walking around and the ticket price is 3 euros. The history is very interesting and I think everyone should visit at least omncve while on the island. Please keep in mind that because it is a sacred place, everyone should have their knees and shoulders covered. I usually wear a long skirt or dress (or long trousers) that cover my knees and a thin scarf that I can put over my shoulders while I’m there.
There is also a cafe with some food and drinks, and has stunning views over the gorge and surrounding olive trees.
If you have time, you can take the bus to Margarites Village which it’s famous for its many pottery studios. There are loads of things to do so it’s definitely worth a visit. It’s one of my favourite villages on Crete as it is so beautiful and unique. You can read my travel guide about it here about things to do there.
Mpali
Mpali has quite a few different cove beaches surrounded by cliffs and greek restaurants with beautiful sea views.
You can get the bus towards Heraklion from Rethymno Bus Station for 3.50 euros and it takes around 35-45 minutes to get there.
There are of course many more day trips you can take from Rethymno but these are just some of my favourites. It’s definitely possible to explore the island without renting a car and you can save a lot of money this way. Just make sure you check out the times of the last bus back before leaving so you can plan accordingly.
If you ever visit somewhere because of my work, I'd love to hear about it! You can find me on Instagram @marisa.vogiatzi where I post daily travel content about solo and budget travel, travelling by public transport since I don’t drive, and about working remotely as a digital nomad.
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