Rethymno
Rethymno is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Crete, Greece, functioning as the capital of the Rethymno regional unit with a population of 34,084 inhabitants according to the 2021 census.[1] Located between the White Mountains and the Cretan Sea, it features a well-preserved old town blending Venetian and Ottoman architectural influences, including the imposing Fortezza fortress constructed in the 16th century for defense against Ottoman incursions.[2] The city's economy revolves around tourism, supported by its extensive sandy beaches, historic harbor, and cultural sites such as the Rimondi Fountain and archaeological museums, while its history traces back to ancient settlements with prominence achieved during the Venetian period from the 13th to 17th centuries before Ottoman rule until unification with Greece in 1913.[3]Geography
Location and Topography
Rethymno is situated on the northern coast of Crete, Greece's largest island, approximately 80 kilometers east of Chania and 65 kilometers west of Heraklion, serving as the administrative center of the Rethymno regional unit.[4] Its geographic coordinates are approximately 35.366° N latitude and 24.482° E longitude.[5] The city occupies a low-elevation coastal position, with an average height of about 14 meters above sea level.[6] The local topography consists of a narrow coastal plain fringed by a long sandy beach that extends eastward for around 11 kilometers, transitioning inland to gently rising hills where the urban core, including the Venetian fortress on a promontory, is situated.[4] Southward, the terrain ascends into rugged mountainous areas, bordered by the Psiloritis (Ida) massif to the east, featuring Crete's highest peak at 2,456 meters, and the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) to the west.[4] These ranges contribute to a diverse landscape of valleys, gorges, and plateaus within the broader regional unit, which spans varied elevations from sea level to over 2,000 meters.[7] The municipality covers an area of approximately 397 square kilometers, encompassing both lowland coastal zones and upland terrains.[8]
Climate
Rethymno has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa), defined by prolonged hot and arid summers alongside mild winters with moderate rainfall concentrated in the cooler months.[9] The hot season spans from June to September, with average daily highs exceeding 27°C, while the cool season runs from December to March, featuring highs below 18°C and lows around 10°C. Annual average temperatures hover near 17°C, with precipitation totaling approximately 350 mm, predominantly falling between October and March.[5] Summers are marked by negligible rainfall—often zero in July and August—and high humidity levels that can feel muggy, peaking in late summer with average wind speeds remaining moderate. Winters bring the bulk of the precipitation, with December seeing about 66 mm and up to 10 rainy days, alongside occasional windy conditions peaking in February at around 22 km/h. Cloud cover is minimal during summer (nearly clear in July) but increases in winter, with December often overcast about 39% of the time.[5] The following table summarizes average monthly high and low temperatures, rainfall, and rainy days based on historical data:| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Rainy Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15 | 10 | 68.6 | 10.2 |
| February | 15 | 9 | 61.0 | 8.5 |
| March | 17 | 11 | 35.6 | 6.3 |
| April | 21 | 13 | 15.2 | 3.1 |
| May | 24 | 17 | 7.6 | 1.7 |
| June | 28 | 21 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
| July | 31 | 23 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| August | 30 | 23 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| September | 28 | 21 | 7.6 | 1.5 |
| October | 24 | 17 | 33.0 | 5.1 |
| November | 19 | 14 | 55.9 | 7.8 |
| December | 16 | 11 | 66.0 | 9.7 |