Luckily, detailed knowledge about ancient Achaean or Minoan civilization is not a prerequisite for appreciating Crete's heritage and beauty. A subsequent visit to the Archaeological Museum provides even more context. You certainly don't need a degree in history to appreciate the city of Rethimnon. Its heart centers on a charming, ancient core that's endearingly labyrinthine and congested in a friendly, unpretentious way. The old part of town is thick with cafes, bistros and shops concentrated in a small area.
Second stories jut over narrow streets in testimony to their medieval origins.
At the same time, it's a city that's lively and open with its cluttered, unattractive tourist facilities thankfully dispersed along beach terrain to the east, leaving the older part of the city largely intact. A major attraction for visitors to western Crete is hiking the length of the Samaria Gorge, the deepest and perhaps most spectacular canyon in Europe. There are different options for taking on this moderate challenge, but all require an entire day. It's a worthwhile investment of time and energy. A torturous but fascinating two-hour bus ride up into the mountains brought us to the tiny village of Omalos, not far from the head of the gorge.