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The Heart of Crete Self-Guided Driving Tour: Rethymno, Arkadi, Amari Valley, Spili & Preveli
Kalimera, and here we go!
Our drive across the heart of Crete begins.
We start on the seafront of Rethymno, on the island's north coast. Above the old town stands the Fortezza, the great Venetian fortress that Cretan workers were forced to build in the 1570s, after pirates burned the city.
Over the next 75 kilometers, about 47 miles, we'll cross Crete to Preveli, above the Libyan Sea. There, in 1941, monks hid Allied soldiers from the Germans, and a submarine slipped in at night to carry them to safety.
Between the two, we'll reach Arkadi, the monastery whose defenders chose to blow up their own powder store rather than surrender in 1866.
Then we drop into the green Amari valley under Mount Ida, the island's highest peak, stop by the lion fountains of Spili, and drive down through the dramatic Kourtaliotiko gorge to the sea.
Along the way you'll meet rebels, monks, musicians and one kidnapped German general.
Narration plays by itself as you reach each place, and you'll hear a short direction before each turn. The mountain roads are narrow and winding, so take your time.
Kaló taxídi, which means have a good trip. Let's go!
Top landmarks and attractions included in this English self-guided 2h:07m driving tour in Rethymno
For the best experience, begin at the tour's recommended starting point and follow the stops in order.
Want to start somewhere else? Simply use Start At on the tour screen, before tapping Start Tour, to begin from any stop.
Need to detour or skip a stop along the way? Tap Tour Assistant () to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
Route Preview
Places (POIs) visited during this tour
Place 1
Rethymno's Fortezza and the Raid of 1571 Recommended starting point
Distance: 0.00 mi
Sofokli Venizelou 20, Rethymno 741 33, Greece
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The heart of Crete begins here, on the seafront of Rethymno.
Behind us, on the headland past the harbor, rise the long, low walls of the Fortezza.
They look as if they had always belonged there. They didn't. They were built in a hurry, after a disaster.
In 1571 the Ottoman admiral Uluç Ali sailed straight into this harbor and sacked the town. The Venetian walls already standing were no use against him. So Venice ordered a new fortress on the headland, designed by the military engineer Sforza Pallavicini. The first stones went down on September 13, 1573. By the Venetians' own count, 107,142 Cretans and 40,205 animals helped raise it, and by 1580 it was finished.
It still failed. In 1646 the Ottomans returned. The town crowded inside, hunger and disease did the rest, and on November 13 the Venetians surrendered.
More than a hundred thousand people built the walls behind you. They still couldn't save the town.
The street you've just come along has a long name: Machitón Scholís Chorofylakís, the Fighters of the Gendarmerie School. A little further on, the main road becomes Máchis Krítis, the Battle of Crete. Both names come from the same week.
52 Australian soldiers eventually reached Egypt from this stretch of coast. The week that put their names on these streets began on May 20, 1941, when the sky filled with planes. Hitler had ordered the first major airborne invasion in history, against Crete. That afternoon, 161 transport aircraft came in low and slow along this shore and dropped Colonel Alfred Sturm's paratroopers around Rethymno.
Sturm was after two prizes: the town itself, and an airstrip about 13 kilometers east, near Pigi. On the ridges above him waited about 1,270 Australians, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ian Campbell, and 2,300 Greek recruits, many of them issued with only 3 rounds apiece.
Plenty of those paratroopers were shot before their boots touched the ground. The ones who came down here, around Perivolia, pulled themselves together and pushed toward the town. At the edge of Rethymno they ran into about 800 cadets of the Greek gendarmerie, the national police, fighting with armed townspeople, several priests, and a monk.
For 9 days the Germans held out in Perivolia and in an olive oil factory further east. Sturm was taken prisoner on the second day. Campbell's men collected more than 500 captives.
The island was still being lost, far to the west, at Maleme. Campbell never received the order to evacuate: he had no code to decipher his commander's messages. On May 29, German tanks rolled in from the east. Food and ammunition were gone. He had to surrender.
Rethymno has not let the week fade. A side street off this avenue is called Afstralón Polemistón: Australian Warriors. Many of those Australians slipped into the mountains rather than give up, and 52 of them, in the end, reached Egypt.
The names on these streets are not decorations. They are a roll call.
Tour itinerary stops | Additional places you'll see on this self-guided tour
Place 1 Rethymno's Fortezza and the Raid of 1571
Place 2 The Gendarmes' Street: Rethymno, May 1941
Place 3 Adele, Home of Kostis Giaboudakis
Place 4 Arkadi 1866: The Abbot's Answer
Place 5 Arkadi: The Powder Magazine
Place 6 Mount Ida and the Kidnapped General
Place 7 A Word in Cretan
Place 8 Meronas and the Mona Lisa of Byzantium
Place 9 Kedros, August 22, 1944
Place 10 Dittany, the Herb of Love
Place 11 The Lyra and Nikos Xylouris
Place 12 Spili's 25 Lions
Place 13 Kourtaliotiko, the Applauding Gorge
Place 14 Asomatos: The Abbot and the Prime Minister
Taking a UCPlaces tour is fun and easy.
Download the app (Android or iOS), purchase the tour (either here on the website, or from within the app).
That's it, you're ready to go!
When you want to start the tour, find the tour in the app (via a quick in-app search or by clicking the tour link received in your confirmation email) and click "Start Tour" (headphones recommended for best experience.)
* After purchasing a tour you will receive a purchase confirmation email including the tour link and instructions on how to take the tour, so you don't have to remember anything now.
How does the tour work?
UCPlaces acts as your personal tour guide, providing self-guided audio tours fully navigated within our app using GPS-based navigation. You won't need to switch between external navigation apps.
Whenever you approach a point of interest (POI) on the tour, our app will automatically play the relevant audio story at the right time and place.
If you start the tour before reaching the first POI, the app will navigate you to the starting point and then begin the tour.
How is this more convenient than a traditional tour?
UCPlaces offers an innovative and flexible way to explore exciting destinations on your terms. Here are some key advantages over traditional tours:
No need to commit upfront or purchase in advance; buy a tour only when you're ready to go.
Walk at your own pace.
No waiting for groups; go on your schedule.
Take the tour in your preferred language.
Start, stop and continue the tour whenever you want.
Returning to the same destination? Take the tour again, and again, and again... And bring a friend!
Enjoy preferred prices.
What's included?
A self-guided audio tour taken via the UCPlaces app [iOS (iPhone) / Apple CarPlay / Android / Android Auto].
Tour route map and in-app GPS navigation (via the UCPlaces app).
Audio stories for places visited during the tour.
Apple CarPlay connection (iOS users) and Android Auto connection (Android users); for a seamless driving tour experience.
What's NOT included?
Earphones (highly recommended).
Smartphone.
Any kind of transportation (including tickets and passes).
Tickets to the attractions on your tour.
Food and drinks
Physical tour guide.
Have any questions about this tour? Or a general travel / self-guided tours question? That's completely natural
How long does this tour take?
Most travelers complete this tour in approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on pace, time spent at each stop, and optional detours. Having said that, please remember that self-guided tours are extremly flexible (you can start, pause, continue anytime) and everyone has their own pace.
What does this tour include?
This self-guided driving tour includes 16 stops, covering top attractions such as Rethymno's Fortezza and the Raid of 1571, The Gendarmes' Street: Rethymno, May 1941, Adele, Home of Kostis Giaboudakis, Arkadi 1866: The Abbot's Answer, Arkadi: The Powder Magazine.
Where does the tour start?
The tour starts at Rethymno's Fortezza and the Raid of 1571 (Address: Sofokli Venizelou 20, Rethymno 741 33, Greece). You can begin the tour there or join from any stop along the route.
What type of tour is this?
This is a self-guided driving tour designed to be completed by car, covering scenic routes, city highlights and optional key stops.
Can I do this tour at my own pace?
Yes, this is a self-guided driving tour, so you can start anytime and explore at your own pace. You can pause, skip stops, or spend more time at places that interest you. You can even split it into multiple days. Explore however feels right for you. The only vaiables that might affect your pace are speed limits and traffic congestion.
Do I need a car for this tour?
Yes, this is a driving tour, designed to be completed by car, with stops spread across different locations connected by a driving route.
Do I need anything in order to take the tour?
There are two things that you need - 1. A mobile phone (with the UCPlaces app installed and active location services, and a cellular data plan with a decent signal for downloading the tour). 2. A car. Here are some recommendations for a great experience: 1. Make sure your phone is fully charged and bring a charging cable for your car. 2. Connect your phone to the car speaker system via bluetooth or use our CarPlay/Android Auto option for the best experience.
How will I navigate from point to point during the tour?
The tour uses GPS-based navigation through the UCPlaces app, with automatic audio playback and step-by-step directions between stops. This works great either directly from your phone, or while connected to your car's multimedia system and using our CarPlay or Android Auto options. Just follow the route and listen to the audio guide. Use the resume feature to continue from where you recently stopped (or closed the app). Easily skip or go back to stops.
What known landmarks and main sites does this tour have?
The top landmarks and main sites on this tour include Arkadi, Rethymno's Fortezza and the Raid of 1571, Preveli Monastery, Mount Ida and the Kidnapped General, Kourtaliotiko, the Applauding Gorge and Spili's 25 Lions. In total, the tour has 16 points of interest along the route.
Is this tour suitable for families or groups?
Yes, self-guided tours are ideal for families and small groups, allowing everyone to explore comfortably without being tied to a fixed schedule.
What makes a self-guided tour better than a guided tour?
Self-guided tours are more flexible, affordable, and personalized. You can avoid crowds, choose your pace, and focus on the stops that interest you most.
I installed the app and it's now asking for GPS and media access permissions, why?
The app is your tour-guide, it needs to know where you are located on the map to be able to trigger the points of interest. It also needs access to audio and media files to provide you with this experience.
What happens if there are unexpected roadblocks or navigation issues?
We have been working hard to deliver a great experience. Though you may run into unexpected obstacles (the world is constantly changing), our app has multiple features and mechanisms in place to help you overcome them, including: AI assistance, force play an audio if you can't reach the stop, skip or return to stops, automatic rerouting and more.
Can I take the tour in my language?
Though all of our tours are primarily in English, many tours are multilingual (including: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hebrew, French, Arabic and more...). The tour language options depend on the specific tour - You can easily check which languages are available in the tour screen!
Driving tour
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
