Rethymno

What you gain

• ↑Rethymno's Fortezza is the most complete Venetian fortress in Crete: the 16th-century citadel above the town contains an intact mosque, a church, and the full circuit of walls, and the views over the town and the sea from the battlements are the finest elevated views in western Crete
• ↑The old town's palaces and fountains represent the finest concentration of Venetian civic architecture in Crete outside Heraklion: the Rimondi Fountain (1626), the Loggia, and the Venetian harbour create a streetscape that is more intimate and less touristy than Chania's harbour district
• ↑Preveli Palm Beach (45 minutes south by car or day boat from Rethymno) is the most unusual beach in Greece: a freshwater river emerging from a gorge through a palm forest into the sea, creating a lagoon environment that is entirely unlike the standard Aegean beach experience

What you sacrifice

• ↓Rethymno's beach directly adjacent to the old town is a long but relatively undistinguished sandy stretch — better Cretan beaches require transport east or west
• ↓The town lacks the museum and archaeological draw of Heraklion: those who came for Minoan sites will need to travel east, making Rethymno a genuine choice only for those prioritising relaxation and atmosphere over cultural density