The golden sands and crystal clear shallow waters of Rethymno city’s beach, located a mere 500m east of the city’s core and adjacent to the Venetian port, are truly captivating. The well-organized beach is conveniently located near the city’s amenities and is the westernmost edge of Rethymno Bay’s 13km beachfront that extends eastwards to Skaleta. Despite being constantly bustling with activity, the expansive beach never feels excessively crowded. The city’s seafront road, Eleftheriou Venizelou Str., which runs parallel to the beach, provides an idyllic setting for evening strolls.
The beach offers numerous services including umbrellas, lifeguards, beach bars, showers, changing rooms, and water sports. A noteworthy fact about this beach is the presence of the loggerhead sea turtle (Carretta carretta) that nests here. Therefore, don’t be surprised to encounter roped-off areas; these are spots where eggs have been discovered and are safeguarded from swimmers. With over 400 nests annually, Rethymno Gulf ranks among Greece’s three most significant loggerhead sea turtle nesting sites.