Best things to do in Adele Village in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Adele is an inland village in the Rethymno region of Crete, 2.2 km south of Adelianos Kambos, the seaside suburb that sits 6 km east of Rethymno city. Adele gave that coast its other name: the flat plain below the village was farmed for vegetables by Adele residents before hotels covered it, and the beach there is still called Adele Beach. The village keeps its own cafes and tavernas on the quieter side of the coast road, with 5 beaches and 4 gorges within 8 km.
Chania is the nearest airport to Adele. The village works as a base for Rethymno bay without a seafront room, because local buses run from Rethymno city centre to Adelianos Kambos and the sand starts 2.2 km from the houses.
Things to do in and around Adele Village
Things to do around Adele Village run from the beach 2.2 km north to a pottery village 11.8 km away, and the 6 below are listed from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Adelianos Kambos. The beach lies 2.2 km from the village and opens the long sandy stretch of Rethymno Gulf that runs east to Skaleta. Hotels, restaurants and shops line it, and buses reach it from Rethymno through the day.
- Hike the Prassano Gorge. The Gorge of Prasses starts south of Prasses village, 4.1 km from Adele. The walk takes about 3 hours through enormous rocks and some demanding passages, plane trees line the streambed, and the route opens only from mid-June to mid-October because it doubles as the overflow channel for the Potami dam.
- Walk the Mili Gorge. The signed trail runs 2.5 km in about 2.5 hours at a difficulty of 1 out of 10, the gentlest of the walks near Adele. Mili Gorge lies 5.4 km from the village, between Chromonastiri and Xero Chorio, and passes the abandoned mill village of Mili, old watermills, spring-fed pools and small rock-cut churches.
- Spend a day in Rethymno. The city stands 7.7 km west of Adele, capital of the Rethymno region and the third largest city in Crete. Its Renaissance centre mixes Ottoman and Cretan architecture, and the landmarks include the Loggia, the Neratze and Veli Pasha mosques and the church of Agios Frangiskos.
- Hike the Arkadi Gorge. The gorge lies 7.7 km from Adele, inland from the coast in the hills behind the village.
- Drive to Margarites. The pottery village sits 11.8 km from Adele, near the ancient town of Eleftherna. Margarites has Venetian roots dating to the sixteenth century, a ceramic tradition that began under Ottoman rule, and narrow alleys of preserved architecture.
Beaches in and around Adele Village
Beaches around Adele Village sit on a single 13 km sandy coastline that begins near Rethymno harbour and ends at Skaleta. Five sections of it lie within 5 km of the village, and loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, nest along the whole strip, which is why the shore is protected.
- Adelianos Kambos lies 2.2 km away, also known as Adele Beach, a seaside suburb of Rethymno on a flat plain 6 km east of the city. The long sandy Rethymno Gulf beach begins here and continues to Skaleta, and the suburb holds large hotels, smaller places to stay, restaurants and shops.
- Pigianos Kambos sits 2.4 km away, also called Pigi beach, 8 km east of Rethymno and centrally placed along the bay. Its name translates as “Plane of Pigi” after the fertile fields farmed by the people of Pigi village, and it stays quieter than Adelianos Kambos because it is less developed.
- Platanes is 3.2 km away, a long, well-organised sandy beach with shallow light-blue water, sunbeds and lifeguards in season. The sand runs in front of the Pervolia, Missiria and Platanias suburbs, which together are known as Platanes.
- Misiria stands 4.1 km away, one of the three suburbs that merged into Rethymno’s urban district as housing spread. The sandy beach in front of it is well maintained and backed by food, drink and lodging.
- Pervolia closes the list at 4.7 km away, the section closest to Rethymno harbour, with the same choice of food, drink and rooms along the front as the rest of the bay.
Where to eat in Adele Village
Eating in Adele Village happens in the village itself and in the settlements within 2 km, rather than on the hotel strip by the sea.
- Garage Coffee Service serves coffee 300 m from the centre.
- Paprika cooks grilled dishes, 500 m out.
- Taverna Zorbas offers taverna cooking at Pigi, 1.2 km out.
- Taverna Katerina is a taverna 1.4 km out.
- Taverna Mylopetra cooks taverna food at Maroulas, 1.5 km out.
- Taverna-Biofarm Armos runs a taverna and biofarm, 1.5 km out.
Getting to Adele Village
Getting to Adele Village means turning inland off the Rethymno bay coast at Adelianos Kambos and climbing 2.2 km. Chania is the nearest airport. Local buses serve Adelianos Kambos from Rethymno city centre through the day, so the coast is reachable without a car once you are on it.
Rethymno city lies 7.7 km west of the village and Skaleta closes the bay to the east. Inland, the Kaminolakkos Gorge is 6.5 km from Adele, with the Prassano and Mili gorges nearer still.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Adele Village in Crete?
Adele lies inland in the Rethymno region, 2.2 km south of Adelianos Kambos on Rethymno bay. That coastal suburb sits 6 km east of Rethymno city, and the city centre is 7.7 km west of the village.
Does Adele Village have a beach?
Adele has no beach in the village, but Adelianos Kambos lies 2.2 km away and carries the name Adele Beach. Four more sections of the same 13 km bay follow within 5 km, at Pigianos Kambos, Platanes, Misiria and Pervolia.
Why is Adelianos Kambos called Adele Beach?
Adelianos Kambos takes its name from Adele, the village that farmed it. The plain below the village grew vegetables for Adele households before a century of building turned it into part of Rethymno city.
Which gorges can you walk from Adele Village?
Four gorges lie within 8 km of Adele Village. Prassano is 4.1 km away and open from mid-June to mid-October, Mili 5.4 km and rated 1 out of 10 for difficulty, Kaminolakkos 6.5 km and Arkadi 7.7 km.
Are there sea turtles on the beaches near Adele?
Loggerhead sea turtles nest along the whole 13 km of Rethymno bay. The Caretta caretta is at risk of extinction, and the sandy shore from Rethymno harbour east to Skaleta, including Platanes and the beaches either side of it, is protected nesting ground.
Where Adele Village is
Best things to do in Adele Village in 2024 is located at Adele Village. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
