Cycling Crete: Epic Climb to Arkadi Monastery & Descent into Rethymno

🚴‍♂️ Ride along with me in Crete, Greece, on August 25th, 2025, as I take on a classic cycling route from the seaside town of Rethymno up to the historic Monastery of Arkadi. Filmed with an action camera chest mount, this long-running vlog captures the ride from a cyclist’s perspective—climbing through the Cretan countryside, exploring one of the island’s most important landmarks, and then descending back into the vibrant life of Rethymno.

🌄 The journey begins at the coast, where I picked up a rental road bike near Rethymno. The climb winds inland toward Arkadi Monastery, a UNESCO tentative site and a powerful symbol of Cretan resistance during the Ottoman period. Set on a plateau, the monastery is not only a beautiful piece of Venetian architecture but also a place that carries centuries of cultural and historical weight.

🏙️ After spending some time taking in the monastery and its surroundings, the ride continues with an exhilarating descent back to Rethymno. Most of the video highlights the downhill sections, the lively traffic, and the atmosphere of the city, passing through modern streets as well as the narrow lanes of Rethymno’s charming Old Town, where Venetian and Ottoman influences blend seamlessly.

If you enjoy immersive cycling content, travel vlogs, or simply want to experience the landscapes and culture of Crete from the saddle of a bike, this video is for you.

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