Rethymno Scenic Drive: Georgioupoli and Lake Kournas from Chania

The Rethymno scenic drive is the gentlest and most family-friendly day out in western Crete: an easy coastal run east from Chania to the riverside town of Georgioupoli, the tranquil freshwater Lake Kournas, and the beautiful Venetian old town of Rethymno. The coach tours sell this as a gruelling 340 km, twelve-hour marathon from the far side of the island.

From Chania, with your own hire car, it is a relaxed half to full day at your own pace, with time to swim, pedal a boat on the lake and wander the old town without a guide hurrying you along. This guide shows you how to do it properly.

The Rethymno scenic drive from Chania runs east along the north coast, mixing sandy beaches, a mirror-calm mountain lake and two lovely old towns. It is almost entirely on good, easy roads, making it ideal for nervous drivers and families, and it can be a gentle half-day or a full one with swimming and lunch. Here is the Rethymno scenic drive at a glance before we take it stop by stop.

The Rethymno Scenic Drive, Stop by Stop

1. The Easy Coast Road East from Chania

The Rethymno scenic drive leaves Chania on the E75, the National Road that runs the length of the north coast, heading east towards Rethymno. This is one of the easiest and most relaxing drives in Crete, a good, fast, modern road with the blue of the Cretan Sea on one side and the White Mountains rising green and grey on the other.

There are no tolls, the surface is excellent, and the gentle curves make it a pleasure rather than a challenge. This is exactly the kind of road that suits a nervous driver finding their feet on the first day of a holiday.

On the Rethymno scenic drive, as you approach Georgioupoli, watch for the little lake formed by the River Almyros just before the town, often dotted with birds and visible from the road. The drive to the first stop takes only twenty to thirty minutes from Chania, so this is a day that starts gently and never has to be rushed.

2. Georgioupoli: River, Beach and the Chapel in the Sea

About 38 kilometres east of Chania on the Rethymno scenic drive, where the River Almyros flows into the sea, sits the pretty resort town of Georgioupoli. Once a quiet fishing village, it has grown into a relaxed, green resort that still keeps its charm, with a large square shaded by eucalyptus and cypress trees, a little fishing harbour, and a long sandy beach stretching well over a kilometre to the east. The river runs right through the town, giving it a cool, verdant feel that sets it apart from the drier resorts of the island.

Georgioupoli’s most famous sight on the Rethymno scenic drive is the tiny chapel of Agios Nikolaos, which stands alone at the end of a stone causeway reaching out into the sea. Walking out along the causeway to the chapel, with the waves breaking on either side, is a magical experience and one of the most photographed spots in western Crete, though the causeway can be slippery and is best avoided in rough weather. Georgioupoli makes a lovely first stop for a coffee or an early swim before you turn inland to the lake.

3. Lake Kournas: The Only Freshwater Lake in Crete

Just a few kilometres inland from Georgioupoli lies the jewel of the Rethymno scenic drive, Lake Kournas, the only natural freshwater lake in Crete.

Ringed by green hills with the White Mountains rising behind, it is a serene and beautiful spot, its waters shifting through shades of green, blue and turquoise as the light changes and the depth increases towards the centre, where it reaches around 22 metres. A protected Natura 2000 site, the lake is home to terrapins, eels, moorhens and a wealth of birdlife, and in the shallows you can often spot the little water turtles that give it such charm.

The great pleasure of the Rethymno scenic drive is simply to slow down at the lake. You can hire a pedal boat and drift out onto the water, swim in the warm shallows, walk the path around part of the shore, or settle at one of the lakeside tavernas for lunch with a view.

In late summer the water level drops to reveal a strip of golden sand, creating temporary little beaches. It is an idyllic, family-friendly place, and having your own car means you can linger as long as you like, long after the coach tours have moved on to keep their schedule.

4. Argyroupoli: Springs, Waterfalls and Ancient Lappa

Argyroupoli is a stop on the Rethymno scenic drive that the standard tours almost always skip, and one of the best reasons to drive yourself.

A short way south of Lake Kournas, up into the hills, lies the beautiful village of Argyroupoli, built on the site of ancient Lappa, an important Greco-Roman city. The lower village is a lush, green oasis, famous for its natural springs that gush from the rock and tumble in cool waterfalls beneath a canopy of enormous plane trees, with tavernas built right beside the rushing water where you can eat trout in the shade on the hottest day.

Scattered through and around the village are the remains of ancient Lappa: Roman mosaics, rock-cut tombs, and an old Roman aqueduct. It is a genuinely lovely, cool and atmospheric detour, and because it sits just off the main route, only the independent driver tends to find it. If the day is hot, the springs of Argyroupoli are a blissful contrast to the coast, and well worth the short climb into the hills.

5. Rethymno: The Venetian Old Town and the Fortezza

The final stop on the Rethymno scenic drive is the city itself, the third city of Crete and, after Chania, the best-preserved Venetian old town on the island. Like Chania in miniature, it is a maze of narrow lanes lined with Venetian and Ottoman houses, arched doorways, overhanging wooden balconies and quiet little squares, all leading down to a charming Venetian harbour guarded by a small lighthouse. The old town is a delight to wander, with craft shops, tavernas and the elegant Rimondi Fountain at its heart, and it never feels quite as busy as Chania.

Crowning the final stop of the Rethymno scenic drive is the Fortezza, the great Venetian fortress built in the 16th century on a headland above the sea, one of the largest ever constructed by Venice. A walk around its walls rewards you with sweeping panoramic views over the old town, the harbour and the coast, and the interior holds churches, a mosque and quiet ramparts to explore. Give Rethymno a couple of hours at least, and time your visit for the late afternoon when the light turns the old stone golden and the harbour tavernas come to life.

Where to Eat on the Western Coast Drive

The Rethymno scenic drive is a feast. At Lake Kournas, the lakeside tavernas serve honest Cretan food with an unbeatable view over the water, perfect for a long, lazy lunch. At Argyroupoli, the spring-side tavernas are famous for fresh trout raised in the cold running water, eaten at tables set almost in the streams themselves.

In Rethymno, the old town and harbour offer everything from smart seafood restaurants to tiny family tavernas serving Cretan classics like dakos, the barley rusk piled with tomato and myzithra cheese, and slow-cooked lamb. Georgioupoli, too, has good tavernas around its square and along the beach. Wherever you stop, the western Cretan cooking is superb, and the raki flows freely, so the driver saves it for the evening.

What to Take and Know Before You Go

A few practical things help the Rethymno scenic drive run smoothly. Bring swimwear and a towel, as you will want to swim at Georgioupoli, in Lake Kournas or both. Bring cash for the pedal-boat hire at the lake, the smaller tavernas and any parking, though cards are widely accepted in Rethymno. Wear comfortable shoes for wandering the old town’s cobbled lanes and climbing around the Fortezza, and a hat and sunscreen for the exposed lake shore and beaches.

The one navigational point to know is that Lake Kournas is tucked behind coastal hills and cannot be seen from the National Road, so it is very easy to drive straight past the turning. Watch carefully for the Georgioupoli exit and the inland signs for Kournas, then follow the small road about four kilometres to the lake. Fuel is easy to find along the coast, and parking is available at all the stops, though it fills up at the lake and in Rethymno in peak season, so arriving earlier in the day helps.

When to Go and How Long to Allow

Allow a relaxed full day for the Rethymno scenic drive to enjoy all four stops with swimming and a proper lunch, or a gentle half-day if you focus on the lake and Rethymno alone. Late spring and early autumn are loveliest, with warm water, comfortable temperatures for the old town and thinner crowds than high summer.

Lake Kournas is at its fullest and most beautiful in spring, while by late summer its retreating waters reveal little sand beaches that are lovely for children. The western coast enjoys long warm seasons, so this gentle drive works well from April right through to October, and even in winter the towns and the lake make a fine mild-weather outing, though the pedal boats may not be running.

Making More of the Western Coast

There is more to explore all along the Rethymno scenic drive. West of Georgioupoli, the villages of the Apokoronas region, such as Vamos and Gavalochori, offer a beautiful, traditional inland Crete of stone houses and olive groves, easily added to the day.

Beyond Rethymno, the coast road continues east towards Heraklion, passing the famous Arkadi Monastery, a moving symbol of Cretan resistance set in the hills. And the long sandy beaches between Georgioupoli and Rethymno are among the best on the island for a lazy beach day. With a hire car and a few days based near Chania or Rethymno, this whole gentle stretch of coast and countryside opens up at your own pace.

Getting There: Your Gateway

The Rethymno scenic drive begins in Chania, so the natural gateway is Chania Airport (CHQ), on the Akrotiri peninsula just east of the city and already pointing the right way along the coast. Pick up a hire car at the airport, join the E75 National Road heading east, and you are on your way to Georgioupoli and the lake within minutes.

A small car is all you need for this gentle coastal route. For prices, suppliers and the full lowdown on collecting your car, see our guide to cheap car hire at Chania Airport, or browse the full car hire in Crete guide. Rethymno also sits almost exactly midway to Heraklion, so this drive pairs naturally with our Heraklion car hire region too.

Driving Tips for the Western Coast

The Rethymno scenic drive is the easiest driving in the whole Crete cluster, which makes it perfect for building confidence. The E75 National Road between Chania and Rethymno is a good, fast, modern coastal road, well surfaced and gently curving, with none of the mountain switchbacks of the inland drives. The short inland roads to Lake Kournas and Argyroupoli are narrower and more winding but still easy, and nobody speeds on them, so take them gently and enjoy the scenery.

One honest local tip: on the long straight stretch of the National Road near the Episkopi exit approaching Georgioupoli, police speed cameras and radar traps are common, so keep to the limit even where the road tempts you to press on.

In Rethymno, use the car parks on the edge of the old town rather than trying to drive into the narrow pedestrian lanes. Drive on the right, watch for the easily-missed Kournas turn, and for the official rules of the road and current requirements, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office keeps an up to date summary on its Greece travel advice pages.

What Most Guides Do Not Tell You

The biggest thing about the Rethymno scenic drive is how much better it is by hire car than by coach. The organised tours run this route as an exhausting 340 km, twelve-hour or even thirteen-hour day from the Heraklion resorts, with hours spent on the bus and only a rushed hour or two at each stop.

From Chania it is a gentle 120 km round trip that you can savour at your own pace, swimming when you like and lingering where you please. If you are staying in western Crete, driving yourself is not just cheaper but genuinely far more enjoyable.

Two more tips the tours miss. First, Argyroupoli: the coaches almost never include it, yet its springs and waterfalls are one of the loveliest spots in the region, especially in the heat of summer. Second, the timing of Rethymno: the tour buses hit the old town at midday when it is hottest and busiest, but if you drive yourself and arrive in the late afternoon, you get the golden light, the cooler air and the harbour tavernas coming to life. These small freedoms are exactly what make the self-drive version of this classic route so much richer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Rethymno from Chania by car?

On the Rethymno scenic drive, the city is about 60 km east of Chania, a straightforward 30 to 45 minute drive on the E75 National Road along the north coast. Done as a full scenic drive taking in Georgioupoli, Lake Kournas and Argyroupoli along the way, it makes an easy and rewarding full day of around 120 km round trip.

Can you swim in Lake Kournas?

Yes, you can swim in Lake Kournas, one of the great pleasures of the Rethymno scenic drive. The only freshwater lake in Crete, it has warm, clear shallows that are ideal for swimming, and you can also hire pedal boats to explore further out. It is a protected Natura 2000 site, so take care of the wildlife, including the little terrapins in the shallows.

Is the drive from Chania to Rethymno easy?

Yes, the Rethymno scenic drive is one of the easiest in Crete, ideal for nervous drivers and families. The E75 National Road between Chania and Rethymno is a good, fast, modern coastal road with gentle curves and no mountain switchbacks. The short inland roads to Lake Kournas and Argyroupoli are narrower but still easy and slow.

Is Lake Kournas worth visiting?

Very much so. A highlight of the Rethymno scenic drive, Lake Kournas is the only freshwater lake in Crete, a serene and beautiful spot ringed by hills, with pedal boats, warm swimming shallows, lakeside tavernas and abundant birdlife and terrapins. It is a peaceful, family-friendly highlight of western Crete and a perfect contrast to the coast and the old towns.

Do you need a car to visit Georgioupoli, Kournas and Rethymno?

A hire car is by far the best way to do the Rethymno scenic drive, letting you link Georgioupoli, Lake Kournas, Argyroupoli and the city at your own relaxed pace. Buses do connect the main towns, but they do not reach the lake or Argyroupoli conveniently, and the organised coach tours make for a very long, rushed day from the far side of the island. Driving yourself from Chania is easier and far more enjoyable.

Download the Western Coast Drive Guide

Drive the Western Coast for Yourself

The Rethymno scenic drive gives you an easy coast road, a riverside town with a chapel in the sea, the only freshwater lake in Crete, hidden springs and waterfalls, and a golden Venetian old town, all on one gentle day’s drive from Chania. Skip the exhausting coach marathon and take the western coast at your own relaxed pace. Pick up your car at Chania Airport and this loveliest, easiest corner of Crete is yours.

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