Monastery of Arkadi

Monastery of Arkadi

Monastery of Arkadi
4.5
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Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • mpumbavu
    Mwanza, Tanzania86 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A non hassle visit
    Not expensive to enter, a leaflet guide sheet, which is enough. We were a group of 8, ranging in age from 5 to over 70 and even the 13 year old enjoyed the visit - said 'This isn't like a museum' [until we went in the museum room!] He was interested in the room where villages blew themselves up instead of allowing the Ottomans to capture them. Museum is interesting and the gold embroidery is stunning. Cafe opposite is worth a stop
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 April 2024
  • Irpino Montecalvo
    Crete, Greece58 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Special place with a special energy !
    The atmosphere is so strange.............. If you go arund yu will feel it better. The monastery played an active role in the Cretan resistance to Ottoman rule during the Cretan revolt of 1866. 943 Greeks, mostly women and children,[1] sought refuge in the monastery. After three days of battle and under orders from the hegumen (abbot) of the monastery, the Cretans blew up barrels of gunpowder, choosing to sacrifice themselves rather than surrender. The monastery became a national sanctuary in honor of the Cretan resistance. 8 November is a day of commemorative parties in Arkadi and Rethymno. The explosion did not end the Cretan insurrection, but it attracted the attention of the rest of the world.Source: Wikipedia
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 27 May 2024
  • Goolia2772
    Milton Keynes, United Kingdom220 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Peaceful monastery with history
    The journey up the the mountain to visit the monastery has some great views and lots of winding roads. On entering you can get a guide showing on the map all the places of interest, a lot were inside so it gave needed rest from the sun. Its a really interesting place with plenty to see.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 July 2024
  • Sal K
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Peaceful, historical, scenic and informative.
    We stayed near Arkadi so we took the kids to the monastery during the middle of the day to avoid the midday sun and I’m really glad we did. The monastery is incredibly well preserved and absolutely stunning. There is a small entry fee, I think it was 4 euros, and there is a small gift shop, otherwise you can wander the grounds and many areas at will. There are museum rooms, beautiful covered arched walkways, art gallery’s and a stunning chapel. It wasn’t particularly busy and there was a cafe but we didn’t go there. The views from the building opposite the monastery are spectacular. A lovely couple of hours.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 August 2024
  • JaneMLondon
    144 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting history and well worth a visit
    Interesting history and well worth a visit. Peaceful garden. If you are in Rethymno you could probably combine this trip with the archaeological museum at Eleutherna. If you are driving, turn left at the unusual paved road - that's the entrance. Lots of parking. The on-site taverna is in a lovely spot overlooking the valley to the sea with a nice breeze. Somewhat bizarrely, they also have an ostrich there.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 August 2024
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PMV
Dubai, United Arab Emirates2,111 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Friends
This monastery is located 20 Kms from Rethymnon, up on the mountains. The entrance fee is only 3 EUR per pax and you really have to visit it. The full tour takes approximately an hour. The Renaissance facade church is beautiful. The museum has a lot of original ceremonial embroidered clothes and religious artifacts. You also see all the places where the monks used to live.
Written 2 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JacopoCarfagna
San Benedetto Del Tronto, Italy330 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Friends
Arkadi Monastery is one of the most evocative places of worship in Crete because it combines very significant elements from a historical, architectural and religious point of view. The structure has a square plan with the church at the center of the cloister, the structures that make up the perimeter also played the role of defensive walls. The church presents in the facade the fusion of different styles: from the Byzantine to the Renaissance and Baroque, while its interiors perfectly embody the characteristics of Eastern Rite churches with soft atmospheres, abundant presence of gold and classic iconostasis. This place is also strongly linked to a historical episode that took place here that is connected to the season of the struggle of the Greek people, for liberation from the Turks, which I leave to the visitor.
The tour of all the various parts of the monastery lasts 1 hour and costs 4 euros, at the entrance there are brochures that guide the Traveler in discovering the place, it was nice to find the one in Italian.
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Written 16 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RASERNA
Leon, Spain34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
This Orthodox monastery is located about 20 km from Rethimno, to which it is connected by a road in good condition and is well signposted so that it is easily reached. It is isolated on a kind of plateau near the sea.
It is open to visitors from 8:00 to 20:00, you have to pay admission and the visit can last just over an hour. It is allowed to take photos and videos.
The enclosure is square in shape, with a wall surrounding it as if it were a fortification. Inside you can visit a small museum of sacred art, with religious clothing, books and documents, liturgical objects, pieces from the war of Cretans and Turks, and art shows among which his paintings are striking. In another room are references and pieces concerning a religious named Timothy. You can also see the kitchens, a nice cloister and the remains of the cellar that blew up in 1866 during the insurgency conflict of the Cretans against the Ottoman empire. In the area of the old cellars where the roof was not reconstructed, you can see a mural painting alluding to the moment when the superior of the monastery goes to set fire to the powder keg accumulated there to blow himself up with hundreds of Cretans and end the lives of the Turkish assailants in passing. If this episode is known, the visit of this open space is more emotional.
There is another room and among them is a fairly complete souvenir shop.
In the center of the enclosure stands exempt the brick church of the sixteenth century, not too large, divided into two naves, with a large iconostasis. Very interesting.
It is an essential visit for history buffs, for what they lived there and for the significance it has for Cretans in their struggle to secede from the Ottoman Empire. It is an essential point in the formation of Cretan identity. Personally, I really enjoyed this visit because of the charm of Orthodox monastic architecture, for some remarkable artistic pieces and for the tranquility that was breathed in that environment.
It is easy to park the car at the door of the compound because there is plenty of space. During the visit we find some steps, but many parts of the premises are accessible for people with reduced mobility. Outside the monastery there is a bar where you can have a drink.
Automatically translated
Written 24 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dineview
Bath, UK36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Loved this monastery but what we really enjoyed was touring the spectacular Amari Valley afterwards. We stopped in Thronos to visit the 11th-century church of the Panagia which has frescoes and traces of ancient mosaics - wonderful. A nearby shop keeps the church keys, run by a lovely couple who also sell the best olive oil, olives and preserves. We loaded up with goodies and brought them home - absolutely delicious!
Written 17 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JM
Geneva, Switzerland13 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Not to many people, you are free to visit the site on your own. Nice visit for a day trip.
There are toilets on site as well as a small snackbar. Do not miss on your way back to visit Margarites to buy traditional Crete pottery
Written 12 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

globetrotter
Miami Beach, FL44 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022 • Couples
Will try to leave a few tips not mentioned in other reviews

This place is beautiful, sad, and sacred. Read up on wikipedia at the very least to understand the significance of this site.

I showed up at 8:45 am and the place was empty. It is chillier than you would expect due to strong winds so bring a layer if you are cold blooded.

The cost is 3 euros. No wifi. Clean bathrooms. Lots of parking.

Don’t forget to go upstairs in the square to see additional rooms.

Go at opening time if you want to avoid the tour buses. The monastery should really post a sign about keeping voices down in a sacred place but unfortunately tourists were loud.

The room with the gray cutouts is where the worst of the massacre happened. Across the way is the place where the bones are kept. I probably would not let a child see.

There were hungry cats everywhere. Unfortunately most people viewed this as a golden opportunity to take selfies with them instead of having some awareness of their suffering. If you can, *please* take some food (cheese etc) and a cup and water from your hotel for them, or anywhere in Greece for that matter. If a cat is in the bathroom it is not for fun. He/she is asking for water. I turned on the tap and one literally drank for a few minutes. People thought it was funny but it was sad.

Finally please drive slowly down the windy roads. There are many goats in the area and I had to hit the brakes hard to avoid one. I saw a mongoose and badger killed after being hit by cars on the same day while headed south.

Enjoy this special place. People who care about the sacred and Nature will love it. It will make more of an impression if you know the history. They did not have English educational materials the day I visited so i was glad i prepared a little.
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrei T
Galati, Romania16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
The monastery is made in baroque style, unique in Greece and is situated in a superb vineyards and groves with olives valley. The monastery plays an important role in the history of the island of Crete, from here starting the advance towards gaining the independence of the island, under the Ottoman yoke for more than two centuries. In 1866, Arkadi Monastery was used as a refuge by women and children an Cretan rebels that set fire to barrels of gunpowder, preferring to die than to be taken prisoners. The sacrifice and desire for freedom of the Arkadi Monastery gave birth to a thrill in the hearts of all Cretans which, later, will go to independence.
Written 19 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Goolia2772
Milton Keynes, UK220 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
The journey up the the mountain to visit the monastery has some great views and lots of winding roads. On entering you can get a guide showing on the map all the places of interest, a lot were inside so it gave needed rest from the sun.
Its a really interesting place with plenty to see.
Written 9 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hannes L
35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
The monastery is a little out of the way and therefore not overrun by tourists. The complex is well maintained and worth the €4 entrance fee per person. The old walls show the way of life in the past and display boards explain the history of the monastery in Greek and English. Old tools as well as historical scales, honey extractors and grain sorting machines are also on display. Colorful flower and plant pots are spread throughout the complex.
Google
Written 7 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thierry03
Chazemais, France392 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
An essential place in Greece due to its unifying history. A very rich visit with lots of rooms to discover, there is even a brochure in French at the entrance which is rare enough to be noted. Go there early in the morning to avoid the touring tour groups that can be numerous in high season.
Google
Written 6 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Monastery of Arkadi, Rethymnon

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