Photos: Aneza Palaiou, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Aneza Palaiou, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Balconies of the old merchant lanes
Your local guide
Yannis Papoutsakis
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Highlights
- Balconies most visitors walk past
- Venetian ground floors, Ottoman upper storeys
- The last gate of four
- Architecture explained by a conservator
- A quieter merchant-lane route
About this tour
This session follows a quieter stretch of merchant lanes to the last surviving Venetian gate, explained by a trained conservator rather than a general guide. You see how Ottoman-era balconies sit above ground floors that often stayed Venetian underneath, a detail easy to miss without pointing it out. It ends at one of the old town's clearest boundary markers.
I keep the phone tilted upward for much of the walk, since the balconies are the real subject, then bring it back down at the gate to explain the stonework. Questions about architecture are always welcome.
This suits anyone with an eye for buildings rather than only monuments. It also pairs well with the museum session for a fuller architectural picture.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Rethymno before heading out.
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Old Town wooden balconies 21 min
You see a different stretch of wooden Ottoman-era balconies than most sessions cover, and I explain how upper floors changed while ground floors often stayed Venetian.
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Porta Guora 21 min
The camera reaches the last surviving Venetian gate, and I compare its stonework with the wooden architecture we have just walked past.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Rethymno: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Kalitsounia (cheese and herb pies) and Nea Poli (New Town), worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Athens time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Rethymno, showing you Old Town wooden balconies and Porta Guora live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet and the link comes with your booking. I keep the phone tilted up along the lanes so the balconies stay in frame.
Times shown in Athens time (EET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 3 Nov · 9 seats left From 20,00 €
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