Make Crete Green & Plastic-free !! 

Starting on 22nd May a 4-day Bamboo Bike Ride  took place between Rethymnon and Falasarna with stops at towns to encourage people to #MakeCretePlasticFreeSTARTING from 08.30 in Rethymnon at The square of the Unknown Soldier (Agnostou Square). The bikes started at 09.30 and ride pasted the Fortress and westwards towards Falasarna.

We are delighted that European Sustainability Academy -Crete (ESA) is an official EU GREEN WEEK 2018 event partner. http://eurosustainability.org/2018-events-bamboo.php Everyone of all ages can be part of #MakeCretePlasticFree

 

 

Bamboo Bike Ride Crete 2018

 

 This particular campaign launched from Rethymno on May 22 at 09.30, in the Unknown Soldier Square, continuing on to Georgioupolis, Vrysses, Vamos, and Kalyves. Students from the 5th & the 7thElementary School of Rethymno had the opportunity to get to know the cyclists, try the amazing bamboo bikes and talk with the organizers. In addition, they were distributed educational material, as well as products alternative to plastic such as ecological toothbrushes and wipers. 

The EU is helping cities to become better and healthier places to live and work. EUGREENWEEK showcases practical developments on air quality, noise, nature, and biodiversity, waste and water management. The aim is to promote networking for sharing new ideas and best practices by engaging local authorities, organizations, and local citizens, and encouraging everyone to share their vision of a sustainable future. The EU is helping cities to become better and healthier places to live and work. EUGREENWEEK showcases practical developments on air quality, noise, nature, and biodiversity, waste and water management. The aim is to promote networking for sharing new ideas and best practices by engaging local authorities, organizations, and local citizens, and encouraging everyone to share their vision of a sustainable future.

Many people believe that humanity being 'disconnected' from design and creation is a fundamental reason for a 'throwaway' attitude across the planet. Green transport challenges have triggered a growing interest in individually designed, hand-made ‘Bamboo Bicycles’ across Europe. This is a perfect way to reconnect with what matters in creating a healthy, green future to live in through ‘design’ with ‘natural capital’ (bamboo) and at the same time reduce negative environmental impact.

Plastic straws in our drinks take 1 minute to make, are used for an average of 10 minutes and take 100 years to decompose. Many end up in the sea and harm birds and marine animals. We must find ‘natural’ alternatives in Crete.

EUGreenWeek Crete opens on Natura 2000 day 21st May. Everyone is welcome from 17.00 at ESA off-grid, eco-building, Drapanos. ESA is a purpose-built training, research and seminar center for learning about sustainability.EUGreenWeek Creteopens on Natura 2000 day 21st May. Everyone is welcome from 17.00 at ESA off-grid, eco-building, Drapanos. ESA is a purpose-built training, research and seminar centre for learning about sustainability. During EUGREENWEEK, 21 – 25 May, events will take place to raise awareness about excessive plastic waste in Crete and explore alternative solutions. 

The title of European City of Wines 2018 was awarded to Rethymno, the well known, all year round destination, by the European Network of Wine Cities  RECEVIN.

During the ceremony held at Rethymno's Folklore Museum on 21st April 2018, RECEVIN's representatives offered the award  to Rethymno.

The relationship between the Greeks and the wine is historically confirmed and goes back millennia of Cretan History. It is unquestionably proven by the archaeological finds and documented in written texts as well as depicted in ancient vases, wall paintings along with other findings that were brought to light by the archaeological excavations and are exhibited in Museums all over the world.

The relationship of the Cretans, however, with the wine, is even stronger, more substantial and deeper. On our island, we have findings of systematic 4,000-year-old vine cultivation. According to Homer, Cretan wines enjoyed international recognition in his era. At the Museum of Eleutherna, the visitor can see a special grape vase display on burial ceremonies. In the Minoan era, the Minoan seafarers transported products of Cretan land to all the ports of the Mediterranean and to Egypt. During the long period that Crete was under the domination of the Venetians, the annual exports of excellent quality wine, consisted of thousands of barrels.

So, it is an undeniable fact, that the relationship between the Cretan people and the wine has remained timeless, stable and rigid in terms of its intensity and quality. The wine accompanies every expression of life, here, in Crete. It is connected with our religion, traditions and customs that we inherited from our ancestors, our everyday habits. Wine is our constant companion in sorrows and joys, family and friendly tables, celebrations, public events, our personal moments, our professional activity, the whole spectrum of our social activities. It is part of our existence, it is a symbol of composition, continuity, coexistence, harmony in our relation with earth, the natural environment and people.

In the proposal of our candidacy, we depicted only a part of the actions we support relating to wine, such as the Cretan Diet Festival, the Feast of Saint George the Methyst, as well as  the systematic presence and active participation of the local winemakers and  businessmen of Tourism, ιn international and domestic meetings and exhibitions that focus on Wine, etc. As a city that invests in extroversion and the continuous acquisition of know-how, Rethymno and its Municipality, shares the agony of the new generation of our winemakers, winegrowers and viticulturists, who try and seek with their knowledge, their vision and their strong will, to pursue consistently and proficiently, in a constantly changing world, the modern developments, to exploit the new technological means, to upgrade the quality of their product and to offer the world the opportunity to experience and enjoy the delicious richness of the varieties of Cretan wine, with respect to each consumer ‘s preferences.

Throughout this year, many cultural and culinary actions are planned, both for professionals and the public, starting with the Cretan Diet Festival July 1-7 2018. The full Agenda of Events in Rethymno area and all over Crete, will be shortly announced in rethymno.guide and rethymno.gr

watch the video 

Spring is already in the air and Rethymno is here again, more exciting than ever, ready to welcome you. If you are looking for a peaceful retreat for your vacation, you can definitely find one in Rethymno during spring time.

Come to Rethymno and celebrate “Vendema”!

Rethymno invites you and your family to celebrate and experience a different kind of Merry Christmas at a peacfull holidays!

Expanding to the Polish market.