Things to do in Margarites and the Melidoni cave

Margarites and the Melidoni cave sit in the Rethymno foothills, about 25-30 km and 40 minutes' drive south-east of Rethymno town, with no KTEL service into this stretch, so a rental car is the only practical way to link the two.

Margarites is a working pottery village: workshops line the lanes, selling wheel-thrown pieces rather than staging a photo opportunity. Melidoni is a natural limestone cave, entry around €4, open daily but with limited winter hours, one of many hollowing the island's folded rock rather than any volcanic feature.

There is little accommodation and no beach here. Late spring or September, once the July-August heat has eased, suits this rural, unhurried detour better than midsummer.