Roústika: Anagnostaki Center and Cultural Heritage

Roústika is a destination with a strong cultural connection to the Anagnostaki Center. It has been operating in Roústika since 2010 and is housed in the home where Anestis, the poet’s father, grew up. Two permanent exhibitions, along with photographs and archival material, bring the connection to the Anagnostaki family to life. If you are looking for a hotel in Roústika, this focus offers a concrete starting point for a trip with an interest in literary and cultural history.

The Anagnostaki Center and Its Exhibitions

The two permanent exhibitions are titled “Μανόλης Αναγνωστάκης: Ποιητής και πολίτης” and “Ο Ανέστης και η οικογένεια Αναγνωστάκη”. They combine a perspective on Manolis Anagnostakis as a poet and citizen with one on Anestis and the Anagnostaki family. The exhibits include photographs and archival material. Most of it comes from the archives of the poet Manolis Anagnostakis, his sister Loula Anagnostaki, and his friend Milto Polyviou from Thessaloniki. Thus, alongside the poet, his sister and friend also emerge as biographical points of reference in the material.

If you would like to visit the center in person, check the current visiting options in advance. Another historical reference concerns the Museum of Greek Costumes in Roústika: during a guided tour on June 1, 2013, the museum displayed the extensive collection of the Frantzeskakis couple. The Monastery of Prophet Elijah lies south of Roústika village. The monastery church’s bell tower was built in 1637; an inscription records this year. Different cultural points of interest can therefore be found in and south of the village: the Anagnostaki Center, the costume museum’s collection as a historical reference, and a dated architectural detail at the monastery.

Cultural History in the Wider Destination of Rethymno

The cultural picture extends beyond Roústika in the wider destination of Rethymno. Rethymno’s Old Town is designated a protected historic monument and a traditional settlement. Its urban layout took shape during the Venetian period and was reshaped under the later Turkish rule. The historic city center lies below the Venetian Fortezza fortress.

The museums also cover a range of topics. Since 1991, the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno has been housed in a pentagonal building in front of the Fortezza’s main entrance. Its exhibitions present the history of the prefecture from the Neolithic period through the Roman period. The Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno presents traditional crafts and folk art in five rooms of its permanent exhibition. It is housed in a 17th-century Venetian mansion.

The wider destination’s event calendar includes a range of recurring events: the Rethymno Renaissance Festival takes place every summer, with music, theater, and dance performances as well as art exhibitions. The Rethymno Carnival is a traditional event featuring a parade organized each year by volunteers. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, check the current dates.

The coast of the Municipality of Rethymno also offers a distinctive regional point of interest. It includes the Venetian harbor. Rethymno Beach is 12 kilometers long, starting at the historic city center and stretching east to Scaleta; its sand is fine-grained and light brown. These coastal and urban themes complement the cultural and historical points of interest found in Roústika itself.

Discover more destinations: Argiroupoli, Mikro Metochi, Kalonyktis, Pikris, Kirianna, Erfoi, Chromonastiri, Roupes.

View the wider travel guide: Rethymno.