The Cretan diet is famous for its authenticity as well as its exuberance and Rethymno preserves the culinary traditions. In the traditional ovens of Rethymno, you will find, apart from the genuine Cretan rusks, lychnarakia (small pies with cheese) and kaltsounia (small pies with cheese and cinnamon), that will fill your palate with its characteristic slightly sour taste. The wedding coils, which adorn the shop windows, will definitely draw your attention, but do not work up your appetite, it is just dried bread dyed with gloss and is used only as an embellishment. In the traditional taverns, you will definitely try apaki (smoked fat-free pork marinated in vinegar and salt) and sygklino (pork marinated in sage and thyme) if you like meat, and askorlimpri (wild greens), fresh stamnagkathi (wild greens) and kolokithokorfades (the flowers of vegetable marrows staffed with cheese or other staffings) if you prefer vegetarianism. Those who prefer pasta will satisfy their hunger with handmade noodles and traditional makarounes (handmade pasta with anthotiro/cheese). The more daring lovers of gastronomy will have the opportunity to taste "hochlious", known as snails. Complete your meal with hot mizithropitakia (pies) with honey or drink raki with watermelon. Raki can be perfectly combined and with fresh raw artichoke, which, however, flourishes only for a month.