Pictures from Panormo

Last month, as some of you may recall, thanks to our contributors Carolynn and Brod, we were able to publicize an exhibition by the Hellenic Photographic Society of Crete at the Old Carob Mill in Panormo . For those of you who haven’t been yet, depending on when you read this, you may still be able to go. The exhibition is on daily until September 5th, from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. Entrance is free, and we thoroughly recommend a visit! Following on from Brod and Carolynn’s original suggestion, the Bugle crew (Kate and Luc) decided to make a day of it in Panormo, and we thank them both very much for their hospitality and the time they took to show us around. Although we had visited Panormo a couple of times before, we had not really explored the village properly. And as ever here on Crete, once we started to investigate further, we found that there was a lot more to Panormo than you might originally think.

Panormo is a picturesque fishing village about 22 km East of Rethymnon. Unlike some of its brasher neighbours, and despite the impact of mass tourism, Panormo has retained much of its authentic identity, and as a resort is relatively low key. Due to its protected coves it’s popular with families, and also with couples looking for a romantic break. With plenty of good fish tavernas it is an ideal place for a leisurely lunch on a day trip from Rethymnon.

Modern Times

From the end of the 19th Century up until about the mid 1930s, Panormo had its hey day as an important trading centre and major port for the region. And if you wander round the town, you will see some fine examples of architecture from this era. However, in common with many other places in the area, the Second World War took its toll. After the war the population of the village declined as people left Panormo to look for work in the larger cites. The construction of the National Highway in the 1960s also initially had a negative impact on the village: Once the new road was built, connection times between the larger ports of Rethymnon and Heraklion were drastically reduced, and Panormo was not able to compete. At the same time, though it is not entirely clear why this should have been the case, nearby Perama, which was previously a small hamlet, started to develop as an important commercial and agricultural centre.

Happily, in more recent times, Panormo has been experiencing something of a revival. Like Pikris - the village we featured in our July edition, an increase in the number of permanent foreign residents has helped to boost the local economy. The increase in tourism and the construction of an improved harbour in the 1980s also helped to give the village a new lease of life, and today, Panormo seems to be able to strike a comfortable balance between traditional and modern.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Panormo differs from many other ‘tourist’ villages in the area due to the active and vibrant cultural association ‘Epimenides’, which is based in a restored Carob Mill in the village. Throughout the year the Carob Mill sponsors a variety of cultural events, ranging from art exhibitions, to theatrical performances to live music. The organisation is particularly committed to promoting the artistic and musical talent of young people in the region. You can find out more about the work of ‘Epimenides’ and some more background information about Panormo on the www.panormo.com website. Enjoy your visit!