CRETE - An enchanting journey in search of Hellenic history and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world

For our summer 2023 trip we were looking for a destination that was not too complicated to reach but still not obvious. The island of Crete, located in the Mediterrean Sea, is the largest in Greece and one of the most popular destinations to travel to. The island, also known as the 'Island of Olives', due to the great presence of these trees, is full of heavenly beaches, archaeological sites, monasteries and many other natural beauties not to be missed.

We travelled to various parts of the island, which turned out to be much bigger than our expectations, staying in different houses and hotels from West to East. In total, our stay lasted 11 days, more than enough time to visit Crete and all its wonders!

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DAY 1 - CHANIA

After landing at Chania airport, where we conveniently rented a car for our commute (we referred to Kydon Rent a Car and had a great time), our first stop was in the quiet village of Platanos, just a 10-minute drive from the beautiful beach of Phalassarna. Our first accommodation was the lovely Nepheli Stone House, which you can find on Booking. We had everything on hand, groceries, pharmacy and lovely traditional Cretan restaurants.

The long beach of Phalassarna boasts a beautiful, warm sea with convenient refreshment spots. It can be a bit touristy in the high season but it is absolutely worth it, and you can enjoy water activities such as jet skiing and sea donut.

The town of Chania is absolutely a must-visit destination if you come to Crete. The imposing Venetian fortifications, which are still magnificent today, protected the inhabitants from the Turkish invasion, and were later used by the Ottomans. A history of alternating dominations between East and West that is constantly repeated throughout the Greek islands. You can take a nice walk to the lighthouse, or visit the beautiful Kioutsouk Hassan Mosque, or simply wander the delightful and colourful streets of the small port, where you can find a multitude of local and souvenir shops.

For a wonderful aperitif at sunset you are spoilt for choice among the multitude of small bars and restaurants overlooking the harbour, we went to the bar restaurant Lithos, but there are so many!

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a romantic spot for dinner, you should definitely try the cuisine of the Tholos Restaurant and the Colombo Kitchen, where we spent a pleasant evening in the company of very friendly hosts.

There is nothing more exciting than discovering new and unexpected places

After a few days, one morning we decided to make the journey to the wonderful beach of Elafonissi, famous for its pink sand. It is a predominantly free beach, but there are one or two well-contained bathing establishments to preserve the beauty of the beach (note that the only way to get there is on foot, after parking the car in the beach car park, located about a kilometre away). Given the considerable crowding in the hottest months of the summer, I strongly recommend finding a place on the side beyond the hills of the lagoon, there you will find far fewer people and a wonderful sea ready to welcome you, not to mention the wonderful breeze that will never make you sweat!

I strongly suggest enjoying
the beach on this high side of the lagoon, you will find a warm, open sea and a pleasant breeze

DAY 5 - RETHYMNO

We left our accommodation in Platanos to head towards our second stop on the trip, Rethymno. It is an old town, not very big, located halfway between Chania and Heraklion on the northern coast of Crete. Still in the Venetian and Ottoman style, Rethymno has become the third largest settlement in Crete, growing from the port around 1300, but you will also appreciate how it has retained its intimacy and characteristic colour with small bars, cafés and concept stores opening in renovated buildings. Also there, of course, are the tavernas where you can enjoy traditional Cretan food and music. We stayed in a small but delightful hotel called Ink House Hotel of Europe.

We also had the pleasure of accidentally discovering a lovely restaurant called 1600 Raki Baraki, I highly recommend it if you are looking for traditional cuisine and good house wine! The classic final toast with the much-loved Raki (very similar to schnapps) by the Greeks cannot be missed.

DAY 6 - Kourtaliotiko Gorge AND MATALA

The next day we continued on to another little pearl of Crete: Matala. First, however, we stopped at the beautiful Kourtaliotiko Gorge. The southern coast of Greece is among the most magnificent landscapes in the world, with some truly spectacular canyons and gorges. The Kourtaliotiko Gorge is a wild and fascinating destination where you can admire unique geological formations, beautiful waterfalls and the unspoilt nature of Crete. They are located about 25 km south of Rethymno.

The beautiful cliffs can reach up to 600 metres and are interrupted by numerous caves, as well as waterfalls and other interesting geological formations. These can also be reached from the road by descending several stairs, which we did. Some portions of the gorge are very narrow and you will have to pass through water.Travelling further south along the same river, you first pass through the equally enchanting Preveli gorge. While the trek through the canyon is quite challenging, there is a road that takes you above the beautiful beach of Preveli, considered one of the most beautiful in Crete. It is truly unique, with the river flowing directly into the sea and superb stretches of sand backed by palm trees. The small bay is surrounded by high cliffs and striking rock formations, while the water is crystal clear, although colder than elsewhere.

In the late afternoon we headed for Matala. The uniqueness of this location is that it overlooks the beautiful Libyan Sea and its beach enchants with its caves carved into the rock, the same caves that were the summer home of many hippies in the 1960s and 1970s. Caves where, among other things, even celebrities stayed, such as Joni Mitchell, whose song 'Carey' was inspired by the beach. Then Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin and many more. But Matala is also famous for its occurrence in Greek mythology, according to which it was here that Zeus, in the guise of a bull, landed with Europa before taking her to Gortina and making her the mother of Minos, the man who would become the future king.

The village of Matala, where we stayed for one night, allows us to catapult ourselves into a place that seems to have stood still in time and where one of the prevailing feelings is a kind of colourful nostalgia. There is still a sense of peace and tranquillity linked to a bygone era in this village.

The village of Matala with its beautiful and colourful pavements

DAY 7 - HERSONISSOS AND HERAKLION

Our last stop was the old town of Hersonissos, one of the most famous tourist resorts on the island of Crete and one of the best starting points for visiting the east coast of the island, with the convenience of having all the beaches at the right distance and a centre where you can walk around in total freedom.

We stayed in a very quiet house that we found on Airbnb, called Villa Elli, where the owner was kind enough to even provide us with some pre-purchased food and a homemade cake.

Hersonissos is a lovely and quiet village, and in the main square you can find several typical restaurants. We ate a couple of times at the ZAKOS restaurant and had a great time! The owner has a playful and friendly personality!

Hersonissos is 20 minutes away from Heraklion (the capital), the main attractions of the area are a series of streets with cafes, restaurants overlooking the sea, shops, newsagents, beach bars, nightclubs and the inevitable beautiful beaches with calm sea.

Unfortunately, there is a fibre shortage on that side of the island, so mobile phones and Wi-Fi may not work well. In all honesty, we took it as an excuse to do a bit of a digital detox!

THE PALACE OF KNOSSOS and the archaeological museum of heraklion

The next day we went to Heraklion to visit one of the most popular cultural destinations on the island:

the Palace of Knossos.

The Minoan Palace of Knossos is a journey into the depths of European history. Europe's oldest civilisation, Europe's oldest throne, the legends of King Minos and the Minotaur, and even works of art that continue to inspire artists today.

The site is some 43,000 square metres in size, once containing 1,300 rooms connected by corridors around a main courtyard.

Definitely not to be missed are the House of Frescoes, to the north-west, adorned with works of art on the walls, the Villa of Dionysus, a private residence decorated with prominent mosaics and of course, the fresco with the famous bull and leaping dolphins decorating the queen's megaron - images that have become icons of Minoan and Knossos culture.

The magnificent ruins of the palace of Knossos

In addition to the Palace of Knossos, we also visited the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, which is not to be missed.

The artefacts housed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum were collected during various archaeological excavations in Minoan palaces, villas, settlements, shrines and cemeteries in different parts of the island and have been assembled since the late 1800s to testify to the vibrancy of Crete's economic, social and artistic life in the past. Imaginatively decorated pottery, household utensils, weapons, sculptures of an exceptional artistic standard, gold jewellery and frescoes are just some of the wonders of a distant world that the museum has the honour of showing us. The unique exhibition includes more than 15,000 artefacts covering a time span from the Neolithic to the Greek-Roman period, a total of 5,000 years.

One of our last stops was the delightful village of Agios Nikolaos, located about 30 minutes from Hersonissos. Agios Nikolaos is a colourful patchwork of bars, taverns, cafés, fashionable shops interspersed here and there with fish markets and typical Kafeneia. In my opinion, the best time to visit this town is at sunset or in the evening, as we did. Indeed, it is in the evening that the village becomes alive and lit up.

Of course you can find traditional shops where you can buy many local products and plenty of restaurants to dine in. We went to Gioma Meze, a small restaurant located in the upper part of town that offers delicious local dishes and a breathtaking view of Agios Nikolaos.

The last days of our holiday were spent on the beach at Hersonissos.

The promenade offers several choices of beach clubs but also free beaches for those who are equipped.

We particularly loved the King Scorpio Beach Club, where sea, music and good food intertwine. It is a night club but also offers sunbeds on the beach and catering during the day.

In the evening, if you are looking for some nightlife, I recommend the Palm Beach Club, also a beach club during the day and a disco at night. It is also a good spot for a poolside aperitif.

We left Heraklion airport on the evening of 11 August.

Crete is a simply extraordinary island, the vastness of its landscapes, the beauty of its beaches, the uniqueness of its history but above all the kindness of its locals makes it a pleasant and unforgettable destination.

I highly recommend visiting it in the period between June and August. Crete has 2 international airports. The most important airport on the island is the Nikos Kazantzakis Airport in Heraklion (HER), located 4 kilometres from the centre of Hiraklion, while the airport in Hania (CHQ), located 15 kilometres from the city of Chania, is smaller but very efficient.

More information to know:

Language: Modern Greek

Travel documents: ID card

Currency: Euro

Exchange rate: 1.00 EUR/ 4.0038 AED

Time zone: GMT+1

Power socket: 220V - 50 Hz

Special vaccinations: None

Average expenditure for sleeping 50 Eur/g

Average expenditure for eating 30 Eur/g

Average expenditure per flight 300 Eur

Average expenditure per insurance 18 Eur

Country code: +30