A Week In Crete

Itinerary:

* = recommend

For our third trip this summer, we were off to Greece's largest island - Crete. For all you Greek Mythology buffs out there, Crete is the birthplace of Zeus and serves as the backdrop for the legend of Icarus, Theseus and the Minotaur. It's nearby island, Paximadia, is where the twins Artemis and Apollo were born. I love Greek Mythology so I greeked out myself.

We flew into Chania Airport and split our stay between 2 Airbnbs - 4 nights in Drapanias (near Kissamos) and another 4 in Mournies (7 mins drive from Chania town centre). Ross wanted to do minimal driving (considering how much he drove in Iceland) so we tried our best to strategically explore the areas on our to-do list.

Crete was exactly the relaxing beach holiday we wanted and needed. The water here is on another level - a ridiculously clear aquamarine. And don't get me started on the food... the Greeks truly know the way to my heart and my tummy. I'd happily eat a bowl of Greek Salad, a plate of grilled sardines and some dolmas (stuffed vine leaves) every meal.

Crete in July can be scorching. It was almost 40 degrees the entire week so remember to bring loads of sun cream/ moisturizer, wear a hat and hydrate!

Day 1

Visit:

• Falassarna Beach ** - 20 euros for sunbeds right at the front (worth it if you spend the whole day there)

Eat:

• Playa Paraiso

• O Gero Tsegas Fish Tavern *

Day 2

Visit:

• Elafonissi Beach *

Eat:

• Pixida Restaurant (Kissamos)*

Day 3

Visit:

• Balos Lagoon ** - if you are driving there, make sure to get there early for a decent parking spot (we got there for 9am). It's a 8km gravel/dirt road to the parking lot so drive safely and slowly, especially if you are driving a normal car like we did. Be careful of the local goats :)

Eat:

• Gramvousa Restaurant ** - beautiful restaurant on the way back from Balos serving traditional Greek dishes (with a free fruit bar!)

Day 4

Visit:

• Damnoni Beach (nearby beaches - Ammoudi, Skinaria)

• Preveli Beach and Palm Forest ** - with the right shoes you can trek through the gorge at the end of the river

Eat:

• Damnoni Tavern*

• Well Of Turk (Chania town) *

Day 5

Visit:

• Kalypso Beach** - old pirate cove, great for snorkelling (and beginner's diving). Gets busy so get there early for a sunbed

• Plakia

Eat:

• Ellotia Restaurant (Chania Town)*

Day 6

Visit:

• Falassarna Beach - loved this beach so much we decided to go back and spend a lazy day there. This beach has a variety of water sports/activities. We went on a jet ski for £45 for 15 mins. It was so much fun!!!

Eat:

• Gramvousa Restaurant

Day 7

Visit:

• Loutro* - Loutro can only be reached via boat or foot. We took a small boat from Chora Sfakion (round-trip route: Chora Sfakion - Glyka Nera - Loutro). You can also hike from Chora Sfakion to Loutro and back on the European E4 coastal path (I think it takes about 1.5 - 2 hours).

• Sweetwater Beach (Glyka Nera)** - Hiked from Loutro to Glyka Nera. It took us 45 mins? I was wearing sandals but its best to wear proper shoes for the path. It was so hot we decided to take a dip in the sea to cool off (at a small beach with shade at the halfway mark). Glyka Nera is another 'hidden' beach only accessible via boat or foot. It's lesser known to tourists and is absolutely stunning as it is surrounded by dramatic cliffs. The sea is slightly colder here as fresh water runs through the pebbles from the mountain. There is a small taverna to get food and drinks and also a nudist corner at the far end of the beach. The shoreface gets pretty deep pretty quickly and you can see loads of fishes and giant boulders that have fallen from the nearby cliffs if you go for a snorkel.

Eat:

• Thealassa restaurant in Pallas (rooftop) - to be honest, the food was alright but the view at sunset was spectacular