August 2019 – 10 nights with the family and friends to eastern Crete
July 2016 – 5 nights with the extended family to western Crete
Crete is huge. It’s the largest Greek island and takes about 5 hours from east to west with so much to see and do: beautiful sand beaches, great hiking in gorges, a fortress used as a leper colony, local wine and olive oil, and dishes that are only found in Crete. For Greek mythology lovers, we never found the cave where Zeus was born or the Minotaur’s labyrinth, but it was fun to try. It’s best not to attempt to do it all in a few days. Either pick a part of the island, stay for a long time, or go back over and over.
Like the rest of our travel guides, this is not an all-encompassing account of everything we did. We do not want to make a list of ‘Best’ or ‘Must-do’ experiences since we know it depends on your personal preferences. These are only our personal favorites and they are divided into two groups: “Avventura Favves” and “Other Things We Liked”.
Overview
We love Crete. There is something for everyone here. Not only in terms of activities and food, but also in terms of the vibe. It changes depending on where you are on the island and you could stay here for a month and still not see everything worth seeing. Driving along it kind of reminded of us of the time we drove the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to Sonoma.
On the west side is the popular and charming historic port town of Chania. It’s a perfect place to use as a base from which to explore the western beaches of Balos and Elafonissi. In the center, once we stayed in the mountains in the ancient town of Lappa near the city of Rethymno, and another time near the fancy resorts of coastal Elounda. The gem of the island for Lynn was the quiet and calm to the east in Xerokampos. This coastal and mountain area with just a scattering of places to stay and eat are the Greece of 40 years ago. We could spend weeks there soaking in the beauty and solitude. While for Dave (unsurprisingly) the food is the highlight. Although there are plenty of traditional Greek taverna dishes in Crete, it also boasts its own unique cuisine with Dakos at the forefront. This crunchy bread soaked in olive oil and topped with tomatoes and fresh cheese is divine.
Avventura Favves
Beaches
Vai Beach – In the northeast part of the island there is this beautiful beach and palm tree forest. It’s not packed like the beaches on the west coast, but it does get crowded. Luckily we arrived early, paid for the upgraded chairs right along the water that we normally think are overpriced, and had an awesome day. There is a pay parking lot with young, friendly attendants who danced along as we were blasting Vacation by The Go-Go’s. And a nice restaurant right on the beach so you could stay all day long. From here we left for an evening stroll along Kouremenos beach and then on to dinner at Hiona Tavern along the water (see below).
Argilos Beach – Also on the eastern part of the island is this small, unique beach where you can cover yourself in clay to refresh your skin and look younger (or at least very strange).
Xerokampos Beach – If you are looking to find a long stretch of beach and be the only person on it, this is the place to head. Which, you guessed it, is on the east coast. Taking deep breaths while gazing over the endless expansion of coastline was therapeutic. And it was typical to not see another person until mid-morning, when 10-20 beachgoers would show up. This “town” had only 2 small restaurants and we were usually only one of a handful of people there (keep in mind, it was August), but they both served up solid traditional Creten food. We stayed in a modern Airbnb with a pool overlooking this beach. One day we hiked Zakros gorge and another day we drove up to Vai Beach. It’s far out there, but worth it.
Balos Beach – On the northwest tip of Crete, Balos Beach is often rated as one of Greece’s most beautiful beaches. It is possible to arrive by car (a very long dirt road), but most people choose to arrive via boat. This was the first private boat ride we did as a family and it really sparked our love for these experiences. We were able to arrive early enough before the crowds and enjoy some time on the beautiful white sand beach but then headed back to the boat for lunch and swimming while at sea.
Preveli Beach – This is a beautiful beach on the southern central coast. There’s a river with palm trees along the bank that runs down towards the beach making a small pond of brackish water. We hiked on the path along the river before stepping into the water where there is a pretty spot where the water cascades down. On the beach we found a small space to settle in the shade under the palm trees, but keep in mind that this beach was incredibly crowded and required a steep climb down.
Istro Beach – This beach is a short drive from Elounda. It was a bit difficult to find where to park on the side of the road and hike down to the water. Although there wasn’t a lot of space at this beach, there were definitely less people and we loved swimming in the clear fish-filled water.
Hiking
Imbros Gorge – Within driving distance of Chania was this really beautiful one-way hike starting inland and heading to the sea that we did on both of our trips. We parked at Kalinorisma restaurant which has a large lot and walked about a half-mile until we reached the small checkpoint that sells tickets for the hiking trail (it’s not much, maybe a euro or two per person, but bring some money). If we did it over, I would try to park at Porofarago restaurant (which is marked on the Crete map) because it’s closer to the entrance of the trail and they might have better food and be nicer than the family at Kalinorisma.
Since it’s a one-way hike, the first time we did it we were a little unsure when we left our cars and set out with assurances that we would find somebody willing to drive us back up to our cars at the end (don’t worry there are). The hike itself was longish for the kids (around 10km/3.5 hours), but not difficult because it slopes gently downward. It’s a pretty hike and we were super excited to spot our first goat, but they get less exciting as you see more and more (and more) of them.
At the end we arrived in a small deserted town after lunchtime. We stepped into an empty Taverna Komitades where they were more than willing to make us a small meal and provide a 5€ ride in the back of a pickup truck for the drivers back to the cars. We were definitely fearful for our lives as he drove ridiculously fast around hairpin turns on the edge of a cliff with inconsistent guardrails. Thankfully, we made it. The second time we stopped at the little, bohemian outdoor cafe along the trail before reaching the town for beers and ice cream. They also offer rides and had enough space for the whole crew. Of course the kids loved the crazy ride. Initially we thought they were saying 15€ for our group of 9, but unfortunately we realized too late that it was actually 50€. So learn from our mistake (which has happened a few times with drivers in Europe), and be sure to agree on a price before taking a ride from them.
Zakros Gorge – This is another hike that we highly recommend. Like the Imbros Gorge, this is a one-way hike that requires paying for a ride back, but it’s a bit shorter and there’s no fee. Also being on the eastern part of the island, like everything else on that side, it is much quieter. We didn’t see anybody on the trail the entire time. It’s called The Valley of the Dead because it’s where the ancient Minoan civilization would bury the most important people in caves built into the side of the gorge. There are a couple of parking lots, we chose the one that was closest to the start of the trail, but if you are short on time there is a B parking lot that cuts off some of the trail. We hiked down through the gorge and then had a great lunch down at a classic taverna down by the water. There are a few places to choose from and they all seem to offer homemade food. We asked our waiter to help us find a ride back to our car and he called a taxi for us. Super easy and probably around 10-15€ for the 5 of us.
Restaurants & Bars
Portes Restaurant – This is a great small restaurant in the heart of Chania where the tables spill out into the street. The people are friendly, the food is fantastic, and the ambiance is pure summer in Greece.
Milia Mountain Retreat – This restaurant is definitely off the beaten path, requiring a long drive on a winding road without any guardrails to the peak of the mountain. We were rewarded with a homemade delicious menu of local dishes and incredible views. We ate there on the way back to Chania from Elafonissi beach.
The Hope restaurant – This is a bit up the hill from Elounda and offers really delicious homemade small plates of traditional greek and Creten dishes. We loved the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and Dakos (crunchy bread soaked in olive oil and topped with tomatoes and fresh cheese), and the view was beautiful.
O gyros tou Giannari – This place has the reputation of having the best gyros in Heraklion, and although we didn’t do a full taste test, we would agree! They were delicious. And less than 3€!
Manousakis Winery – We loved spending a couple of hours in the beautiful garden of this winery and hearing the story of the Greek-American family that has returned to the motherland and invested a lot in this endeavor. They gave a nice tour and served simple, but delicious food with a nice wine tasting.
No matter where you go in Crete (or any other Greek island) be sure to drink some ouzo. This clear, black licorice flavored liquor turns cloudy when poured over ice and goes so well with appetizers, particularly fried fish. After gorging yourself on so much good food during dinner try some tsipouro (a.k.a. raki). Restaurants will often offer this for free as a way to thank you. This grappa-like liquor is strong, but is supposedly good for digestion. If it’s too intense for you, try rakomelo, which is raki with honey (since the Greek word for honey is meli).
Accomodations
Casa Delfino Hotel is in the historic part of Chania near its charming port. The staff is helpful, the rooms are beautiful, and breakfast is served in the courtyard. One of our favorite hotels.
Other Things We Liked
Elafonissi Beach – This is the most popular beach on the island. It’s on the west coast and it’s not easy to get to, but it’s still extremely crowded. There’s the beach along the sea, and another area along a very shallow lagoon. Kai had fun playing beach soccer with a Greek family.
Kolokitha Beach – This beautiful beach is a short (but tricky and difficult) drive from Elounda. It only has a small stretch of beach and there are many boats that show up in the late morning, so be sure to get there early.
Hiona Tavern – After a great day at Vai Beach we enjoyed dinner at this eastern Crete restaurant. Our table was right on the rocks along the water. If we were any closer to the water we would have been swimming. The kids each had to order their own dish, and we did not realize that the portion sizes (particularly for the pastas) are huge. All 5 kids could easily have shared one or two. On the other hand, the parents had no problem finishing their ouzo.
Piato – This restaurant in Elounda served up delicious modern twists on Greek classics. Although Lynn is a die-hard classic Greek food lover (thanks to her dad), even she admitted that this was really good.
Kanali – This fish restaurant near Elounda is in an incredible location. You are again almost sitting in the water. The fish was fresh and delicious and the service was excellent. It was a bit pricey otherwise it would have been a favorite.
Stilianou Winery – The owner of this small family-owned winery gave us a really nice tour of the cellars and vineyards and we tasted his 4 organic wines, while Joy spent the morning eating figs off his trees.
Dourakis Winery – Drinking the tasty and reasonable wines at Dourakis was a nice reward after doing the Imbros Gorge hike.
Spinalonga Fortress Boat Trip – While we were in Elounda, we wanted to have a short visit to this small island with an interesting history. We elected to hire a small private boat to take us to the island in the morning so that we could spend the afternoon swimming off the boat in the beautiful waters surrounding it. The island has served many interesting purposes over the centuries from a Venetian fortress to a refuge for the Turks/Ottomans, to becoming a leper colony from 1903 to 1957. The kids really enjoyed hearing all the stories and seeing the photos of the leper colony in the small museum and hiking around the abandoned town.
Cretan Olive Oil Farm – If you’re near Elounda want to learn how olive oil is made and see other local vegetation and animals make a short visit to this ‘farm’. Plus at the end you can taste the different oils and buy tasty souvenirs.
Minoan Palace of Knossos – The Minoan civilization lived in Crete and the surrounding Greek islands (including Santorini) 3000-5000 years ago. Crete plays a large part in Greek mythology as the birthplace of Zeus and the Minotaur. In reality, the Minoans were extremely technologically advanced, leading some to believe that they are the basis of the story of Atlantis. There are a few Minoan palaces that you can visit, but this is the largest. Unfortunately most of it is rebuilt based on historians’ guesses from the early 20th century about how it appeared. We booked a guide outside of the ticket office and unfortunately she wasn’t very good. She focused too much on dates and didn’t give a good understanding about the Minoans overall and their daily life. If you are interested in this history, make sure to get a recommended guide in advance, and/or visit the Akrotiri archaeological site on Santorini that is an on-going dig of an in-tact Minoan village.
Ammothines Villas – We booked one of these two bedroom private villas on the eastern part of Crete through Airbnb. We were in one of the three units and our friends stayed in one of the others. The property has a nice pool, and the location is so relaxing. It’s in the middle of nowhere, but walking distance to Xerokampos beach and has a couple of nearby restaurants.
Villa Olga – This is not the luxury 5 star Blue Palace in Elounda, but it was really perfect for us. It was inexpensive, had a small kitchen and a pool with nice views. There were other families staying at the property and our kids enjoyed playing with them at the pool. We would have preferred if it included breakfast.
Arcus Suites – this is one of the more unique hotels we’ve ever stayed at since it’s a small, old stone village that’s been converted into guest rooms. Luckily it’s been upgraded since then with a nice pool. Within walking distance is the Arhaia Lappa taverna where we had a great meal of roasted meats.
Logistics and Miscellaneous Notes
- Planning a trip to the Greek islands can be quite complicated. Especially if you want to visit multiple islands within one trip. There are tons of low cost airlines offering direct flights from many cities in Europe to the surrounding islands, but often the service is only a few days of the week. We would recommend doing a bit of research and work to organize your trip and get the best deals. There are usually direct flights in Heraklion and Chania from mainland Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki).
- Crete is similar to most other islands we have visited in that we strongly recommend a local car rental company. We had a good experience with Abby Car that we booked through Auto Europe and picked it up at the airport in Heraklion.
- When in eastern Crete be sure to go with a full tank of gas. The stations are far and few in between, and some that are listed on Google are closed. Our friends were stressed with their car mostly in neutral for a good 10 minutes before we found a place to fill up.
Next Time We Go
- Considering how much we enjoyed the Zakros and Imbros gorge hikes, we really should do the famous Samaria Gorge. The only thing that has held us back is that it is very long and requires starting out very early. Another hike we want to try is to the peak of Mt. Ida.
- We’ve visited a lot of great beaches, but there is always more to do on Crete. On the west coast we would chill out on Falassarna Beach, and in the southern coast there are the beaches of Matala, Kommos, and Triopetra.
- Biolea or Karavitakis winery supposedly have good wines and are nice places to visit.
The Avventura 