I Bet You Have Not Seen Crete Island
A road trip scenario: where to go, what to see, where to eat and where to hide. The east, the west and the gorge.
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This scenario is great for those who travel to the famous beach resort of Greece for the first time as well as for those who are already fed up with it. A lot of my friends told me that they all have been to Crete, but they never saw any of the places we’ve been to. So I decided to write this article and to share our trip scenario.
I prefer to rent a car wherever I’m traveling to have absolute freedom of movements. Only this way you can find the hidden gems that are not mentioned in the guides.
This time we decided to have stopovers in Athens as it was our first time in the country and we just had to see the ancient city. My scenario includes flights from Moscow, but you can change it to the ones you need as well as the type of car and the hotels.
Such trips are best when planned in advance. You can scan the map, find places to visit and have all the routes calculated. Only then you have the ability to get maximum for a short period of time. Let alone the prices for early bookings! We paid less than 400 EUR for all flights by booking several months before and when it was one month to go the price went up to about a 1000 EUR. Better spend the difference on a nice hotel or on a higher class of car.
So, let’s rewind to September 2016 and walk through this trip again. I recommend to travel between May and September. In May the waters are still rather cold, but the stream of the river in the gorge as well as some waterfalls of the island are worth the sacrifice of swimming.
Day 1: Athens
Buy a local sim card with prepaid mobile internet package. The Germanos store is located in the departures hall right after the first checkpoint. If you ask politely, a security officer will escort you to the store and back.
You can get to the city by the local metro — it’s very convenient to get to the city center. You may also take a taxi, but better request an Uber. You may have problems with searching for the car but it’s only 29 EUR for a private driver to the city. Better request it to the parking in front of the airport. Uber is highly recommended for the trip back to the airport as there won’t be any seats available in the metro on the way there.
We stayed at the Arethusa Hotel which had the best price/location comparison. Right after the check-in we started to explore the city. It welcomed us with a light warm rain which was perfect for the hot day. Had our lunch at the Falafellas. Mind your appetite when they ask you if you want a small or a big one, because the second option is huge to be exact.
On our way to Acropolis we had a stop at Areopagus — a hill with a fantastic panorama of the city. One of the most famous places of Greece is really crowded and you have minimum chance to take photos without other tourists. I have a few.
Afterwards we had a walk around the city. I must admit I was a bit shocked by the quantity of forsaken houses and stores that are just old forgotten storages now. Might be because of the hardest crisis hit that Greece experienced.
And by the way… Athenians, come on! Leaving bags from McDonalds right on the square where you eat them is not the way for ancient city locals to behave! Too much litter everywhere!
For the sunset we went to the Pnyx hill and had our dinner at the Kafeneio tavern with amazing local cuisine and outside seating.
Day 2: More Athens and Arrival to Crete
We woke up early and went straight to the National Gardens. It was so quiet there, just a few people running their morning run and a woman with her dog. On our way to the Gardens we passed this incredible small church resting under heavy columns of the giant skyscraper.
Afterwards we visited the Acropolis Museum as a second must in Athens and were not disappointed as the exposition is really great, building is modern and nice looking and there is plenty of ancient history to see and read.
Afterwards we catched an Uber to the shore but found nothing of interest. So we went back to the centre and entered the Agora of Athens. A touch of great antiquity in the heart of the capital city.
Our eyes were catched by the restored building of the museum and the untouched Temple of Hephaestus.
You can have your snack here on one of the romantic benches under a tree or go to a tavern nearby. We drank some water and went for our lunch outside. Walking down a street packed with tourists and souvenir shops we took left to a quiet side street where there was no noise at all. We came to this tavern with a really great relaxing atmosphere in the center of Athens. Food is nothing special, but it’s like you are having lunch in your neighbour’s garden.
After that we walked down to our hotel, got the bags we left at the luggage room in the morning and decided to get to the airport by the local Metro. I would not suggest to do it before flight if it’s a weekday. You will have a fully packed train till the very last stations before airport. Not the experience you want if you have luggage with you.
Upon arrival to Crete we got the keys for our crazy Skoda Octavia which appeared to have a nice turbo. I would not suggest to rent a fast car for this island as there are many narrow mountain roads and speed cameras on highways (if you can call it highways). A very small and weak box on four wheels is not an option either if you are going to follow my scenario. I would suggest something in between.
Istron Bay Hotel was also chosen for the best price/location comparison. We arrived late in the evening, got the keys and were escorted to our room in a bungalow a few minutes walk from the reception. As we saw nothing at night, we decided to go to sleep. And then we woke up to see this view…
Day 3: Two Seas, Two Horses and Reservoir
The hotel has a private beach in it’s own bay right under the cliffs. We spent our morning there and went to the mountains. Our first destination was a panorama point with two seas visible from it — the Aegean to the north and the Libyan to the south.
We had a stop at the Bramianos Reservoir. It’s not allowed to swim here according to the signs. It was just four of us around the whole man-made lake and the couple who got here before us decided to swim. Come on, people! There’s a real freshwater lake on the west side of the island. I will write about it a bit later.
If you are here for the beach and relax type of leisure, you definitely should go to the Libyan sea on the south side of the island. There were ten times less people on the local beaches and you get your place under the sun for sure!
After admiring the incredibly blue water of the Libyan sea we had our lunch at the taverna not far from our hotel. The road back is easy. It goes straight through a valley to the northern shore and you may catch some nice views of the mountains.
We returned to our hotel, spent some time on the beach and had our half-board dinner here. If you can, I would suggest going outside for your dinners, but we decided to pay for Half-Board in advance and it was quite good.
Day 4: The Cliffs of Halfling Forest
This day was windy and we drove 1 km to the beach of Voulisma with it’s perfect yellow sand to have fun in the waves. It’s a great serviced place for such days when it’s dangerous to swim at beaches with stones.
Right in front of the parking place there’s the Panorama Tavern. Perfect spot for lunch. But mind the size of the dishes. A vegetable salad looked like it was put on the table for a party.
After lunch we returned to the hotel, put on our comfortable foot wear, and went for a walk to the left side of the bay. We some someone climbing the cliffs over there so found it worth visiting.
Just a few steps to the west and you are at the forest of the olive farm. Sun was shining through the clouds and the trees, the hills were covered with grey gradient light. We walked down to a secluded rocky bay with a public chair to admire the view.
If you climb a bit up the cliffs, you get a fantastic view of the bay, of the hotel and the sea which looks just like it’s missing the great ships of the ancient times. Be careful, this hike is not an ordinary walking trail. Check your steps! The “forest” here is really funny as the highest tree is not higher than you are.
Walking in the rays of the sunset, tired but happy we returned back, took a bottle of wine (and then one more, actually) and had our sunset on the green natural terrace to the right from our room. On the opposite side was exactly the place of our small hike.
Day 5: Lybian Sea and Cretan Food
We really liked what we saw on the south of the island, so we decided to have our sun and sea there before it gets too hot. Right in the morning we drove to the Diaskari Beach not far from Ierapetra city. It’s a quite beach with white sand and a good entrance into the water.
We parked our car at the end of the road, walked through a small, but very beautiful tavern right to the beach. If you like you can rent a hammock or pick any place on the beach you like. When we were there, it was just two of us for the whole place. Great atmosphere!
Afterwards we decided to drive through the eastern part of the island with no specific route planned in the direction of the city of Sitia. We found nothing of interest in the town, but what a road we had on our way!
Mountains, valleys, olive trees everywhere and the mighty wind mills to top it all off. I should say, the quality of roads here are great! So you really enjoy driving your car!
The next goal was to find the tavern we had planned in our route. I was afraid of skipping it somehow, because it’s just a private house in the mountains near the road. But hopefully, the coordinates were correct and we found it easily.
Taverna Natural is the property of a family of farmers. When we arrived, we were the second couple that decided to have lunch here. After about 30 minutes, the place were full. We want to think that it was us who attracted new customers to the place :-)
We were told the menu (literally): dorada, chicken, lamb, olives, tzatziki, orange juice, white wine. Easy! I swear it was the best lunch we had on Crete! Homemade fresh farm food and stunning views from any table.
Returned home early to catch the dinner at the a la carte restaurant of the hotel and a glass of wine on the terrace. The best sea view for me is when it’s not just the sea, but hills and mountains of the islands in front of you.
After the sunset we went to Agios Nikolaos for the dinner and to buy presents for our friends and relatives. This store was just perfect for our goal! We spent about half an hour there. The variety of local products here is amazing for a small shop in a small town.
Day 6: Mars
Most of the day we spent at the beach relaxing, sunbathing, eating, drinking and jumping in the waves. In the afternoon we tried to get to the secluded beach of Agriomandra, but locals put up a fence crossing the path and the goats behind it was not looking friendly at us.
At first we were a bit disappointed, but then we looked around us. The road here was definitely worth it!
Day 7: Sfendoni Cave, Chania and Kournas Lake
The first stop of our today’s trip to the west was the cave. As the reviews say, it’s the biggest cave of Crete and one of the most beautiful caves of Greece, yet not so popular as the Cave of Zeus. It’s located up in the mountains so better take something to cover your shoulders as it may be cold in the morning.
Tours are guided each hour, we arrived at about 10:30 and had our coffee with the view to the valley and the sound of bells hanging on the necks of local goats.
Our second jump was to the Kournas Lake — the only freshwater lake on the island where you can swim, rent a pedalo and even see some turtles! The place is a bit crowded, but not too much. We had our burger with fries and spent an hour or so there. And we couldn’t even imagine what was there planned for us next.
I tapped the “Navigation” button to send the coordinates to Google Maps and we went straight to one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. We drove past a military airport, through a small village to a serpentine. I would not advise you to come here with a weak car — it will be too difficult for you to climb up back.
But look! This place is worth the troubles. The second one I even liked — there were no walking path down from the parking. You have to go down a steep cliff literally climbing down. After we touched the sand we walked through a small path to the heaven of Seitan Limania.
There were not many people for such a small beach and we had a really great time swimming there and climbing the rocks along the bay. Even if there are waves in the sea, it’s safe to swim because of the bay’s form. It’s even a great fun to catch the stream!
After that we drove to the port of Chania where we had our dinner and walked along the seashore to the lighthouse of the fort. Perfect place to meet the sunset and to have a walk along its tiny streets.
We got to our second hotel on the island later in the evening and went straight to bed. I liked this one very much. Let’s say it’s a 5* property with no luxury. Stylish, good service, right next to its own private beach.
Day 8: Biking in Rethymno
Following the advice of our good friend we decided to go a bit back east to the town of Rethymno. Upon arrival we rented two bicycles and the town let us in. We stayed here for full day, catched by the atmosphere. It’s definitely a must!
You can have your dinner here at one of the restaurants in the harbor. We went back to the hotel as we had a good half-board included here. Stopped at the Lind’s supermarket on the way. Purchased food and water supplies for tomorrow’s descend to the mighty Gorge of Samaria!
Day 9: Samaria Gorge and Crystal Clear Sea Water
We arrived to the parking lot at about 7 A.M. and were the first ones to start the hike. You can leave your car here and get back to it via taxi after the hike. Remember to book the taxi in advance! There are just two taxi drivers in the region you can ask to get you back to the car.
+306977745160 / vagelispaterakis@yahoo.com
50 EUR from Sougia to your car at the start of the hike
No words needed to describe the feelings you experience when going down the gorge of Samaria. The sunrise is breathtaking! If you are traveling in spring or early summer, you should witness the stream of the river along the gorge. We were there in the late September, so the water was seen rarely.
The hike is long, about 16 km in total. But most of the way you go down, so it’s really easy. Remember to have something to cover your shoulders as it may be quite cold in the shadows.
You don’t have to take a lot of water with you as there are refreshing stops with water and toilets along the way. But remember to grab your lunch box. The whole hike took us about 7 hours, with all the stops to admire the scenery. The ferry to Sougia leaves at 5:30 p.m. so you will have time to relax on the beach with the clearest water I’ve ever seen (Better check the schedule before your trip in case it changes). A bit later about the beach. Here is just a small part of the views you get in the gorge.
Remember to save your tickets as they will ask you to show them at the exit. It’s done for security reasons to make sure everyone went through. After the exit you can pay for a lift directly to the beach or walk another 2–3 km. through an old village. We took some orange juice from a local farmer and went on foot.
At the beach there are some restaurants and lodgings where you can stay for the night if you like, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. We had about 2 hours before the ferry to swim in the crystal clear waters. And I mean it! Even when it’s about 20 metres under you, you still can see the bottom clearly and in details.
We got our tickets for the ferry to Sougia, where our driver was waiting for us with a sign. It’s a nice feeling when you see hundreds of people gathering to their busses and you just take your seat at the back of the E-class. It’s worth 50 EUR, believe me! You should get back to the hotel in time for the dinner, or you may prefer to dine in a local tavern along the road.
Day 10: Touristic Nightmare
Right as we expected, we had quite a pleasant pain in our legs today. We decided to spent this last day on the island lying in the sun, but we were so close to the famous Balos Beach that we just had to see it with our own eyes. I should say, it was our only mistake.
The day was a bit windy, but “a bit” means hell on Balos Beach. The wind there was so strong that it threw sand in us. We drove for about 7 km. on a rough road, then walked another 2 down to the beach just to understand that it’s impossible to be there.
On our way back we met a lot of tourists coming down with children, with elders… We tried to stop them, but no chance. Everyone wanted to see the place. Completely exhausted we got to our car and I drove us to a neighboring Falasarna. The local beach is also very spectacular. No filter.
We had our lunch there and then visited a local winery on our way back to the hotel. You can buy some wine here to take home. We spent our money on the honey from a local farmer.
Day 11: Back to Athens
The road to the airport is about 150 km. but it’s not too difficult. We made a stop to eat some ice cream in Gazi, right next to Heraklion.
If you are flying home from Heraklion, you can buy some local stuff in the duty free here. We had our stopover in Athens again and purchased our Metaxa, Ouze, presents and 3 litres of olive oil right before the flight home.
In the evening we decided to have beer with pizza in a place locals like the most, according to the reviews. It’s a bar, a garden, a nightclub and a place for meetings all-in-one. We got quite drunk in this amazing friendly atmosphere. If you want to order the plate of cheese, take it as a single portion for two. Just believe me, it’s enough.
Day 12: Outbound
We had our flight in the afternoon, so in the morning we had a free walk around the city centre. As we liked the tzatziki very much, we decided to buy the local yoghurt to make our own at home. Packed in the bag we checked-in at the airport the yoghurt flew in the cold luggage area of the plane so was perfect upon arrival.
Just to summarize— road trips are the type of travel everyone should try to understand that there’s no better way of exploring the destination. Plan your route in advance to see maximum. You don’t have to follow it completely, but when you have it, it’s much easier to navigate the surroundings and don’t waste time searching for a place to go.
I hope you enjoyed reading this story!
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Text and photos: Kirill Khomko
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