CRETE
Crete is our first abroad-trip together besides the Czech Republic. At the beginning of every trip I will write 5 spontaneous and random facts about the place we stayed.
5 random facts:
- pack good shoes, it will be hilly
- driving school does not exist on Crete, they drive how their dad taught them
- the food tastes so good, you need to try everything
- there live more cats than people
- locals smile always and are very friendly
Now let’s start about the idea how we thought about going to Crete. Crete is the largest island in Greece, the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea and the 88th largest island in the world. Crete’s landscape is incredible and various, you can admire mountains, gorges, valleys and also big modern cities.
We wanted to visit Greece. We both agreed, so the next question was, which island? Greece has a high amount of islands you can visit. To be exact : 3.054!
So how can you choose in this big selection an island which suits you?
RIGHT, just take the biggest out of it and travel there! Well…something like that. It’s our first time in Greece, so we thought to make life easier, just starting with the most popular island. Crete is well visited all year around by tourists. It’s popular for the history, old towns, the gastronomy, activities you can do there and just the nature.
To tell more about us, we LOVE all of that and our criteria were fulfilled. We wanted a trip were we can see something of the culture, history, the biggest cities, the nature and going there for a hike and also relax at the beach.
So our first trip should take place in Crete.
Preparations:
What preparations have we made?
Crete is a pleasant travel destination. You don’t need to pay much attention on travel regulations, wild animals which could put you in danger or weather conditions that make a holiday impossible.
We had actually a normal preparation before going on a holiday trip, like
- necessary documents (passport, medical card, flight documents…)
- medication (tablets for pain, stomach, illness…)
- Suitable clothes
- enough cash
Accomodation
We stayed at a place not far away from the capital city Heraklion. The place is called ,,Kokkini Hani“. It’s a cozy place, with cute cafe’s, small beaches and good restaurants. We chose this city, because its not far away from the airport and the price – performance was fine.
The hotel we stayed in was quite good. We would give 4 / 5 points. The proximity to the beach was outstanding. From our apartment we could see the blue sea. Our time on Crete was limited so we stayed not often in our hotel.
We had breakfast included, it was fine. The selection was not big, but we could find enjoyable food. One time we ate for dinner, classic greek food and wine were served.
So now the exciting part!
Our adventure
- Palace of Knossos
Crete is historical characterized through his greek mythology. It’s a wide topic, which i can’t describe in short words. If you’re interested just google or buy a book of the greek mythology.
The palace of Knossos was about 20 minutes far away from our hotel. We took our car and drove there. It was sunny and hot outside but perfect for our trip. We went early, because we knew before, that this place is a tourist spot. We came to a good parking station not far away from the palace. Nearby is also a perfect restaurant which is called Pasiphae Restaurant (we would definitely give a 10 out of 10!!).
Just that you know what the Palace is actually.
,,Knossos Palace was the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan Civilization during the Bronze Age. Considered Europe’s oldest city, Knossos was once the city-state of Crete, with the town surrounding the hill the Minoan palace is on. The Minoan palace complex is not believed to have just been the residence of the monarch but also the civic, religious, and economic center of Knossos.“ ( https://greeking.me/blog/crete/item/114-knossos-palace)
We didn’t booked a tour with a guide before, so we just explored the place on our own. Looking back, maybe it would be better to have a tour with a guide, because the story of the Minoan Civilization is complex and it’s better if the story had been told to us.
We explored the several sections, with it’s carved structure and the picturesque scenery. The place is large so it was accessible from three entrances located on the north, west, and south sides. For better illustration, on the east side were the royal apartments, which led to a large staircase, staff rooms, and a sanctuary. Among the most important rooms are the Double Ax and the Queen’s Apartment with the dolphin wall painting.
The Greek myth is fascinating and sometimes also tragical. In relation to Theseus and the Minotaur the Palace of Knossos is the scene of action. It is hard to imagine that it was a place of torment and death.
I will describe the story short :
Minotaur was the son of Pasiphae, wife of King Minos of Crete.
Pasiphae slept with a bull, and gave birth to Minotaur, a creature half man – half bull. He was a bloodthirsty and brutal creature. According to the myth, Minos was imprisoning his enemies in the Labyrinth so that the Minotaur could eat them. The labyrinth was such a complicated construction so no one who entered the labyrinth had ever been known to come out again. Theseus managed to kill the Minotaur and also escape from the labyrinth.
It was impressive walk through this and experience up close. This place has a high attraction and gives you a mystical feeling.
It’s definitely a spot where you should go when you’re on Crete. Pick a time when there aren’t hundreds of people there. When you’re also interested in history it’s even better, take a guide and he will tell you everything you need to know about this place.
2. Beach trip
Crete is a large island with a high amount of beaches. There are also “unofficially“ beaches, where you can stay at a deserted place. You have to consider that it could be rocky, slippery and not so safe. The BIG advantage : you’re alone, it’s quite, you can listen to the sea breeze and there are no loud kids, who throw sand or salespeople who want to sell you stuff.
We stayed in Gournes, and our beach was about 5 minutes away. Umbrellas and sunbeds you can rent there for the whole day for about 5 Euro p.p. The sea was like mud flat, you went in for a long time. Clear blue water has surrounded us, the temperature was about 22 degrees. When you go in it was fresh, but you get used to it. This beach was definitive worth a visit. Few people, clean beach and not far away from home!
On the third day we had a road trip on the north coast. We drove from Kokkini Hani to Limenas Hersonissou, Malia up to Elounda with the end goal Agios Nikolaos.
Mainly Crete is divided in “free beaches “ , “public beaches where you have to pay“ and “hotel beaches“.
Free beaches have the advantage that you can choose your place to lie, don’t have to pay and no crowded beaches. You can enjoy the peace and are united with nature. It feels like you’re on a lonely island. Just relax your mind and feel free.
Disadvantage is, usually there are no sunbeds and umbrellas, so in the midday sun it can get really hot and uncomfortable! Also there are no bars and cafes in the near. Take enough water and food with you, the next cafe can be a bit away.
Public beaches with entrance fee are spread all over Crete. Analipsi Beach, Sunrise Beach and Nisos Beach are a few of them. We visited the Malia Beach. Our first impression was: loud, many people, crowded loungers, large hotel complexes and no free spot in the sea. We payed about 15 Euro for two sunbeds a little bit outside the main beach. That day it was really windy, so we stayed not long there. The only advantage of the beach, was the proximity to the city, where you can buy food and water. For us it was just loud and uncomfortable. If you live nearby you can visit this place, if you’re coming from far away, there are better places.
Hotel beaches we didn’t visit. You can’t just go on the territory and chill on the beach. You either have to be a guest of that hotel or pay entrance. We didn’t do that. We had a own hotel beach, but it was really stony and slippery. If you have a good hotel with a nice beach, you can spend your time there.
Our highlight was definetely MATALA!
Matala is in the south of Crete, 68 km from Iraklion. In the past it was an ancient port of Phaistos, and a hippie meeting place. In the 60s and 70s hippies from all around the world came here to be spiritual, enjoy the feeling of freeedom and to connect with like-minded people. These days when you walk through the center of Matala, you feel like you went into a time machine and you’re a part of the hippie community. The city is surrounded by high rocks, with caves in there. When we walked there, you could imagine how they lived there.
When we arrived to the city, we had actually no clue where we are. We just came here, because it had good reviews on Google. What we noticed first, MANY tourists! The streets where full of people from different countries who wanted to fell the flair of Matala. The downtown area is pretty and colorful! Everywhere are paintings, the people are colorfully dressed, stands with jewellery and delicious food.
What i can recommend was the food spot “Bistronomy Matala“. It’s a cool spot with a nice view to the sea and beach. We had two beefburgers with fries and greek beer. The waiters were really friendly and the atmosphere was smooth. I would give 4,5 out of 5!
We’ve been strolling for about an hour through Matala, we bought there bracelets, some cool decorations for our home , we took pictures and enjoyed the music and vibes.
Red Sand Beach (Kokkini Ammos)
If you love adventure, want to experience something unforgettable and want to taste the best cocktail of your life…go to the Red Sand Beach!