Tony Davis Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 SWMBO and I want to visit Crete next year and are looking for hotel/location recomendations and any warnings. I want to visit Knossos and she enjoys wandering around and drinking coffee in pavement cafe's. We do like the beach but aren't sun worshippers, it's more the waterside than ther beach, neither of us drink alcohol nor visit night-clubs. Thanks Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glover Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 I've been there a number of times Tony, most recently in April of this year. It's quite a big island, so the first question is: where are you flying from? That will largely determine whether you fly into Chania or Heraklion. We flew into Chania, stayed there for 4 or 5 nights, then 200km down to Agios Nikolaos for a few nights and finally back to Chania for a further few nights. We went to Knossos this year. I wasn't overly impressed. The restoration work undertaken by Arthur Evans in the early to mid 1900s is, shall we say, a matter of opinion. Overall, an interesting island, although not a classic picture postcard Greek island. Glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted June 4, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2017 Me and Jen stopped in Rethymno (aka Rethymnon). The promenade is always busy with lots of bars playing music for the younger element to listen to. A little further round was a quieter area, and plenty of choice 'in town'. It is also on the north coast about mid way along the island, so we managed (with a hire car) a trip to Chania, Lassiti Plain,Agios Nikolas. We have been to loads of Greek islands, and Crete is the only one where I've driven at 140 kph. Museum in Chania Chania harbour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Thanks for the replies, not sure which airport at the moment. We are having a bit of a rethink now, I like picture postcard so might try one of the other islands. I have been to Rhodes and loved it, going to Lindos was worth the climb. The photo of the harbour above brought back a memory of sitting by the harbour in Rhodes, wondering if it was where the colossus stood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Just arrived back from Aghios Nic. Prefer it to the other side of the Island and plenty to see (eg resident turtles in the harbour lake). Great hotel - PM me for details. Knossos is just a tourist trap - impossible to tell which is original and the parts that are someones 'impression' in concrete. Be prepared to be met by 'guides' outnumbering the visitors who, for a fee, will make it up as they take you around the site. Inland, the prices for, say, refreshments are a fraction of the resort prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 The view from our balcony each morning: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 The view from our balcony each morning: SunriseVV.JPG Wow! I knew Wales was beautiful but............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 As has been said, it's a big island. We hired a car for three days and did some leisurely touring. There's a motorway/dual carriageway running roughly along the length of the island from which you can branch off to visit the north coast. The south coast is a bit less accessible and we had some fun on roads being rebuilt which just petered out for lengths leaving us making links on stony tracks. Plaka, on the east coast, north of Elounda, is nice, maybe a bit twee these days, small shops and restaurants overlooking the harbour and, just a few hundred yards over the bay, the former leper colony island of Kalidon. The latter is accessed by a short ferry trip and worth a visit, a completely self contained community where lepers were once isolated. I said twee earlier because Plaka and the leper colony were the subject of a best selling book by Victoria Hislop, The Island, and that has generated a certain type of tourism. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glover Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Arthur, you had me confused for a moment but I now see that Kalidon and Spinalonga are more or less the same place ; the former place of exile for those suffering from leprosy. I found it an interesting and rather inspiring place, particularly the story of a man living there who campaigned for better treatment for his fellow sufferers. I would recommend to anyone visiting that part of Crete to visit the island. Elounda also looked interesting ( and expensive: the wife discovered an art shop!). DDolofin: I suspect you were staying very close to where we were in Agios Nikolas; the view looks familiar. Cheers, Glover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Glover, When I typed Kalidon I was thinking, I'm sure there's another, better known, name for the island...... Yep, Spinalonga, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley Melrose Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 My wife and I came back a week ago from Crete, having been on this <http://www.coxandkings.co.uk/destinations/europe/greece/group-tours/the-wonders-of-ancient-crete>trip. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip and even if you don't want to go on a group tour yourself, you might use the itinerary to plan your own holiday. HTH, Stan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 I'm sure I saw a documentary that included a visit to Kalidon, Simon Reeve maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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