We lately spent two weeks island hopping by way of Greece, and it was as magical and superb as you’ll count on. Blue water, scrumptious delicacies, and beautiful landscapes filled with white buildings set the stage for a enjoyable and family-friendly journey.
Our journey coated three completely different islands, and the ultimate island of the journey was the one which shocked us essentially the most.
Crete
The island is big and full of rugged mountains, huge stretches of olive and citrus groves, quaint small cities, gorges and canyons, and epic seashores that blew our minds with their magnificence. We had no concept that surroundings like this could possibly be present in Europe.
Balos Seaside: A Slice of Paradise
We selected to remain on the western facet of the island, primarily as a result of we discovered an amazing resort deal at a lovely resort (extra on that under). We had about 5 days on the island. Truthfully, this isn’t sufficient time to discover all the pieces, and we want we had a minimum of 10 days or extra. However we had 5 days, so our focus was on the western facet of Crete.
After exploring our resort, our first cease was Balos Seaside, a spot that appeared prefer it was straight out of a postcard. It’s situated on the northwestern finish of the island. The journey to Balos was an journey in itself, involving a scenic drive alongside the coast on a dirt-road, and a hike all the way down to the seaside from the parking space (you’ll have to pay just a few Euros to get into the park space). However the effort was greater than price it. The shallow turquoise waters and the powdery white sand had been completely mesmerizing. We spent hours wading within the heat, shallow waters, having fun with the solar, and taking within the beautiful views of the encompassing mountains. The sand bars kind a big, pure swimming pool whereas the encompassing waters are shallow sufficient for swimming and snorkeling. It was one of the vital picturesque locations I’ve ever seen.
Elafonissi Seaside: Watersports and Gorgeous Surroundings
Subsequent, we made our option to Elafonissi Seaside, one other gem on Crete’s western coast. Recognized for its pink sand and clear waters, Elafonissi supplied an ideal mixture of rest and journey. We watched some very expert folks participate in kite browsing, which appeared each exhilarating and difficult. The seaside was additionally nice for different watersports like paddleboarding and snorkeling. The surroundings was merely breathtaking, with the contrasting colours of the sand and sea making a picture-perfect backdrop. Many of the water was shallow sufficient to only wade throughout to the close by island or search for critters within the sand.
Kourtaliotiko Gorge: A Hiker’s Dream
One of the crucial stunning and memorable experiences was our hike down into Kourtaliotiko Gorge. The hike down into the gorge was lovely, with slender pathways and towering cliffs on both facet. On the backside of the trail after passing a small church, we got here to an space the place you may swim right into a slender canyon which has the texture of a cave. Inside are a sequence of waterfalls that create a fully beautiful surroundings. The water was waist deep and crystal clear (however very chilly), and the sunshine streamed in from above and sparkled within the mist from the falls. Though there was an honest crowd right here, it felt like a hidden paradise, untouched and wild. If you wish to do that hike, there’s a small parking space on the primary street by way of the gorge right here.
Kalypso Seaside: Snorkeling in a Hidden Cove
Subsequent, we ventured to the southern shore for lunch and a dip within the sea at Kalypso Seaside. Nestled between cliffs, this slender cove supplied wonderful snorkeling and cliff diving alternatives. The underwater life was surprisingly vibrant right here, with colourful fish and attention-grabbing rock formations. The clear waters made for good visibility, and we spent just a few hours exploring the underwater world.
The dramatic cliffs surrounding the cove added to the sense of journey and seclusion. Subsequent to the swimming space is a stairwell main as much as the highest of the cliff. You’ll discover nice views right here together with a mountain climbing path that leads east to the subsequent seaside and city space, about 20 minutes on foot.
Chania: A Journey by way of Historical past
Our exploration of Crete wouldn’t have been full with out a go to to Chania. This historic city was a delight to discover, with its charming previous city, Venetian harbor, and slender streets lined with retailers and cafes. We wandered by way of the bustling markets, visited historic websites, and loved scrumptious meals at native tavernas. Chania’s mixture of historical past, tradition, and vibrant environment made it considered one of my favourite stops.
Heraklion: Culinary Delights and Historical Wonders
We spent a while in Heraklion on our final day earlier than flying house. The city’s wealthy historical past is on show right here, and we indulged in among the finest meals we had on our journey. The previous city was energetic, with bustling streets and historic buildings. Sadly we didn’t have time to go to the well-known Knossos Palace, however loads of tour choices had been obtainable. I feel the subsequent time we come, we’ll spend extra time within the central and jap facet of the island.
Exploring Crete by Automobile
To actually expertise Crete’s various landscapes and hidden gems, we determined to lease a automobile. In spite of everything, Crete is big and the general public transportation system shouldn’t be sufficient to get you in every single place. A automobile gave us the liberty to discover at our personal tempo and go to among the extra distant areas which can be tougher to succeed in by public transport. And the costs had been fairly reasonably priced, too! Driving by way of Crete’s scenic routes was an journey in itself, with beautiful views round each nook.
Our Resort: A Good Retreat
After our day by day adventures, returning to our all-inclusive resort was pure bliss. We stayed on the Euphoria Resort (see costs right here) in Kolymbari, about half-hour west of Chania. The resort was situated proper on the seaside and featured a large swimming pool the place we may loosen up and unwind. It additionally had a children pool space with giant water slides and a water fortress. The all-you-can-eat buffet, the youngsters membership, the limitless ice cream, and our very snug room all ensured that we had a terrific time. The beachfront location allowed us to dip into the waves on the times that we weren’t exploring the remainder of the island. The resort additionally supplied a wide range of organized actions and free drinks, making it the proper base for our Cretan journey.
Crete, A Vacation spot Filled with Surprises
Crete exceeded all my expectations and supplied an ideal mix of journey, rest, historical past, and tradition. From the beautiful seashores and gorges to the historic cities and scrumptious delicacies, each a part of our journey right here had one thing particular to supply. Renting a automobile gave us the liberty to discover the island completely, and our resort supplied an expensive retreat after our day by day explorations. Crete is a vacation spot that really has all of it, and I can’t wait to return to find much more of its hidden treasures. You actually need every week or extra to see all of it.
Naxos and Santorini
It wouldn’t be truthful to the opposite islands to not point out them. They had been additionally superb locations the place we ate improbable meals, loved the water, and noticed lovely sights. And it was additionally very simple to get across the island by ferry boat.
We spent just a few nights in Naxos. We stayed on the Agios Prokopios seaside about 20 minutes south of Naxos city on the Liana Seaside Lodge (see costs right here). The seaside was beautiful with clear, blue water. Naxos city itself is stunningly lovely, too. White buildings spill down the hill and are full of outlets and eating places. Alongside our seaside we discovered a wide range of native eating places with very reasonably priced and scrumptious Greek meals. We went on a hike up the hill on the north finish of the seaside which supplied superb views, and this was top-of-the-line days of the journey. General, Naxos is extremely really useful! (Extra resort concepts right here.)
Santorini was the subsequent cease, and it was additionally lovely. Sadly, it’s fairly touristy, however the crowds are justified as a result of the surroundings is so distinctive. There’s no different island fairly like Santorini with its cities perched above the cliffs. Apart from exploring the cities and views, we additionally took a day journey on a catamaran sailboat across the island. Swimming and snorkeling and lunch had been on the agenda, and it was a improbable day. To economize, we stayed in Fira, however in a inexpensive resort situated just a few blocks again from the cliff, because the accommodations on the cliff facet could be extraordinarily costly.
Our little resort, Palmariva Villas (see costs right here), had quaint surroundings that was charming and made us really feel prefer it was our house away from house. Every room had its personal little scorching tub, and it additionally had a full kitchen. The breakfast was hand delivered to our room and was filled with scrumptious choices. The employees was superb, too!
All of those locations had been improbable and epic for our journey by way of Greece, however Crete will at all times be the place that stays in my reminiscences.
Bryan has visited 56 nations, which is precisely yet another nation than his spouse, and he or she received’t let him neglect it! Additionally an avid photographer, he enjoys entrenching himself inside the native tradition in an effort to be taught extra in regards to the folks of a spot. He’s the co-founder of Finances Your Journey and loves a superb journey, an unique meal, or a passionate dialog about world occasions. And he additionally likes to learn how a lot stuff prices, which is why he and his spouse began Finances Your Journey.