We (very maturely) laughed every time we saw the word 'Cretan' while we were in Crete (as it is similar to 'cretin', which means 'stupid' in English). Signs would say 'The Cretan Way', 'Cretan Food' or 'Cretan Clothing'... You get the idea...
In all seriousness, we absolutely loved our stay in Crete! Jorgi's family is from Greece so he loved getting back to the culture, language, food and people. We have both travelled around Greece before, but we have never been to Crete. We would definitely recommend it for travellers who have already been to the main islands of Greece, such as Ios, Mykonos and Santorini. It has a bit more of a relaxed vibe and there are a lot less tourists.
We went to Malia first, which is about 35km east of Heraklion. For those of you that don't know, Malia is where everyone goes to party in Crete. There are nice bars, cool restaurants and loads of souvenir shops. Unfortunately Malia got the better of us this time and we spent a day in bed sick (self-inflicted...).
We stayed in Malia for 3 days then caught a bus to Chania (Xania - pronounced 'Hania') 144km west of Heraklion. Chania is a lot more relaxed, laid back and offered some really nice sightseeing tours and restaurants. For our last night we caught the bus back to Heraklion and looked around the city, which was really nice. Heraklion had a really nice shopping/market district where you can buy your family souvenirs and get some delicious street food while you look around. It is just another city at the end of the day, but it has a very cool vibe in the city centre and it has a lot of history.
tours/activities
Malia
Another rookie mistake to add to the list - we didn't realise how much of a party town Malia was when we booked our accommodation, so we lost a day of tours/activities due to unforeseen circumstances (we got white girl wasted and couldn't function the next day). BUT, there is plenty to do in Malia - there's hikes, shopping, hiring quad bikes and doing a Quad Safari, or if you're into just bumming around on the beach, drinking cocktails and eating amazing meals, then this is definitely the place to do it! There are so many nice beach bars with sun beds.
Chania/ Stalos
Balos Lagoon
Also known as the Blue Lagoon or Pink Beach, Balos Lagoon was the highlight of our time in Crete! We would definitely recommend anyone going to Crete try to go here, and leave a whole day for it. It is a bit of a hike to get there but well worth it. We caught two different public buses to get here, however there is one bus that will take you from Stalos all the way to Kissamos. We went from Stalos to Kolombari and then Kolombari to Kissamos. From Kissamos we paid €15 each for a private mini bus to take us all the way to the Blue Lagoon. You could hire a car yourself but we actually wouldn't recommend it, as the gravel roads are really bumpy and slippery (quite dangerous) and you have to drive up the side of a mountain with a pretty steep drop to one side. We were very grateful we didn't drive ourselves. Also, if you drive yourself you have to park halfway down the mountain then walk up. We got dropped off right at the top. From the top car-park it is about a 30-minute walk down to the lagoon. Very dry and dusty, but again well worth it.
We stayed at the Blue Lagoon for about 3-hours swimming, walking and taking photos. Make sure you pack your own food and water as there aren't any shops there.
Snorkelling/Scuba Diving
Although we didn't get a chance to go snorkelling due to bad weather, it is something we really wanted to do and would recommend. There were lots of different tour companies offering trips out to 'Agii Theodori' Island where there are beaches, fish, and even an aeroplane wreckage that you can snorkel and scuba dive around.
Shopping in Plantanias
We walked from Stalos to Platanias to do some shopping. There are so many shops and restaurants here that make for a good day out. You don't have to walk though as there are public buses that go often.
Heraklion
Unfortunately we only stayed in Heraklion for one night, however we wished we allocated at least one full day as there are a couple of things we would have liked to do here. We had enough time to have a walk around the city of an evening and went to the markets which were great.
If we had more time we would have liked to go to:
Venetian Port / koules fortress
We drove past the Venetian Port so we were glad we got to see it this way but had we more time we would have walked there form our hotel and went inside. For more information on the fortress google it or click here.
Palace of Knossos
Our ancient history teachers would be fuming at us if we told them we went to Crete and didn't go to the ancient Minoan Palace of Knossos, but unfortunately we didn't have time! We would recommend it though if you are into ancient history and you can find more information about it by googling it or clicking here.
accommodation
Malia
In Malia we stayed at Blue Sky Apartments, which we found on booking.com. We would definitely recommend staying here as the apartments were really nice, and in a great location right in the centre of town. Even though the apartments are literally right behind the main party street, we were never woken up by the sound. The apartments were really clean and had good air-conditioning (just don't let them try to charge you extra to use the air-conditioning. One guy tried to charge us when we checked in, but luckily Kate asked for a receipt and he so generously let us use the air-conditioner for free). We also were allowed access to the pool at the hotel next door, which was a great touch as we used it everyday. This place would be great for couples, families and/or groups of friends.
Comfort: 7/10
Location: 9/10
Staff: 6/10
Vibe: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Chania
We didn't actually stay in Chania itself, we stayed in a small town just out of Chania called Stalos (which we didn't realise when we booked). This was a blessing in disguise, though, as it was so lovely and if you're wanting a relaxing beach holiday, you wouldn't really want to stay in the city of Chania. We stayed in a place called Egli Studios which was really nice. It really felt like we were in Greece when we arrived. White buildings, stone pavement, blue pool, flowers growing wild everywhere and so many cats! We loved this place and took so many beautiful photos. It was about a 5-7 minute walk up a small hill to get to the apartments from the main street, which might bother some, but it didn't bother us. We quite liked it actually, as it was set back from what little hustle and bustle Stalos had. There were also some great restaurants nearby that added to the benefits of staying here. We didn't actually see the staff for the first couple of days (only because we were out and about most of the time), but when we did meet them they were absolutely lovely. Exactly what you expect when you meet Greek people - hospitable and friendly (not like old mate from Malia). The rooms were cute split-level apartments, so we had a lounge and cooking area downstairs, and the bedroom/bathroom upstairs. This place is great for couples, families and groups of friends.
Comfort: 7/10
Location: 7/10
Staff: 8/10
Vibe: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Heraklion
We only stayed one night in Heraklion, but the hotel we stayed in was really nice. It was called Athinaiko Hotel, and it was in a good location close to the main bus station and airport bus stop.
Comfort: 9/10
Location: 8/10
Staff: 8/10
Vibe: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
transport
The buses in Crete were incredible! We found it really easy to use their buses and relatively cheap! We had planned on hiring a car when we got here but found that they were quite expensive and the bus system was so good we didn't need to. They were all really clean and modern as well. We found it easy enough to look on google maps for bus stations or just ask locals, a lot of locals speak english and are happy to help.
food/drinks
Malia
There are so many amazing restaurants and bars to choose from in Malia. We wanted to treat ourselves while we were in Greece, so instead of cooking dinner every night, we thought we would get dressed up and go out for dinner a few times. Also, the supermarkets weren't that great/cheap in Malia. We chose our feeding grounds based on their looks - something we wouldn't normally recommend (usually we go on menu and value for money), but it worked for us this time around. Some of the restaurants in Malia are too cool not to take a closer look at. Then the menu sucks you in and next thing you know you've had four courses and you're rolling back to your apartment. We ate breakfast everyday at Drossia Restaurant, and not only was the food and coffee amazing, but the staff were always welcoming and friendly. We also went to Pleasure Beach Club and booked a couple of sunbeds, which was a really nice way to spend the day. Along this beach there are heaps of places to enjoy the sun, sand and sea, so have a look around and take your pick!
Chania
Chania was SO good for food. We can't express how good the food was here. Our first meal was at Maria's Restaurant. We ordered just about every vegetarian option on the menu, then they gave us a free fruit platter and sweets once we were finished. They also gave us raki, which is a traditional Cretan drink that is basically tsipouro/grappa.
We then discovered Evilion Bistro.. This cute little cafe is run by a lovely local family. We ate every meal here - breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also had the tendency to attract repeat customers, who they took time to chat with and get to know. Usually we went at the same times each day and there was always the same people there eating. They were such nice people. We tried just about every vegan/veggie option on the menu and we have absolutely no regrets. We still have dreams about the jackfruit burger and vegan yiros. We would recommend going to Crete just to visit this cafe!
Heraklion
Once we had eaten everything there was to eat in Crete, we went back to the supermarket to have a cheap backpacker dinner. But, this is a city and there are so many restaurants and cafes to choose from. We did have some street food in the markets however. If you are into sweets, we recommend trying kataifi, loukoumades and/or baklava. See our post about which Greek foods you should try here.
other tips/hints
- Take buses everywhere - they are great! just make sure you have cash for public buses.
- Like most European countries we weren't able to drink the water as it upset our stomach, even when it was ice in our drinks it made us a bit sick so we just ask for our drinks without ice, but everyone's stomach is different.
- Learn a few Greek words such as hello 'Yassu' and thank you 'Efharisto', the locals will appreciate it and it's nice to learn new words from another language!
Show us some love and ask any questions or leave a comment below!
jorgiandkate
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