Crete Trip Report

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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 06 Oct 2017, 07:51

Pollychops wrote:Hi Gemma, we really enjoyed your trip report and reminded us of our visit to Crete which was back in the 90's. We have considered over the years trying other Greek islands but we feel we are spoilt by Symi and even after our many visits, there are still many things to do and see there. We have looked at visiting again next year and it will be September for us as we did enjoy our trip this year at that time. It is a long way off but reading reports and dipping into the forum during the winter months makes it come quicker.


I agree it's difficult to drag yourself away from Symi and I did miss it this year though thoroughly enjoyed seeing new places on Crete :)
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Allan » 30 Oct 2017, 14:54

Can I (belatedly) add to the thanks for your Crete trip report Gemma.

It is a very interesting report and felt even more "personal" to read it whilst sat on a balcony in Kalyves, only a few hundred yards away from the place you were staying a few days earlier! :shock:
The rain you experienced continued on and off for a few more days after you left before brightening up considerably. It was rather cool in the evenings though.

Your report has certainly got me thinking about the possibility of visiting the south west of Crete. Possibly next year if we can fit it in between the obligatory trips to Symi. ;)
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 31 Oct 2017, 08:42

Allan wrote:Can I (belatedly) add to the thanks for your Crete trip report Gemma.

It is a very interesting report and felt even more "personal" to read it whilst sat on a balcony in Kalyves, only a few hundred yards away from the place you were staying a few days earlier! :shock:
The rain you experienced continued on and off for a few more days after you left before brightening up considerably. It was rather cool in the evenings though.

Your report has certainly got me thinking about the possibility of visiting the south west of Crete. Possibly next year if we can fit it in between the obligatory trips to Symi. ;)


Thanks for your comments Allan. A return trip for me is definitely on the cards sometime as despite the bad publicity (most of it well deserved) that Ryan Air get, I was very happy with my flights and they were a reasonable price. I'd quite like to visit Paleochora next time and could combine that with somewhere different on the north coast, though a return trip to Hora Sfakion to do the walk through the Imbros gorge before I get passed it ;) would also be good.
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Allan » 05 Nov 2017, 19:04

I agree about the Ryanair flight and I didn't use it to save money, they seem to be the only way to get to western Crete from airports in the north of England. Maybe that will change. Both times I've used the route I found the flight rather less unpleasant than I was expecting and Chania airport is a delight compared to Heraklion! (or Rhodes for that matter)

I was surprised when reading your report by how much tourist infrastructure there seems to be down on the south coast. I think I assumed that with the villages being so small and so cut off they wouldn't have the choice of tavernas and bars that tourists expect. It seems I was wrong and Hora Sfakion appears to have everything needed for a few days break and I'd really like to try it one day.

I love the mountain roads in Crete and I'm toying with the possibility of exploring the south coast by hire car, possibly combining that with a few days in a north coast resort. Kalyves again perhaps.

There is so much to see!
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Jan » 06 Nov 2017, 12:26

Paleochora is a huge village now with more accommodation than you can shake a stick at, but even if you hire a car you're a long way from anywhere. You can 'do' Sougia (also plenty of accommodation and tavernas but still a small village) as a day trip by boat and Elafonisi (island at high tide, beach formed of tiny pink shell fragments) ditto. The South Coast boat service is its lifeline and is a good option for hopping along the coast to places which have no road access. Early season there's no need to book accommodation ahead on weekdays but the villages are certainly becoming more popular so perhaps better to err on the safe side and make reesrvations after early June.
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby plee » 06 Nov 2017, 17:25

Hi, I have been to Crete twice this year. April was wonderful with flowers everywhere. Myself and a friend stayed in cheap studios near Heraklion and travelled a lot by bus to the the west coast. We also had friends staying in a villa near Aptera. They had a car and we drove over the snow topped mountains, walked the Imbros gorge and went to the stunning ancient site of Aptera.
The second break we stayed in Bali on another budget package. The focus of this visit was to see a friend who is a Greek Orthodox nun. She lives in a restored monastery above Channia. The monastery is built on ancient caves used by hermits and no doubt by the resistance in the 2nd world war. I felt I had walked into a film set from Lord of the rings! Such beauty everywhere. We spent the day with the nuns, finished by being invited to vespers. It was such a heart opening experience. On this trip I also stayed in Chania, then went down to Palochora on the south coast. I went by bus and was struck by the stunning scenery and the villages. Lots of memorials and signs saying 'this is the martyred village of...'.
I felt very much the history of the Island on this trip and since returning have read The Cretan Runner by George Psychoundakis. Its his account of being a runner for the British. Its horrific and fascinating. I would love to go back with a car (and somebody to drive it!) to explore some of places towards the south coast.
Next year I am trying Mainland Greece for a week in spring - Parga as I want to go to Meteora and then because i miss Symi and haven't been for a couple of years Symi in the Autumn funds depending...
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 07 Nov 2017, 08:50

plee wrote:Hi, I have been to Crete twice this year. April was wonderful with flowers everywhere. Myself and a friend stayed in cheap studios near Heraklion and travelled a lot by bus to the the west coast. We also had friends staying in a villa near Aptera. They had a car and we drove over the snow topped mountains, walked the Imbros gorge and went to the stunning ancient site of Aptera.
The second break we stayed in Bali on another budget package. The focus of this visit was to see a friend who is a Greek Orthodox nun. She lives in a restored monastery above Channia. The monastery is built on ancient caves used by hermits and no doubt by the resistance in the 2nd world war. I felt I had walked into a film set from Lord of the rings! Such beauty everywhere. We spent the day with the nuns, finished by being invited to vespers. It was such a heart opening experience. On this trip I also stayed in Chania, then went down to Palochora on the south coast. I went by bus and was struck by the stunning scenery and the villages. Lots of memorials and signs saying 'this is the martyred village of...'.
I felt very much the history of the Island on this trip and since returning have read The Cretan Runner by George Psychoundakis. Its his account of being a runner for the British. Its horrific and fascinating. I would love to go back with a car (and somebody to drive it!) to explore some of places towards the south coast.
Next year I am trying Mainland Greece for a week in spring - Parga as I want to go to Meteora and then because i miss Symi and haven't been for a couple of years Symi in the Autumn funds depending...


Wow, the visit to the monastery sounds amazing plee, what a moving experience! Whilst the bus service on Crete is very good you can see so much more if you hire a car. However as somebody who only drives in the UK when necessary, the idea of driving on the narrow roads in Crete is something I couldn't even contemplate - though a car with someone to drive it sounds good ;)

I initially wanted to stay in Sougia on my September trip Jan but accommodation was quite expensive and I was very happy in Hora Sfakion. If I stay in Paleochora I could visit Sougia on the ferry and I've heard there are good walking opportunities in that area too.

A return to Crete is possibly on the cards for 2019 as I've booked a week in Kalymnos for next June and 12 nights on Symi in September. Then there are other islands that I've not yet visited - Syros is top of my list. There are so many islands and not enough time to fit them in round work.
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby plee » 07 Nov 2017, 22:43

I agree Gemma1, so many islands and not enough time!! I am sure I will meet you one day on one of these islands - maybe Symi. I thought next September I will stay on tilos for a couple of nights as a little extra trip whilst on Symi. I love to stay on Symi alone. As a single woman I feel safe - I can walk, paint, swim, eat lots of wonderful food and go home feeling rejuvenated. I started coming 20 years ago and even though I love to explore other places, I pine when I have missed a couple of years.
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Gemma1 » 08 Nov 2017, 08:41

plee wrote:I agree Gemma1, so many islands and not enough time!! I am sure I will meet you one day on one of these islands - maybe Symi. I thought next September I will stay on tilos for a couple of nights as a little extra trip whilst on Symi. I love to stay on Symi alone. As a single woman I feel safe - I can walk, paint, swim, eat lots of wonderful food and go home feeling rejuvenated. I started coming 20 years ago and even though I love to explore other places, I pine when I have missed a couple of years.


I had 3 nights on Tilos as a side trip from Symi in 2008. I agree with your comments about staying on Symi alone, I always feel completely safe. I've stayed on 40+ Greek islands but Symi remains my favourite and most visited island :)
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Jan » 08 Nov 2017, 11:27

Sougia - try Zorba's rooms on the seafront. No online booking though Pavlos (the owner) does have a fax machine(!). Cheap and good quality for what you pay. Contact info for that and other Sougia accommodation at http://www.sougia.info/accommodation.htm
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Re: Crete Trip Report

Postby Allan » 08 Nov 2017, 14:18

This is an interesting thread. Lots of useful information about an area I know little about but want to visit one day.

I like the Cretan bus service but I still think I'd feel 'trapped' in a small village on the south coast. Having a hire car would avoid that feeling and I really like the narrow twisting mountain roads. There is so much to see up there and so many tiny villages. Being able to stop and look around whenever I want is wonderful. I found driving around the small roads in eastern Crete a couple of years ago fascinating and not at all stressful. The National Road, on the other hand, was no fun at all and best avoided if possible!

The mountain roads are narrow in places, yes, but I found them to be in very good condition (they put some of our country roads to shame) and incredibly quiet. I could drive for half an hour without seeing another car in some areas!

I don't know if I'll get back to Crete next year but it is a possibility and if I do I'll be taking note of all the suggestions here.
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