Hi All - I am planning a trip to Greece in June - I'll have about 12 days to 2 weeks total and was thinking of 4 nights in Crete (the rest will be split with 3 nights Mykonos, 3 nights Santorini and 1-2 nights in Athens). If I can, I will extend the trip a couple of days, but not sure I will have the vacation time...We'll see.

So, given my current 4 nights in Crete:

1) where would you base yourself?
2) and what would you do?

I am currently working with a travel agent who suggests that I stay 4 nights in Elounda and take a day trip to Chania. I was thinking of splitting my time 2 nights in Elounda and 2 nights in Chania. I am also open to other alternatives...Any suggestions?

Also, any suggestions in terms of what to do in Crete? It sounds like I could easily fill way more than 4 days here but I'd love to hear some thoughts on the BEST of Crete...Thanks so much!! - Laura

Hi Laura,

In my opinion, Chania is a wonderful place and you could easily base yourself there for four days. We spent 17 days on Crete last year and it was not nearly enough (so next year we're going back to spend a full month on just Crete). Didn't come close to Elounda or eastern Crete, so I cannot make a comparison for you.

As for 2) and what would you do? doesn't answer what you like to do. For me, it's easy--hike, hike, hike, visit ruins that I come across and explore menus! But you may prefer to lie on a beach, or visit as many Minoan sites as possible, or eat only local specialties, or go clubbing all night long (not all activities are mutually exclusive).

I have recently scanned the pictures of some of our past travels and put them on line. Greece 2006 pics are available at
http://tinyurl.com/2rjos9

JQ

Hi JQ - Thanks for your reply! As for what we like to do, we are usually into exploring towns, wandering narrow streets and getting lost We love eating at authentic restaurants and although we like the beach, I wouldn't say that is our top priority while in Greece. I have heard of the Samaria Gorge, but depending on how "strenuous" it is, we may or may not decide to do that...We are in our early 30's (my husband & I) and we're in ok shape so not too concerned physically, but if we're going down narrow paths where we could fall off a cliff or something, my nerves might not be able to take it. I would like to see some interesting ruins while in Greece, but probably just the major highlights (not every ruin in Crete or Greece!)

Based on this, any other suggestions? I'm wondering if I should skip Elounda altogether if it is just a beach area...I do like the beach, but we'll be spending our 3 days in Mykonos on the beach...Thanks for your advice!

Another vote for Chania. We spent four days there two summers ago, and could have stayed a few more. We didn't make it to Elounda so I can't compare the two, but Chania with its lively harbor,interesting museum, covered market, twisty streets full of small excellent restaurants and shops, provided more than enough to see and do.

Hi, allday,

here's another vote for chania. unfortunately our experience of Crete may be slightly out of date, [our one and only visit was about 25 years ago!] but it seemed to us that that end of the island was more interesting, with plenty of sights and sites to visit.

we managed the samarian gorge, but it wasn't that exciting - just long and stoney and hot.

of course, you will miss out on knossos, but there are other sites in the western end of the island which are well worth visiting.

if you try to do both, you'll spend too long travelling, not enough time seeing and doing, IMO.

regards, ann

Hi! I've been to Crete 4 times for about a week each time... and Chania gets my vote.

From my reading I get the impression that Agents push Elounda becauee it is a resort area, and agents as you know get commissions from booking people into resort hotels.

In Chania we've loved staying on the west side of Old Town by the west wall on Theotokopoulu street -- Hotel El Greco is quite reasonable, also lots of pensions; more swank is Casa Delfini.

The old city itself is fascinating to explore for a whole day--and at nite go to Kafe Kriti, where old guys play music and dance just for their own amusement not as a tourist show.

If you want a gorge walk you might consider the Imbros Gorge---you get all the bennies of the Samaria, it's just as beautiful, only 3-4 hours, and NO crowds at all... you don't go in a bus with a group, you drive to Imbros, walk down, find a taxi to drive u back to your car.

As long as you work with an agent, you will be "on the beaten path" and will not get to see much but other tourists. From Chania u can drive inland, or on the "old road" going east -- Vamos is a nearby authentic village where people do old-timey crafts (but not as "exhibitions&quot.

From Chania you can also take a day to drive west to Falassarna, stay a night overlooking glorious beach(try Hotel Petalida, a small family place that agents never heard of), eat great fish they caught that day, and walk down the road 200 yards to some great ruins.

For Crete, u have to consider where u go from there and what transport -- ferries to Santorini all go out of Heraklion (9:45 am daily) so u wd have to be close there the night before.

I've been to all your stops and if I were u, I'd chop a night off one of your other places & add to Crete, but that's just me. I hope u can make it the 14 days, not just the 12.

TIP for maximizing fun, minimizing backtracking: plan Athens arrival for AM, then go to Aegean Air down the hall and fly DIRECTLY to farthest island... there's a flight to Crete noonish -- so you get the afternoon & sunset on a beautiful isle on your very first day! Enjoy!

I'll be a contrarian. We did similar trip last year-- stayed 3 nights on Santorini, 5 nights on Crete (all in Elounda), and 2 nights in Athens. We day-tripped to Chania/Souda Bay for the day--easy drive. We also day-tripped another day to Knossos. We spent another day visiting one of the monasteries, going to the Crete Golf CLub (very cool place if you play golf--extremely difficult course), and stopping in Agios Nikalos for shopping. We spent one day in Elounda at the spa/beach. We could have used another day to visit some of the wineries east of Elounda.

I'd consider only 2 nights on Santorini unless you plan on spending a day a the beach. We rented a car and saw all of the island easily in 2 nights as the ferry leaves late in the afternoon from Santorini to Heraklion.

2 nights in Athens is a must if you're flying back to the States from Athens-- just in case you run into travel hiccups.

based on what you like, ditch Elounda and go for Chania (you could do Rethymnon, but I like Chania better). Make a day trip to Knossos.

There's masses to do in the west. I'm sure Elounda is still fine, but, basicaly, it's a posh resort.

At this point I am nothing more than a memeber of the Chania chorus, however it really is something special. We spent two weeks in western Crete last year with two days in Rethymnon, four days in Chania and the rest touring the beaches along the Lybian Sea.

Chania was hands down our favorite place. It is just another Greek city until one arrives at the old Venetian walled city and harbor. We were captivated.

Rethymnon on the other hand really does not have the charm or ambiance of Chania and if possible you probably should avoid the time share there.

Here are our pictures of Western Crete for you to consider as you make your decision.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/559511069PIlVxI

Thanks so much!! I think I've decided to do Chania. I really appreciate everyone's advice!!

If I did a day trip to Knossos, any idea how long it would take me to get there? Should I rent a car or try to take a "packaged day trip" which I would imagine are offered in Chania??

Also, I am very intersted in at least checking out a beach or two on the Lybian Sea - do you think that's feasible??

Thanks so much!! I am excited for my trip!

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember that Knossos is about a 3-hour drive from Chania.

There's also a popular, gorgeous beach ( whose name is escaping me!!) about 1.5 hours from Chania, on the way to Heraklion.

It's about an hour and a half to Knossos and it's an easy drive, if you choose to rent (give or take the turn off the National Highway, which may be fixed now, but has been plagued by road works for years).

You can easily do it on the public bus; or there are, for sure, day trips.

Whatever you do, you should tie in in with a trip to the museum- if it's re-opened.

They're both free entry on Sundays.

Isn't the free entry every Sunday just in the winter? I think from April on, the free entry is FIRST sunday of month -- someone correct me if I'm wrong.

The Iraklion Museum BUILDING itself is still under renovation I believe, but key treaures from the collection are on display in 2 rooms in a building around the corner -- directions posted at the museum itself I believe.

Yes u can get a day-trip package -- check at a local agency & ask if it includes museum-rooms as well as Knossos. THen compare price w. cost for rent-a-car (which in june can be very reasonable, i.e. 25-30E per day if u can drive stick-shift). A rental will give much more flexibility in time (and sometimes a coach-tour thing involves a lunch at a taverna which you may not want).

hi, allday,

the gorgeous beach referred to is at Rythemnon, I believe, which is about half way between Heraklion and Chania.

I'm surprised that it would take as little as 1&1/2 hours between Heraklion and Chania - my memory is of it being that long from H'leon to Rythemnon, and then the same again Rythemnon to chania, but that was on a local bus 25 years ago.

Knossos would stil be worth the effort though.

Regards, ann

Oh, sorry, beaches- I would go to paleochora if I were you. Falassarna, previously mention is much nicer, but it's not on the Lybian Sea.

And the south coast is generally MUCH nicer than the north.

And unless they've changed it (God, I need a trip to Crete!) they do free every Sunday. It's meant to be for Cretans.

Hi,
I'd like to re-open this thread and go further into the Chania of it all. I'll be there in a few weeks with several friends and would love to know your favorite places to EAT and to explore..in nature and otherwise! Especially tips on ways to make the shrinking dollar count!! We'll be there for 4 full days and already have booked the Casa Leone. Any good music spots at night? Thanks!

I loved Chania- our favorite restaurant was Moutoupaki-wonderful food and great staff. Ate there 3 times in 5 days. We didn't go out for music at night, but there was a festival going on when we were there so we were able to enjoy good music without looking too hard.
We hiked the Samaria Gorge- it's really not too strenuous. Then took the ferry from Agia Roumeli to Loutro where we spent the night ($25). We then took the ferry to Sfakia and a bus back to Chania. The hotel in Chania (Pandora Suites) kept our room for us and didn't charge us for the night we were gone. Very nice people.
Have a great trip!

I'd suggest you take this to a new thread, seeksocean. Folk often don't re-open old ones.

Thank you! Sheila, I will take your advice!