7 Nights In Crete: Must Sees?
Apr 18th, 2011, 11:05 AM
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7 Nights In Crete: Must Sees?
Hi, my gf and I are going to Crete for 7 nights. We land in Heraklion on May 15th and then depart 8 days later via ferry from Heraklion to Santorini. We are mid 30's and looking for a mix of adventure and culture. Can anyone suggest a list of MUST SEES within Crete? We are NOT on a tight budger and like boutique hotels and good eats. Any suggestions would be well received. Cheers.
Apr 19th, 2011, 01:25 PM
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Stay in villas as you go... Crete is not a "base camp" kind of place. You are young, presumably flexible, not all fussed about moving on after a couple of nights.
Get your car at the airport, buzz over to Knossos, then zoom west on the north highway...
CHANIA -- stay in Chania a couple of nights, on the West side of Old Town, on or just off THeotokopoulu street -- lots of nice small hotels, look at Hotel Palazzo ... gracious, nice rooms. Good food all over -- look at Tamam, and Apostolis II for seafood. For night life try (1) Kafe Kriti on Kalergon st, old guys playing the lyra & bouzouki, young guy line dancing, and (2) Really good local club life, esp. weekends... after 11, walk to far end of harbor, keep going on seafront into New Town, you'll hear music, just head for the sounds you like (house, techno, whatever); it goes on and on, dress up a bit.
WEST of THAT -- Falassarna is a Divine beach ... a few years ago named best beach in Greece (but of course there are so many!). ... PLakias in the South is nice ...
it is hard to suggest must-sees when you just say "adventure and culture" Do you want to do hiking, jeep safaris, scuba, ruins, cooking lessons, gorges, what??? Here's an Idea: why not use the "search" function??? A lot of us have posted about Crete Must-sees over and over and over and over. Why not just put in Search Slot "A week in Crete" or "West Crete Itinerary" --- a ton of good links will pop up, with detailed descriptions of activities, food, hotels, beaches. And we won't have to repeat ourselves. Have a wonderful time --- and don't think u need to see everything at one go. I've visited Cret 5 times for at least 4-6 days each time, and I still haven't got much east of Heraklion, there's that much to see.
Another point:
Get your car at the airport, buzz over to Knossos, then zoom west on the north highway...
CHANIA -- stay in Chania a couple of nights, on the West side of Old Town, on or just off THeotokopoulu street -- lots of nice small hotels, look at Hotel Palazzo ... gracious, nice rooms. Good food all over -- look at Tamam, and Apostolis II for seafood. For night life try (1) Kafe Kriti on Kalergon st, old guys playing the lyra & bouzouki, young guy line dancing, and (2) Really good local club life, esp. weekends... after 11, walk to far end of harbor, keep going on seafront into New Town, you'll hear music, just head for the sounds you like (house, techno, whatever); it goes on and on, dress up a bit.
WEST of THAT -- Falassarna is a Divine beach ... a few years ago named best beach in Greece (but of course there are so many!). ... PLakias in the South is nice ...
it is hard to suggest must-sees when you just say "adventure and culture" Do you want to do hiking, jeep safaris, scuba, ruins, cooking lessons, gorges, what??? Here's an Idea: why not use the "search" function??? A lot of us have posted about Crete Must-sees over and over and over and over. Why not just put in Search Slot "A week in Crete" or "West Crete Itinerary" --- a ton of good links will pop up, with detailed descriptions of activities, food, hotels, beaches. And we won't have to repeat ourselves. Have a wonderful time --- and don't think u need to see everything at one go. I've visited Cret 5 times for at least 4-6 days each time, and I still haven't got much east of Heraklion, there's that much to see.
Another point:
Apr 19th, 2011, 11:17 PM
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Hi, have a look here: http://crete.royal-car-rental.gr/en/routes.html you find useful information if you want to make a route with a hired car, around Crete. Also you can find all inclusive hotel offers http://all-inclusive-holidays.gr/ use google translation because it's in Greek, but there is an offer for May!
See you
See you
Apr 20th, 2011, 01:10 AM
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Crete is too big to do justice to in a week; and I would recommend you concentrate on West Crete.
See Chania, see Knossos and the museum in Iraklion- on the way in or the way out. It's free on Sundays. Me, I would pitch one base, and it would be in Paleochora; but if you move about please stay there at least a couple of days. You can use the ferry to get around the south coast (including Elafonissi and Sougia.) You can do Samaria from there too. Falassarna is part of an easy day trip.
Chania is worth a day or two (actually more, but you've only got 8 days). Go to the Akrotiri and, having watched Zorba the Greek before you go, visit the beach at Stavros. There are a couple of lovely monasteries nearby to visit too.
I'm very fond of the beach at Marathi- but the place is riddled with lovely beaches.
See Chania, see Knossos and the museum in Iraklion- on the way in or the way out. It's free on Sundays. Me, I would pitch one base, and it would be in Paleochora; but if you move about please stay there at least a couple of days. You can use the ferry to get around the south coast (including Elafonissi and Sougia.) You can do Samaria from there too. Falassarna is part of an easy day trip.
Chania is worth a day or two (actually more, but you've only got 8 days). Go to the Akrotiri and, having watched Zorba the Greek before you go, visit the beach at Stavros. There are a couple of lovely monasteries nearby to visit too.
I'm very fond of the beach at Marathi- but the place is riddled with lovely beaches.
Apr 20th, 2011, 05:50 PM
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Hi, I am emabee...I pick up my car at Heraklion on May 15th and drive drirectly to Rethymno where I will stay one night at Avli and two nights ate the veneto suites. Plan is to do some sightseeing of the harbour and drive out to plaka on south side. n other day trip suggestions? I then drive to Chania and will stay three nights at Casa Delfino. I will do the Gorge trail (is it a long trail? can u do a loop and end up where u started?) I will also do day trips to elafonisi beach and other areas (any must see day trips near chania)? i will have two days left to book in crete. any suggestions on where? i then take a ferry to santorini and will stay three nights at armetis suites in iremovigli. plan is to walk for fira to oia and then check out the beaches. i then fly from santorini to athens and will stay two nights at the hilton athens. any further suggestions for crete would be welcomed. cheers
Apr 20th, 2011, 07:38 PM
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Regarding the above post, Instead of a day trip, spend a few days on the south side of Crete in the Rethymnon district in the seaside town of Plakias or just above on the hillside in the quaint village of Mirthios - Anna's Apartments is highly recommended. From there take day trips - don't miss Frankokastello, Sfakia, and the famous. Prevali Beach.
We have stayed at Artemis Suites on Santorini - the view is spectacular. You can walk to Fira - look for the path to stay off the busy road - but it is a bit of a distance. However, the local bus from the square is quite reliable. The hotel was fine, but not quite up to our expectations. The room was average, very little privacy on the terrace, and the staff was not at all helpful. For example, they repeatedly assured us they would provide transport for our return trip to the harbor, but nothing was arranged and we ended up missing our ferry due to their sheer incompetence. The view plus the ambience of Santorini compensates for these details, but I wanted to share a fair impression.
Next time we'll chill out in Oia, but we liked Imerovigli. There were some good tavernas, plus a nice walk out to the chapel on the point, a traditional puppet show in the square one night, proximity to Fira, and the best views. Santorini, however, does not have nice beaches.
We have stayed at Artemis Suites on Santorini - the view is spectacular. You can walk to Fira - look for the path to stay off the busy road - but it is a bit of a distance. However, the local bus from the square is quite reliable. The hotel was fine, but not quite up to our expectations. The room was average, very little privacy on the terrace, and the staff was not at all helpful. For example, they repeatedly assured us they would provide transport for our return trip to the harbor, but nothing was arranged and we ended up missing our ferry due to their sheer incompetence. The view plus the ambience of Santorini compensates for these details, but I wanted to share a fair impression.
Next time we'll chill out in Oia, but we liked Imerovigli. There were some good tavernas, plus a nice walk out to the chapel on the point, a traditional puppet show in the square one night, proximity to Fira, and the best views. Santorini, however, does not have nice beaches.
Apr 23rd, 2011, 10:02 AM
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This is emabee, thanks for all your replies....especially to sheila and parosblue. I will likely now stay for my two last nights in Mirthios at Anna' Apartment. any suggestions for taverna's in Mirthios? Any suggestions on mu st sees in Santorini besides the sunset 
? Cheers
? Cheers
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