A few questions about Crete
 

Hi,

I'm considering visiting Crete next year's June and I was wondering how long I should stay there. I'm interested in spending time on the beach, visiting villages and historical landmarks.

Thanks.

How long? It really depends. By this age I have been there all together something like three or four months.

It's a very interesting place and the largest island in the chain, so it is one of those places you could spend quite a long time in if you wanted.

I was there for 10 days and felt as though we'd just scratched the surface and I'd love to go back.

You'll want at least six nights. I think to basically explore the whole island would easily fill up three weeks.

We just returned from crete last night. We spent 4 nights, 1 in Iraklion, 3 in Hania. We were able to visit Palace of Konossos from Iraklion, and then took a bus to the center of Hania. We stayed along the harbor. From there we rented a car for 2 days and went to Elafonisi (beach and stopped at a cave on the way, and drove along a gorge) and Falasarna (beach and ancient ruins). The beaches are gorgeous!! But, they do involve a lot of driving. i didn't expect that. Some of the driving is along the side of a mountain. I didn't really care for that. The beach at Elafonisi was 1.5 hours from Hania. Falasarna was only about 40 minutes and a much easier drive. It took me a while to warm up to Crete. But, people seem to love it...? I'm not really sure what the Eastern and Southern part of Crete involves. But, I'm comfortable we saw a good part of the the western part in 4 days. The villages you mention? The villages we saw, well we drove through before we even realized we were in a village. And the center of Hania, is no small village. To me it felt like a very large town, city even. There are some charming streets in the center, close to the Harbor, but they are geared for tourists - I didn't expect all the souviner shops and touristy restaurants, etc.

For myself- the rest of my life.

Shelia - I don't understand your post. Are you saying your crazy about Crete and want to live there? I feel like I "missed something" in Crete - I didn't fall in love with it like otehrs have. What are the things that you and others love about it?

I'm married to a red-haired pale skinned Scot who was brought up in the Middle East. In other words, he's a no hoper for a move to a warm climate.

But if he ever gets hit by a bus, I'll be on the next flight to Crete.

I love the climate, the food, the pace of life, the people, the history, the culture, the natural history.

The only think I don't love is the languge, but that's just a question of hard work.

It won't happen tho'. He'll outlive me by decades.

I spent one week in Crete and it was not nearly enough. There were three beaches within easy walking distance and we took buses to visit many villages and historical landmarks. As I write this I can't stop laughing at Sheila's hysterical post.

Hysterical?

I meant every flippin' word!

Sheila I meant hysterically funny! I'm still laughing.

Caramia - it took me a couple of days to warm to the place myself - my first thoughts looking around on the drive to the hotel were 'Oh no!'

I think you were not in the best locations. Iraklion is the biggest city on the island and that was the part that made my heart sink when I saw it, coming away from the airport.

Also, Hania is the 2nd largest town and very touristy.

Perhaps you'll give the island another chance some time and head for one of the less developed areas, as you might find it completely different.

I was staying on the south coast and although there were two big boozy tourist towns either side of me, where I was was reasonably quiet, although still set up for tourists. It was a great location for touring though, and the beach area was good, with nice tavernas etc if you dug down a bit past all the fish and chip shops :-)

I found the landscape quite ugly at first - very dry and 'scrubby' but, again, it grew on me. Especially after a riding trip through farmland, and once my eye had adapted after the lushness of the UK.

After a couple of days I loved the place and it is still my 'best' holiday. So much to do and see and such friendly people. Many happy memories, from what must be the world's biggest croissants and doughnuts for breakfast from the bakery next to our apartment, to being rewarded with a tiny but delicious locally grown banana for getting up and dancing at the taverna, to the mountains and beaches, to the little old man who sold raw sea anenomes - for eating - on the beach road so there was always a gaggle of horrified tourists watching the locals knock them back with great relish - the historical sites, the friendliness towards my son, snorkelling, visiting Spinalonga Island (another great trip for anyone with the time)...so much.

One little jewel I think most visitors must miss is a museum of Folklore, here: http://www.cretan-openair-museum.gr/english.html. I didn't see it advertised anywhere but at the bus-stops, and it is in a really unlikely location, but it was the highlight of our trip.

Caramia, where in Crete you were? And when? Crete in April/May is different from Crete in July/August. And living in some hotel village or a big hotel on the northern coast is different from living in a small village in the center of the island. And lying in a beach chair is different from climbing in the hills with an old woman who teaches you all about horta (wild vegetables).

Crete is so big that you can choose.

Oh, God, Elina, the horta. I HATE horta. Nearly as much as I hate Dakos.

Two of the great dishes of the world.

A dakos, a plate of horta, maybe some kokoretsi ... yum! A delicious lunch after a midmornimg snack of raw fava beans and raki!

Thanks everybody for your advice and comments. However, I've just bought a bookguide of Crete and somehow it doesn't seem to be what I had in mind. I also posted a question about whether to choose Sicily or Crete and, so far, I think Sicily will be my next destination.

Thanks again.

Castallanese, I think you will enjoy Sicily. Like Caramia79, I was not taken by the passions of Crete as many others have been. I spent a week there and was not taken by the island. I should mention that my husband is Greek and I've spent quite a bit of time traveling throughout Greece. I've been "taken" by many other places in Greece.