Hello Fellow Travelers:

My husband and I are planning on taking a ferry to from Santorini to Crete (Herkalion) that would arrive in the evening. We will stay in Herkalion Saturday night and then Sunday morning take public transportation to Knossos. After exploring there, we plan on taking public transportation to Chania where we will spend all day Monday and then fly to Athens mid-morning Tuesday.

1. Does anyone know anything about public transportation from Herkalion to Knossos and then to Chania?

2. Any suggestions for a hotel in Chania - preferably in town (we initially picked our Palazzo di Pietro but they are already fully booked). Thoughts on Ontas Traditional Hotel or Alkion Hotel?

3. I read on another forum that Knossos and the museum are free on Sundays - can someone confirm this?

4. In Chania, my husband is considering scuba diving - does anyone know anything about diving in Chania versus Santorini? (we are planning on going snorkeling together there).

5. Any thoughts on what I can do by myself in Chania while my husband is scuba diving for part of the day (is it safe to wonder the streets alone?).

Thanks in advance!

1. Public transport from Heraklion. Buses. Fairly frequent and quite cheap. Lonely Planet guide should have details.

2. I stayed at the Porto del Colombo, very close to the waterfront.

5. Yes, it's safe. I can't think of anywhere I went in Greece (in six weeks) that wasn't. Maybe some parts of Athens I wouldn't be likely to visit. I used Chania mostly as a base for hiking the Samaria Gorge, but I also wandered the streets.

Heraklion>Chania: http://www.bus-service-crete-ktel.co...ine=1&lg=2

Knossos is only 5 km from the center of Heraklion. You can take a taxi, and there are lots of daily buses from bus station "A" near the ferry port.

We stayed for 4 nights at Pandora Suites in Chania and loved it. Very central with a great roof terrace with views over the harbour and town.

http://www.greekhotel.com/crete/chania/pandora/home.htm

Chania seemed a very safe place to me, lots of places to eat and touristy shops. The market in town is good for gifts to take home.

I do think you are doing way too much in such a short time.
Kay

Last summer we spent two weeks in Western Crete and just barely started to scratch the surface. We spent 4 days in Chania and could easily have taken a week to fully explore.
Frankly Crete has way more to offer than you have time. Your transfers from Santorini and buses from Heraklion to Chania will take up most of your two days and you will have virtually no time to do anything.
Unless Knosses is absolutely the one thing you have to do on your trip then I would suggest you just stay on Santorini and enjoy all that it has to offer rather than waste the better part of two and a half days mostly commuting.
Crete is large and has lots to see. Give it the time it deserves. deserves.

Two days seems like hardly enough time to even look around Crete.

Outside of Greece, the Rough Guide Crete is probably the best source for public transit. They won't have actual schedules, but their guides usually describe bus service well enough to give you an idea of how feasible it is to use it in various places.

Your schedule doesn't seem to leave time for the Heraklion museum, which really should be seen in conjunction with Knossos.

Scuba diving is subject to severe restrictions in Greece (fears of people ripping off underwater antiquities) and you probably won't be able to do it.

Street crime is rare (not unknown) in Greece, so walking the streets isn't a major concern, but crossing them is, considering what the traffic and drivers are like. It's a little known fact that the Greek word for "pedestrian" is the same as the word for "target."

It's simply not true you can't scuba dive in Greece - there are dive centers everywhere. Here are a couple based in Chania: http://www.greeka.com/crete/chania/g...nia-diving.htm

And here are some on Santorini: http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/santo...ini-diving.htm

It is indeed not true that you can't scuba dive in Greece, which is why I never said any such thing. What I said (in my own words and not in words that someone else saw fit to put in my mouth) was that because of concerns about the theft of underwater antiquities, scuba diving in Greece is severely restricted, a statement which a little independent research will show is entirely accurate. For instance, The Rough Guide to the Greek Islands, surely a more authoritative source than any random self-styled experts who post to internet travel forums, says:

"Because of the potential for pilfering submerged antiquities, scuba-diving is SEVERELY RESTRICTED, its legal practice in the islands confined to certain coasts ..." [emphasis added].

Boinky, you said: "...and you probably won't be able to do it." I didn't put those words in your mouth. That you seem to get most of your information out of guidebooks explains a lot.

Oh, by the way, I have <i>The Rough Guides to the Greek Islands</i> 6th edition, and this is what it actually says:

&quot;Because of the potential for pilfering submerged antiquities, <b>scuba-diving</b> is still fairly restricted, though the government has relaxed its controls of late and there are now over 100 dive centers spread throughout parts of the mainland, the Dodecanese, the Ionians, the Cyclades and Crete.&quot;

If you have to rely on guidebooks, at least get the current edition. ;-)

How long are you staying on Santorini? I had a week on Crete and could have stayed longer, three days is more than enough on Santorini. Maybe you can split the time a little better. Chania is perfectly safe and so interesting with it's little Venetian harbour.

Thank you all for your responses!

We are staying in Santorini for 3 days including a night ferry to Herkalion. We already have a hotel booked in Herkalion for the first night since we won't be arriving until 7:30pm.

Day 2 we are going take the public transportation in the morning to Knossos and hopefully will have some time before to go to the museum (if not, at least we will get to see Knossos). Then we will take public transportation to Chania - anyone know how long this will take us?

Day 3 we will spend in Chania - my husband is going to check more into scuba diving - thanks for your advice!

I know that we won't have a lot of time to explore in Crete, but given that we wanted to see Knossos and are flying out of Chania Day 4, we are doing our best to maximize the time we have.

Thanks again!

There's no problem with frequent buses from Iraklion to Knossos and to Chania. There are also heaps of buses going to Chania from Knossos, but I suspect they are expedition buses. Did you mean to go back into Iraklion once you've seen Knossos, and then get the bus? I think, otherwise you might have an issue with somewhere to leave your luggage.

I think, if it were me, I'd go out to Knossos, do the site, and then go back into the Museum. Unfortunately, they're in the middle of building a new museum and at least until next autumn, the museum is closed. There is a temporary exhibition available. And yes, they are free on Sundays.


Your compatriots are very keen on the Casa Delfino in Chania. It's a lovely looking hotel. But we prefer apartments, so I'm not a good recommender

I fear that, notwithstanding availability, scuba diving isn't great round Chania. Lots of sandy sea beds with nothing to see. So, if you're hsuband is going to sign up, make sure they take him somewhere interesting. Both the south and east coasts have rockier places to scuba.

Chania

Is a fascinating town just to BE in. Lotys of wee lanes and museums and places open to the public,a nd the market and a really ecletic mix of architecture.

See if you can find a wee pamphlet by Tony Fenntmore, now sadly deceased. It's called something like Fenny's walking tour of Chania and it's superb.

The Hellenic Book Service in London might have it

Bus ride from Heraklion to Chania is 2hours and 45min.
Chania is a charming town. The mix of Venetian and Turkish architecture, wrapped around the beautiful harbor front. Try to walk on the sea wall toward the lighthouse. You may visit the Archeological museum. Go to the open market and crossed-shaped indoor market. Buy some Crete olive oils.

As I recall taxis post their fares to different locations inCrete. True we were to couples sharing but found taxis the best way to get around.
There are big sings with fares at some taxi stops, if not negociate.

I meant we were two couples....