Home base(s) for Crete?
 

We arrive in Crete September 13 at 1:30pm from Washington, DC. This will be our 2nd time in Crete.

9/13: taxi to Heraklion hotel, recover from jet lag
9/14: Pick up car, drive to Knossos (our 2nd time there), Herakleion Archaeological Museum, Phaistos, Matala beach.
9/15: Check out of hotel. Drive to Rethymnon: visit the town, Eleftherna, Preveli Beach, maybe Melidoni Cave, drive to Chania hotel
9/16-9/17: Lake Kournas, Samaria Gorge (if there is a short hike version), Balos Beach, Falasarna Beach.
9/18: Drive to Heraklion, return car, take 9:30 Hellenic Seaways ferry to Santorini.

When we go to the beaches, for most of them it is just to have a look for an hour or so, not to sunbathe or swim.

Do our home bases in Heraklion and Chania make sense? If so, can you recommend where in Heraklion to stay? It is a big city and we would prefer a “relaxed” part of Heraklion if possible. We are taking a taxi to the hotel because we think we will be dangerous driving after so much sleep deprivation. Likewise, does Chania make sense? Or would Rethymnon be a better base? Any area of Chania or Rethymnon you can recommend staying at?

Thank you.

Nobody responded to my question back in June. Now that I am back, I'll answer it myself in order to help future planners.

How I ended up deciding on home base was by putting all desired sightseeing locations on a personal Google Map so I could see where they were. Based on this picture, I could see that Rethimno was a better home base than Chania.

We did take a taxi to hotel GDM Megaron from the airport. For departure, we overnighted again at the Megaron before taking the fast ferry next morning to Santorini. We thought that all worked out pretty well.

We recommend the Megaron hotel, Ippokambos restaurant in Heraklion, Casa Moazza Suites in Rethimno, Zefyros restaurant in Rethimno, and Anna Car Rental.

Thanks Gensuki - most helpful as we plan our trip

So you are safely back. What impressed you or what did you like most? Been some years but the ruins of Minoan civilization at Knossis were certainly impressive and also we liked the Archealogical Museum in Iraklion. Our hotel was Astoria. Bus over to west coast and Hania/Chanis colonized by the Venetians where we relaxed at lunch. En route: climb to Venetian Fort and stop at village of Fodele, birthplace of El Greco.

One day we ventured south to village of Myrta and the museum of author Kazanzakis. His grave in Iraklion has motto: "I fear nothing, I hope for nothing, I am free." Next to Thrapsano and a pottery shop and mountain road to Banajia Kera Monastery. Lunch outdoor cafe in village of Mohos. Outstanding view. Then down to the coast to folkloric museum in Stalida.

Finally in Crete a day trip to a small village of Drosia where we dined in homes. Danger: limit your intake of raki or oozo (sp?)

we loved Crete over 30 years ago, but have never been back. I still remember Knossos, the cats in Heraklion, and the heat!


did you find a "short" version of the Samarian Gorge, Gensuki? we did the whole of it, took too long and almost missed the boat out so I'd have been grateful to find a route that took less time.

like you, Ozarksbill we got a bus to Chania, which we liked a lot; we decided to hire a car there and drive back to Heraklion via the "road" which according to the map runs parallel with the south coast - as this turned out to be mainly unmade, it was a bit of an adventure.

I wonder if they've finished it yet.