miko

I hope we can get some good advice here as we always did in the past from the Fodorites. I sometimes read the posts even when I am not planning any trip - other people's vacationing plans relax me more than anything.

Big question for us: South Crete or North-Western Crete ? Southern beaches and the beautiful mountains sound like the perfect place for us, however I fear that spending 15 days there and not seeing at least Chania, Rethymno or hike the Samaria Gorge would be too much of a loss. We like villa apartments or pretty traditional houses instead of regular hotels along big & sandy beaches.

We will be arriving to Crete by ferry and drive our own car so transportation is not an issue.

Does anyone know a quaint place that we can use as a base to enjoy Chania and the area West of Chania, some of the Southern beaches and Samaria Gorge - not necessarily in this order ?

Ah. Forgot to say we are travelling late September (16 Sep - Oct 1). What can we expect during that period, especially in South Crete ? Would tavernas, shops & other sites still be open ?

Thanks everyone,
Miko

GeoffHamer

Crete has a longer holiday season than the rest of Greece, so places will still be open in September. You'll be there after most of the crowds so you won't have any problems finding accommodation or restaurants. It's an ideal time as you'll be able to go where you like. A couple of years ago, I stayed for two nights in Sfakia and visited the island of Gavdos which is the southernmost point of Europe - the taverna there had no mains electricity so, after the generator was switched off, the only sound was of waves breaking on the beach.

gertie3751

I was there last September. Everywhere was open, it was business as usual. Far fewer crowds too, very pleasant. I always base myself in Chania, find getting to most places from there very easy. There are plenty of quaint places to stay there.

cmt

One opart of your post confuses me. You seem to imply that the Samaria Gorge is not in the south. It iS in the south. If you look at a map and find Agia Roumeli on the south coast, then look further inland, to the north of Agia Roumeli (but still clearly in southern Crete) and that's where the Samaria gorge is.

Hania

I also would base myself in Chania. With a car you can easily take day trips to the south coast. I have stayed several times at Anatasia Studios in the old part of Chania. I would not describe it as quaint though. Most rooms have kitchens and the main floor room has the stone exposed on the archway etc. Very nicely decorated but modern conveniences. One room has a lower kitchen and an iron wrought circular staircase going up to the bedroom. One room has a sizable balcony.

Edward2005

I didn't know Crete was big enough to have a southern Crete.

Eloise

There is "a southern Crete" because the southern shore is very different in character from the northern shore.

Marilyn

Why don't you spend a week in Chania and a week on the south coast? With a car you will be able to explore everywhere you want to go.

grandmere

Ditto Marilyn's comments.

sheila

Miko, I have a slightly diffferent answer to the rest of these guys. I propose you spend a week in Paleochora in the South West. It has direct access to beaches, and links to teh other south western towns daily by ferry. It's not Sfakia, and I must admit that I've not spent time there. But It is stunning. You can get eth bus, either with an organised trip, or, as we did, the service bus, to Omalos and then get the boat back from Agia Roumeli (with the BIG benefit that you don't then have another three hours back to your north coast base). Chanis is an easy day trip away. Rethymon is a slightly longer day trip away.

We've stayed there twce, and I have to say that the Harbour Apartmernts have my name on and I'd go back in a heartbeat. The first time we did it we stayed in a different studio (Ton Mari), then went across to Akrotiri for the second week- I'd have to check the name of the apartments, in Tavronitis; the second, we didn't take a car over, used the ferries to meander the South coast, then drove right over the island to Palekastro on the north East for the second week

Chania is nice, and we've stayed tere too. Personally I love the smaller scale of Paleochora, or Stavros or Tavronitis, to the "big city", but I like to have the chance to shop inthe town too.

The weather will be wonderful and everything will be open

Marilyn

Sheila, have you ever seen any villas or larger houses for rent down that way (Paleochora)? A group of friends is interested in getting something like that for next year, and when I was last in Crete that area was virtually undeveloped. You can email me directly if you like, so we don't hijack the thread. Thanks!

sheila

Marilyn

I don't know any houses as such in Paleochora. If it were me I'd take a range of flats in Harbour Apartments (did I mention it's my idea of heaven?). The only larger accommodation as such I know of is Olive Tree Cottages, which is just outside the village:-

http://www.accommodation-crete.com/

sheila

I found this

http://www.minotours.gr/accommodatio...Yannis%20Villa

And you might like to ask on explorecrete.com

Marilyn

Thanks, Sheila! Useful directions for me to proceed.

grandmere

We rented an apt. in Megala Chorafia, a hilltop village not far from Chania (20 min. or so by car), and our place overlooked Souda Bay. www.purecrete.com

greecube

Wow. Fifteen days in Crete. I'm jealous. The drive between Rethynmo and Southern shore is simply beautiful way for some R&R. With so much time, I would tend to agree with Marylyn and split time between Chania and South Crete. But it being September, I'd play it by ear. Reservations may not be necessary. Reserve a place for the first few days, and once there and after some exlporing, you can settle on the spot for your home base the rest of your stay.

miko

Thank you all for the great suggestions.

You are absolutely right to split the time between Chania and Paleochora, or Paleochora and Palekastro for that matter. We found a great villa for rent in the village of Pano Stalos, I guess we will be spending the first week there, then heading South.

What about Agia Roumeli ? Apart from being the place where Samaria Gorge ends, I have not heard anyone staying there for more than a couple of hours. Any particular reason ?

tom22

I have been several times on Crete during September and my impression was, that Northern Crete is more touristic than the South and more windy.

I did not rent a car, but travel by bus instead.

You can access the Samaria Gorge best by your own. Don't book a commercial tour, it is waste of money. Access the Samaria Gorge from the south as all commercial tours will do it from the south. You can access the village at the south end with a little boat (ferry). From their you can hike easy into the nicest parts of the Gorge and return to the southern village in one day. There is also a small hotel, so that you can stay for night, eat & drink and you can start early in the morning with you hike, so that the other tourists will not disturbe the nice view's. There are also other nice remote villages close to Samaria Gorge, which are only accessible by boat (no road, a car is useless).

sheila

Oh, tom22, controversial!!

Samaria the easy way is a perfect way to tee off the people who do it properly.

The path at the bottom is very narrow and if one has just walked all the way down, not being able to keep going because of tourists blocking the path will not make one feel happy