Crete

• Do Beach like Ken: Crete has some of the world's best beaches, like Elafonissi Beach, Balos Beach, Gramvousa, and Falassarna Beach.  Each beach has its own personality and character.  My favorite was Elafonissi as the water is shallow and feels like a turquoise lagoon, it has areas with beautiful pink sand, and the different depths of the water farther out make the view indescribable.  There are umbrellas and chairs to rent, but get there before 10am for these coveted items.  Also, don't forget to bring some cash for the bathroom.  My husband enjoyed Gramvousa the most, which was an old Venetian fortress in the late 1500s.  Not only is the beach quiet and beautiful, but you can hike up to the old fortress for an aerial view including Balos, and there is a cool shipwreck that is half submerged near the shore.  

​

• Go olive oil tasting: Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil, and Crete produces about 33% of the Greek output. We went to Biolea, which is a family owned olive oil producer that still creates the oil in small batches.  We were able to tour the plant and taste several of the olive oils they produce.  

​

• Walk around Chania: Chania is a charming old Venetian town.  We flew into and stayed in Chania and enjoyed walking around the historic streets and harbor in the evening.  One of our favorite meals on the trip was Salis, which is an upscale restaurant featuring local dishes at the harbor front. ​

​​

• Hike Samaria Gorge: Unfortunately we did not get to hike the gorge since we were with our elderly parents and it was not feasible to hike 9 miles with them, but it's definitely a must do when in Crete. The hike boasts beautiful scenery, towering cliffs, Mediterranean forest, and the famous "Iron Gates" which is the narrowest point of the gorge. At the end of the hike, you end at the shores of the Libyan Sea in Agia Roumeli. There is also a "lazy way" Samaria Gorge hike where you take a boat to Agia Roumeli and hike up 2 miles to the Iron Gates, but transportation there and back is quite involved. 

​

• Learn about the Minoan civilization: History buffs need to pay a visit to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and Palace of Knossos.  It's best to go to the museum first for an overview of the civilization and see a wooden model of the Palace of Knossos.  This will give you a better overview when you get to the Knossos ruins.  At the Palace of Knossos, you can meander through the ruins, which was a major center for the Minoan civilization and often regarded as the oldest city in all of Europe dating back to 2000 BC. 

​

Off the Beaten Path

• Charter a boat to explore close by islands: nothing is better than setting sail on the Mediterranean Sea. We chartered a boat to Balos and Gramvousa, but you can explore many other off the beaten path nearby islands.  You will be in good hands with George at Mikros Nautilus Cruises, who was such a nice and informative person.  He prepared lunch for us onboard, made sure we were always happy and comfortable, talked about the topography of Crete and different islands, and even allowed my 9 year old steer for a little while.

• Visit a small village: we stopped by Elos for lunch on the way back from another outing, and the town was so quaint with a few small restaurants, a bakery, and a grocery store.