Two weeks in Crete

[MartinQ]

Mrs Q and I are off to Crete in a few weeks (flights booked to Chania), but I'd like to get some suggestions on where to stay and how to break it up.

I was thinking of three options:

• The full two weeks in Elounda;
• A week in the Chania area and a week in/near Elounda;
• Two weeks in the Chania area.

We like to go out and see the sights and are interested in Knossos, Caves of Zeus, Lassithi Plain etc. However, we also like a drink of an evening (nothing OTT though - a typical taverna would be much preferred to an Irish bar in Malia) and don't want to be stuck in the back of beyond.

[ukwill]

Stayed at the Elounda Peninsula several years back and really enjoyed it.

My recommendation for a great evening would be Migomis in Ag Nik. It's only a 5-10m cab from Elounda, and well worth it,

[Herman Toothrot]

I'm off there on Friday for a week. Half a week in Chania, other half in Anogia in a mountain resort to chill out. Walking the gorge and visiting the various ruins are all I'm planning. Will update when I'm there if I find someone particularly worth seeing.

[LooneyTunes]

Went out there last year.

Knossos was worth a visit, but the site was smaller than expected. Do it early in the day if you can as there's not much shade.

If I went back, I'd not let the wife take care of the hire car this time: she booked with some crappy outfit. The cars from the international firms looked to be in much better condition (and more conveniently placed at the airports too).

Roads are surprisingly good, and it's possible to make decent progress, but did have a few problems trying to get on/off their National Road (not many entrances/exits so, in once case ended up driving under it in what was either a very small tunnel or a very large storm drain...).

The road signs are pretty ropey (and sometimes covered in stickers!) so, if you have one, I'd also be tempted to take a satnav with key destinations pre-programmed (we'd booked on from the crappy hire company but they didn't have it when we got there).

[Chris100]

Zeus' Cave was worth a visit and is located in the very pretty Lassithi Plateau which is a nice drive.

[Herman Toothrot]

Drove from Heraklion to Chania on Saturday and I like the driving style here. Catch someone up and they pull to the verge to let you pass, made good progress even in an auto Suzuki swift. Double lines and on coming traffic also appear irrelevant to stopping an overtake, go for it anyway and on coming traffic happily moves to the verge as well. Very relaxed attitude to it all, if only the UK was like that :-)

Staying in the old town in Chania, very nice, lots of nice food, good scenery etc. Slightly surprised how late people were out until last night though. I was tired so headed to bed at midnight ish, the music only stopped at 5am so not the best nights sleep, I'm in late 30's and with the wife so not really interested in boozing all night.

Off to walk the gorge tomorrow - will report back.

[Herman Toothrot]

Gorge worth doing 12 miles walking rough terrain down hill, impressive as some of the US national parks.

[MartinQ]

Thanks for the updates. Some useful info there and it's certainly whetting the appetite.

I think I've decided on a busier week in the west followed by a quieter one in the east. Still planning on racking up a few km in the hire car though. There also seems to be some interesting roads around - particularly near Hora Sfakion on the south coast

[Herman Toothrot]

Amazing roads alps style getting over to the gorge today but took the bus as both directions walking would have been too much.

[Herman Toothrot]

Drove myself today along the Old national road and then off up to anogia and back down to heraklion, amazing road basically empty and the steering wheel has to move constantly, no straights at all, constant hair pins.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Thursday 12th September 13:11

[Herman Toothrot]

Went to Spinlonga today, that was better than Knossos that I did yesterday. Knossos seemed like a load of guesswork and modern concrete. Spinlonga would be helped if you've read the book by whatshername Hislop :-)