Crete - 26/10 - 2/11/2025

Kalimera from the largest of the Greek islands, the mighty Crete.

Yes, that's right folks, the land of the Minotaur and birthplace of many Cretan legends. 

Our flight to Chania - pronounced Hania - was easy, and we got a 2.5 Euro bus ticket to the old town. A beautiful stroll past shops, restaurants and cafes, and we came around the corner to the 700 year old Venetian Harbour of Chania, to find our new place, Hotel Lucia was front row! The hotel was old - the elevator was built around the same time as the harbour, I reckon, our room was large but basic, but the view from our (tiny) balcony was to die for. My mate Afistos came over and took a vid, so you can check that out below. ;)

That night we ate at a Middle-Eastern restaurant called Taman that was right next door to our hotel. This place was highly recommended and did not disappoint. A salad of grated beetroot, carrot, and apple was dressed with walnuts and a lemon vinaigrette. This was topped with a creamy sheep's cheese called "mizithra" that is local to Crete. This salad was insanely delicious, and the cheese was the best one of the trip in my humble opinion. Jen-Jen went for the octopus braised in wine and tomato, served with rice, and I couldn't go past the fried lamb chops and chips...Sensational all round. Most restaurants give you free dessert wine - or ouzo - and cake when you finish your dinner as a way to say thank you. We got two small rolls of baklava, and it was top shelf! A walk around the Old Town and harbour finished the night off, and straight away we said - yep, you guessed it - this is our favourite place so far!!

The next day we walked to the beach, lay on sunbeds, had coffee and water bought to us from the cafe that owned the sunbeds, swam, ate salad and prawns for lunch and generally did what people on holidays do! We found some Italian wine for dinner and had pasta. Great day in the Mediterranean!

The next day was a public holiday for OXI Day or No Day. Basically, in WWII the Greeks told the Mussolini and the Italians to fuck off and they still celebrate it. We watched the soldiers and kids assemble for the parade but it took ages and we couldn't understand anything. Oh well, at least we tried to be cultural!!

After three nights in Chania, we felt that we could do a stint here in the future. It ticked all the boxes.

We then got the bus to Rethymno and again walked through a gorgeous old town before we stayed front row at Civitas Hotel. This room was schmick, the restaurant downstairs called Noma - no not THAT Noma - gave 10% off meals and a 10 Euro breaky!! Stoked!

We had dinner at the Indian place next door which was werry, werry good and organised a tour for the next day to go to Kourtaliko Gorge and Preveli Beach. Sweet as, goodnight see ya's at 8.15am.

Due to a fairly major stuff up on their behalf, we missed the pick up from our hotel, and finally a dude picked us - and another chick - up and drove us to the bus - an hour away. We missed the gorge, but the bus then took us to a beach to jump on a boat. Ahhh, this was more like it!!

A cruisy 20 minutes past the rocky shoreline, and we arrived at Preveli or Palm Beach. The palms, bullrushes and river that intersect this beach were Biblical, and I could see baby Moses in the reeds - if I tried real hard. We swam in the Libyan Sea and the river before we got the boat back to the bus and drove to Plaka beach, where we had a salad and a pizza before chilling on the sun lounges. 

The bus got back around 6pm. The day was OK, but we've been on so many day trips we know the great from the OK.

That's about it. We chilled, walked around, blogged, shopped, watched movies, ate and drank and soaked it all up.

We're now at Chania airport waiting to fly to Athens and then home.

We've loved Greece and will be back some other time in October - the best month to come in our opinions.

Thanks Jen-Jen, for the amazing organisation and the countless hours spent researching and booking places.

It certainly was a grand way to turn 50 ,and The Festival of Sedge will conclude when we get home!!

Much Love, and Ef Haristo!