Crete

I don't think that Crete is worth it for 2.5 days - add time to your other destinations!

Hi, you did not say why you planned to go to Crete. If you are going to Crete to hike the Samarian Gorge, it is well worth the trip. We did the trip 10+ years ago and still talk about the adventure. You take a bus from Hania early in the morning to the top of the gorge, and then hike 10+ miles to the ocean. It is fabulous —if you are in shape and like to do that sort of thing. The scenery is fabulous and there were areas with rock cairns everywhere that were amazing. Don’t miss it if you are a hiker – – it is the longest gorge in Europe I think.

I agree with the previous poster that there is not much to offer on Crete. Rick has a brief section on the gorge on his website. Hania was a very nice place to stay.

We enjoyed Crete, but a couple of days there would be sufficient.

The island we really enjoyed was Malta, and we needed more than one day coming off a cruise ship for it.

Crete is worth more than 2.5 days; ancient ruins, hiking the gorges, some interesting cities, good food, small villages, fabulous countryside, interesting historical sites, If you need more info on what Crete offers, get the Rough Guide of Crete, a comprehensive guide to this wonderful Island.

Crete is a large island two and a half days will not do it justice. There is so much to see there. We stayed in Chania for two weeks and did not see everything we wanted to see on the western side of the island.

Crete is a large island with many archeological sites, historical churches, interesting villages and towns, and beautiful beaches. The small island of Spinalonga, part of Crete, was once a leper colony and is also interesting to visit.

We spent three weeks in Crete and didn't see everything we would have liked. Yes, flying there for only 2.5 days would probably be a waste of time. Not because there's nothing to see and do but because there are too many things. Much better to add those days to your other areas and enjoy them more.

Although we filled 2 weeks with Crete by car, flying in to Iraklio from London, and flying out from Hania, having 2.5 days could be worth the effort. Would you be flying, or taking a ferry? How much time will commuting eat up?

For a taste of Minoan ruins and spectacular museums, Venitian harbors, markets and more, if it’s not too much trouble to get there and back, 2.5 days on Crete is better than none. When will your next trip be, where Crete could be on the itinerary?

Crete requires a minimum of a week as long as you are planning to stay in one place. One year we stayed three weeks in East Crete and did not get to see everything. Don't waste your two days, most of it is going to get used up in getting to and from Crete.

Add the time to the Peloponnese, a week there is about a minimum of exploration. Your extra days can easily be added to the Peloponnese.

Yeah, in theory you could squeeze in a trip to sites in and near Heraklion and Chania in 2-1/2 days. I took an overnight ferry to Heraklion, spent a day and a night in Heraklion, part of a day in Heraklion and a night in Chania, and a day in Chania and the night on the ferry on the way back to Piraeus. There was nothing blatantly wrong with my itinerary. I would have been as happy if I had skipped Crete and spent the time on the mainland of Greece, at Olympia and/or the Peloponnese. Just forget about Crete on this trip. 6 or more days on Crete is a good amount of time if you carefully choose which sites you want to make time to see and which sites and towns you will acquiesce to skipping.

Thanks everybody for your advice. I think we'll skip Crete and hope to get there another time, although at 80, there won't be many more "other times." We'll spend another day in the Peloponnese, going to Mystras, and another day in Cypress. Has anyone been to Cypress -- and what are the high points to hit there in 4 days?