I will be travelling in early April (Easter week) with my husband and 22 year old son (who has a deep interest in ancient civilizations) for 9 days in Crete. Based on all the detailed information in this Forum from you Greek "vets", I've put together the following itinerary and would appreciate your feedback. I'm assuming that the weather will not be great for hanging out at the beach, although we hope to still be able to wander along some beautiful beaches. We like nature and hiking, as well as history.
Would appreciate advice for hotels/restaurants (already got in touch with Milia Mountain Retreat based on advice given in this forum). We all live in Europe so no jetlag issue.
Day 1: Arrive in Iraklion, probably in the evening ( 2 nights)
Day 2: Knossos and Archaelogical Museum {Can we do this in one full day?}
Day 3: Drive to Gortyn and Phaistos (visiting sites during the day) Night near Phaistos?
Day 4: Drive to Hora Sfakian. 2 nights. Hike Imbros Gorge in the first afternoon
Day 5: Ferry to Loutro for day trip {Should we hike back to Hora Sfakian?}
Day 6: Drive to Milia Mountain Retreat. 2 nights.
Day 7: Day trip to Elafonissi Beach
Day 8: Drive to Chania (2 nights)
Day 9: In Chania {What should we prioritize for our one night in Chania?}
Day 10: Fly out of Chania {May have to drive back to Iraklion because of flights}
Posted by
OP
Lausanne, Switzerland
30 posts
I'm hoping for a reply soon....Thank you!
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3397 posts
Hope to answer you tomorrow when I have time. This fab map http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-maps/images/Crete-eot.png is a MUST ... click to enlarge; navigate with side-slides. I'm v. familar with your route, hve done it, and have advice.
Posted by
OP
Lausanne, Switzerland
30 posts
Thank you!! I can wait. I know you have a lot of great info and would love your advice!
Posted by
Crete
91 posts
It looks lovely! Yes, you can visit Knossos & the Archeological museum in a day.
I am assuming you will be driving, or this itinerary would be very difficult out of season!
Glad you liked the look of Milia, & if it is cold at night up in the mountains (it will be), you can make up wood fires in their cottages.
Perhaps you would like Zaros to stay on day 3. It is a traditional village, inland, will be (like most places) very quiet in April. There is a choice of accommodation - Keramos; a very inexpensive rent-room place in the centre of the village with a very memorable breakfast!, hotel Idi; a very good value simple hotel, on the way to the lake & Eleonas; a more luxurious, smart bungalow style hotel near the lake. Can I also recommend taverna Vegera, for 1 of the most ridiculously inexpensive meals you will experience! All home-grown, home cooked, very simple fresh food, no menu, they just bring dishes until you ask them to stop!
Re walking from Loutro to Sfakia - it's not a particularly difficult walk, as long as none of you are prone to vertigo, as there is a stretch where the path is narrow & stony, on the side of a steep cliff.
I hope you can find an evening flight out of Chania to give you a little more time in this lovely city. Just walk around the Venetian harbour & the old town, which is full of tiny alleyways with renovated homes. Walk to the lighthouse, sit at a harbourside café & watch people go by, shop, enjoy a great meal. I don't think you'll have time for a trip out of the city. There are good little museums & street markets 4 days a week.
Posted by
OP
Lausanne, Switzerland
30 posts
It looks like from the map Janet sent me to that Zaros would require backtracking from Phaistos (on way to Hora Sfakian), for about an extra half hour (Yes, we'll be driving). Does that make sense? Wouldn't it make sense to stay somewhere so we'll be on the way to Hora Sfakian for the next day, or at least staying where we are ending Day 3?
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3397 posts
When you say "easter Week" do you mean Orthodox Easter? (Ap 8) US Easter? (Ap 1) What DATE is your "Day 1" -- I cannot advise wisely until we know.... because Orthodox easter has such an impact on site closings, transportation and more. FYI, we regulars do NOT mind full details in a query... in fact they save us from wasted time & effort & "blind alleys." If I recommended an itinerary based on above, and it turned out to mean planning a full day of site-exploring on a date when all sites were CLOSED ... frustrating for us both. Please clear up ASAP.
Posted by
OP
Lausanne, Switzerland
30 posts
Day 1 = Friday , March 30.
Posted by
Crete
91 posts
Well spotted, Jan!
So the day you will have to look out for in terms of most places being closed is Friday 6th April, Good Friday in Greece. The good news is that you will be able to join in some of the Easter celebrations, especially the big celebrations at midnight on Easter Saturday, lots of fireworks etc.
Instead of Zaros you could try Agia Galini, although not much will be open, or Spili; from there, if you're sticking on the main roads then you'll be going to Rethymno & could stay there. It's a lovely little city, the Fortezza is worth a visit, the little harbour is pretty & it has a year-round population, so enough restaurants & hotels will be open. Are you going that way on the main roads? If you are planning on going along the south coast, then Plakias will have somewhere open, be aware past there some of the roads are tiny & the route is not obvious, so you will want to get to Sfakia in daylight. Last time I went along there (last year) there were a couple of very unclear diversions & dirt tracks.
Posted by
OP
Lausanne, Switzerland
30 posts
I'd like to travel along the small roads of the southern coast (daytime), so Agia Galini might make the most sense. Thanks!
Posted by
7 posts
Another option for somewhere to stay on the way to Hora Sfakia is Gerakari in the gorgeous Amari Valley http://alexanderhotelgerakari.gr/en/about-hotel/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/goanjock/collections/72157665228204011/