Hello, We are beginning our initial plans to fly from the west coast of Canada first to revisit Rome and then discover Greece for two weeks. We’d be grateful for insights or recommendations into an island others have visited.
We’ll spend time in Athens and would like to pick another island to relax and spend time on. My husband likes Greek history and I like to watercolour sketch. We prefer transit instead of renting a car. We no longer hike hills, although we like to walk and appreciate local walking tours. We enjoy taking in the sights and sounds of a new place yet are content to find a quiet place to read. We are looking for a mixture of ancient sites, family restaurants and coffee shops to enjoy. Our flights and accommodation yet to be booked - any suggestions will be appreciated!
Posted by
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
1438 posts
Hello from Nanaimo.
I think you may be interested in visiting Crete. It is large with lots of different landscapes, historical cities mountains and great beaches.
Transportation system by bus is inexpensive and frequent so getting around with out a car is easy.
I looked at direct flights from Rome and see there are 3 all to Chania in early October.
Chania is our favourite city in Crete. If you go there be sure to find a hotel inside the city walls in the old town.
Here is what Chania is like
Chania 2022 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720299646015
Sorry my 2024 photos are not yet in albums.
You can fly back to Athens direct from Crete and spend your last few days in Athens. Its always a good plan to be in Athens a couple of days before your return flight.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, US
2185 posts
I agree with Stan that Crete would be a good choice. Fly into Chania direct from Rome, and save your Athens time for the end of your trip.
In Chania, we love to stay in the historic center, on or near Theotokopoulou street. You can wander the picturesque streets, walk over to the harbor or the beach. There’s a good Maritime Museum and an Archaeological Museum. Good restaurants. You can book day trips to a winery or olive oil factory or ancient Aptera. I’d probably stay 4 or 5 days here.
Then one option is to take a bus to the southern coast of Crete, where you’ll find a string of little villages along the Libyan sea connected by ferry, so no need for a car for any point in this trip.
We like Paleochora as our first stop on the southern coast. It has a wide, sandy beach — as opposed to the pebbly beaches elsewhere along the coast. Last May we stayed at Ostria Rooms, above a bakery across the street from the beach. The lovely owner welcomed us with homemade cookies and Raki (a Cretian liquor). The simple & very inexpensive room was spotlessly clean, with a balcony. The bakery downstairs made fabulous croissants & coffee.
The next stop on the ferry line is Sougia. And last May we settled in here for 3 lovely weeks of relaxation at the wonderful Oceanis Hotel. Again just basic rooms (we had an apartment with a balcony), spotlessly clean, with a huge courtyard facing the sea — with chairs & couches & shady spots for reading or sketching. Lots of friendly people & good restaurants in Sougia. Lots of good walking & hiking here too. This was our 3rd & longest trip to Sougia. We’re planning another long visit in 2025.
For 2024, our visit ended here, with a taxi to the Chania airport & a flight home. But on previous trips we hopped back on the ferry and visited Loutro, a stunning white village only accessible by sea — no roads lead to Loutro. A fun place to visit & wander & sketch.
There are many other options in Crete too — and hopefully others will chime in with their suggestions— but this is such a wonderful itinerary that I wanted to share.
**Edited for clarity
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you! I am so grateful for both in-depth replies to our topic. Insights into Crete have been invaluable and we appreciate the time you both took for your replies.
Posted by
Chatham
68 posts
We spent 12 nights in Crete this past May. It was phenomenal