KRITI – EXPLORE THE EAST
In our other post we took you around the West Coast of Crete, covering the Rethymno and Chania prefectures. This trip we are going East and visiting the prefectures of Heraklion and Lasithi.
Arrival, Day 1: Heraklion Airport and pick up your rental car and head to your accommodation to drop your bags! Heraklion is the capital of Crete and just like any capital city there is always a lot to offer.
Where you stay is a preference thing; do you like being in the hustle and bustle of a harbour town, prefer to be a little bit out at a beach resort or tucked away in a nearby mountain village? There really is so much to choose from so we are leaving that to you.
And depending on what time you arrive will determine how long you spend in Heraklion and what your personal interests are, but the list of places to visit could include:
Knossos Palace, Natural History Museum of Crete, Museum of Christian Art, Museum of Ancient Greek Technology of Heraklion “Kostas Kotsanas” and The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion will take you on a journey into the history of Crete – there are 27 galleries so you will need to allocate some time if you want to do it justice.
Municipal Museum of the Battle of Crete and the National Resistance, Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, Lychnostatis Open-Air Museum, Agios Titos Orthodox Church originally built as a mosque, St Mark’s Basilica housing the Municipal Art Gallery, Cathedral Agios Minas golden chandeliers, The Venetian Loggia .. the list literally is endless as are the choices.
If you would like to get out and about and explore you could go to the Cretaquarium (waterpark and aquarium), Rocca a Mare Fortress (the Koules), the Arsenals, Morosini Fountain, Lighthouse, Marina … or do some hiking if you are up for an adventure: Astrakiano Gorge is just a 25min drive southeast of Heraklion and is approx. 7km long. Rouvas Wood gorge is approx. 50kms south west of Heraklion and is around 4kms .. so much shorter if you wanted to squeeze more into your day.
There are of course some lovely beaches in Heraklion but we would recommend saving your beach days for other areas that are more secluded and less busy. Free guided walking tours – www.1618freetour.com Due to Covid, tours have been cancelled until 31 March 2022 however private tours can be organised.
And for the evening..?
Evening – start at the main square, Plateia Eleftherias and from there you will find a plethora of restaurants, tavernas, live bands, traditional dancing, cosy coffee shops and wine bars. Or head to Liontaria – the famous Lions Fountain which is surrounded by bars and tavernas. Just wander around, follow the narrow picturesque streets, here is where you will find hidden treasures, you won’t be disappointed.
Wherever you decide to go for dinner you must take an evening (sunset) stroll along the marina and see how stunning the Rocca a Mare fortress is lit up at night.
Day 3 – head to Agio Nikolaos for 2 nights
If you get on the road early in the morning, you will be able to make the most of the day and stop for photo opportunities and walks. Drive east on the E75 to the Lasithi region.
We would recommend taking a short detour enroute to Ag Nik and visit the beautiful mountain village of Mochos, just inland from Malia Beach. There you can wander the alleys, take in the views and enjoy a traditional Greek meal in one of the very appealing tavernas.
If you have had a few stops your arrival into Agios Nikolaos will be late afternoon so you could go straight to your accommodation or head to Almyros for a stroll or go for for a walk in town to explore Agios Nikolaos and check out where you want to go for dinner.
Day 4
We recommend you visit Spinalonga island – Spinalonga was originally built by the Venetians so the history of this island goes way back and is no longer inhabited but until 1962 it was home for people suffering from leprosy.
You can get a boat to Spinalonga from Elounda, Ag Nik or Plaka, Plaka is quicker and easier. If you aim to get on the 9am ferry you will probably be almost finished touring by the time the tour groups arrive – you will have the island almost to yourself. During Venetian rule salt was harvested from salt pans around the island and more recently Spinalonga featured in the 1977 British television series ‘Who Pays the Ferryman’? And also Victoria Hislop’s bestseller ‘The Island’ was set in Spinalonga. Keeping people (lepers) on an island isolated might seem very cruel, however before they went to the island most lepers lived in isolation in caves, away from everyone else, however on the island they had the freedom to move around, they had medical treatment, food, water and social security payments. Spinalonga is under consideration to become a World Heritage Site.
In the afternoon explore Agios Nik and the surrounding villages. There is so much going on around this area.
Day 5 – Sitia one night
Enroute to Sitia you could do a short detour into Voulisma beach, one of the bet beaches in the Gulf of Mirabello, for a quick swim then onto the Archaeological site of Gournia, a Minoan village.
Next short stop is Kavousi Vronda to see the Monumental Ancient Olive Tree Azoria. From there make your way to Richtis Gorge. This amazing gorge is located between Ag Nik and Sitia, starts just outside the village Exo Mouiana but f you park at Lachana stone arch bridge it is easier to access the gorge. Total walk is approx. 3kms and leads you down to the beautiful beach of Richti.
Finally on to Sitia for the night. Sitia town is an absorbing place to just wander around, soaking up the atmosphere, the small narrow streets behind the seafront open up to wonderful traditional Greek life with tavernas serving seafood caught that day. Sitia area has 36 beaches, some of which could easily be ranked among the best in the world (not that we are biased) 😉
Day 6
Actually, from Sitia you could also get a ferry to Spinalonga island so you could always change your schedule around and have a longer time on the water. You can also get a ferry from Heraklion to Sitia if you really wanted to spend more time on the South East Coast – really depends on what your preferences are. If you decide to get the ferry from Heraklion to Sitia make sure you pick up your rental car in Heraklion and take it with you on the ferry or you will pick up one way fees if you pick your car up at Sitia and then drop it in Heraklion.
Our recommendation would be to head off first thing to Vai. Vai is just the most beautiful beach and a very famous beach and only 30 mins away from Sitia. In the 1970’s a famous chocolate tv advertisement was filmed there, for Bounty Bar – “They came in search of Paradise and found it”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6Wx-ez6abU
This was a very famous advertising campaign and it put Vai on the map of the world. Ironically the palm trees on Via – the oldest palm tree forest in Europe – are date palms and not coconut palms so the coconuts in the trees had to be tied there – the things they had to do before CGI! Beautiful location, plenty of parking, toilets and refreshments available. Often in the car park you will find venders of herbs, olive oil and beeswax (can be great for mozzie bites).
After you have enjoyed your day at Vai we are making our way down to Zakros for the overnight stop then up first thing to walk the gorge.
Day 7
From Zakros we are heading 20 mins along the coast to Xerokampos where you will find a multitude of tiny coves lined with gold sand. This area is less busy than most and mobile phone reception is weak at best, but if you want some peace and quiet, this is the place.
Worth a visit is the Salt Lake or Alatsolimni, dry in summer but in wet weather or the winter the lagoon fills and becomes a refuge for many migratory birds. Love flowers? Visit Katsounaki beach, it is very isolated and between the dunes you will find rare and beautiful fragrant white sand lilies. Did we mention the drive? The drives are also stunning, you will never know where to look first (but the road is probably the best place!)
From here we are heading west for about 57kms to Orino Gorge. When you read about the gorges many claim to be the most beautiful on the island, but this one is very different to the others so may well be able to boast that title! It’s approx. 5km long and throughout your walk you will find small streams, springs, waterfalls, lush vegetation and … beautiful red butterflies – it is also called the gorge of the red butterflies. Sadly there was a fire in 1993 and the number of butterflies has reduced but during the summer months you will still them, just not so many.
Next stop is Ierapetra, about an hour 30 mins along the coast from the gorge. This is another stop-over point. You will arrive there in time to check in, get showered and changed and go in search of a delicious dinner and drinks. Also, worth noting if you would prefer to spend more time on the south coast instead of going to Sitia, Via and Xerokampos the direct drive from Ag Nik is only around 45 mins so that’s an easy revision.
There are a number of places of interest including in Ierapetra, Kato Mera the Old Quarter, the House of Napoleon, the Archaeological Museum of Ierapetra, Kales the Venetian Castle, the Mosque of Ierapetra, the Church of the Virgin of the Kales (very pretty) – some of these you could check out after dinner. Ierapetra is the only large town on the south coast of the island and the fourth largest town after Heraklion, Chania and Rethymno.
Day 8
Our recommendation is to get the ferry over to Chrissi Island or Koufonisi island and spend some time on the water and the beach. Both are a bit wild and uninhabited with ancient ruins of a Roman theatre and other ruins going back to the Minoan and Byzantine Civilisation, and some of the most beautiful beaches.
Take your own food and drinks because there is nothing on the islands, half day would probably be enough unless you want to just relax, swim and do absolutely nothing for a few hours! You have to mix it your driving and sightseeing days with relaxation days and after all you probably want to go home from you holiday feeling relaxed and glowing – be sure to use loads of sunblock, don’t want to be going home sore and parting company with your skin!
Koufonisi is a Wildlife Refuge and is just a stunning example of natural beauty. Chrissi island is a protected ecosystem and the interior of the island is covered by a beautiful forest of Juniper trees. The beaches are sandy and safe for snorkelling, but make note if it’s a windy day the boat trip over to both islands will take longer and can be pretty rough.
Day 9
We are now making our way back up to Heraklion ready for your departure tomorrow. We are taking you cross country, zig zagging through some of the most stunning landscapes of olive groves and sea views along the way.
We are actually heading to Kounaviano Gorge which is approx. 1.5 hr drive from Ierapetra if you follow Epar.Od. Gra LIgias – Gdochia road all the way to Peza where you will see the sign post to the gorge, just at the junction where the Dretakis Fruit Market is located.
There will be many landmarks, villages, churches, wineries etc enroute so expect the drive to take longer with your stops for photos, food and drink. Heraklion is less than 30 minutes drive from Kounaviano so you can work out how long you want to spend there – be sure to drive 10 mins east to see the Fairy Cave at Astrakoi.
Last leg … winding your way back to Heraklion we feel it would eb very wrong to visit Greece and not visit an Olive Oil Mill. So, take a short detour to the village of Archanes and call into the Koronekes Olive Mill – family owned and run. There is a huge amount of farming history to this area with vases and jugs, still sealed, with remnants of olive oil and wine, dating back to the second millennium BC. Take a tour of the mill, sample the exquisite oil and buy some to take home!
If you didn’t get to visit Knossos when you were in Heraklion, it is literally 15 mins north, enroute to Heraklion. So try and squeeze it in. Tonight you are back in Heraklion ready for tomorrow. There will still be loads you have not explored or visited from when you arrived, so enjoy your last evening and have your final traditional Greek meal for a while!
So this brings you back to Heraklion and the end of your tour of Eastern Crete. If hiking, history, nature, flora/fauna, beaches, water sports, food, culture, photography are your thing, Crete really will tick all those boxes. Enjoy and καλά ταξίδια και μέχρι την επόμενη φορά!
Please remember before you head off for any gorge hikes, check with locals, weather forecasts and websites to make sure it is open and safe, sometimes with wet weather it can make it difficult terrain in the gorges. There are of course more caves, gorges, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, ruins just far too many to mention so you don’t have to limit yourselves to our suggestions, get googling and see what interests you. Crete has so much to see and do, so much history, so many sights and beaches, it really was difficult deciding what to include. You need months to really see Crete – now there’s an idea 😊
Sources/extracts include:
Thetinybooking.com
Cretanbeaches.com
Cretetravel.com
We-love-crete.com
Travelpassionate.com
Tripadvisor
Inspirock.com
Greek reporter
