I want to be a Cretan again... take me back!
Written: Nov 27 '00 (Updated Nov 27 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: beautiful scenery, great food, friendly people, everything
Cons: Chersonissos, some overdeveloped tourist traps
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| bulldg60's Full Review: Crete |
Crete was fantastic. Everything about it was fabulous, from the people, to the sights, food, prices, it was perfect. Well, almost.
I stayed in Koutouloufari on my trip to Crete, a tiny town that has basically been assimilated into the tourist trap known as Chersonissos. I'm only glad I was saved from the full extent of this hell-hole by staying a bit out of town. To get anything, though, my family and I had to venture down into "The Spawn of Satan's domain." I'm exaggerating, of course, but nothing in this town looked the least bit appealing. It basically straddles one main road, which is overdeveloped with large, dirty buildings. The shunned lovechild of commercialization and overdevelopment, that's how I would sum up this place. There are swarms of people, albeit less so in the off-season, and they all seem to be aimlessly wandering the town, possibly looking for Beelzebub's doorway, which I hear is located somewhere around those parts. Anyway, we were all too happy to rent a car and explore the rest of the island, and you'll be happy to hear that even this place couldn't ruin my Cretan trip.
Crete is around 150 miles long. If you take the main road, it's about 210 miles from Vai in the east to Chania in the west. At it's thickest point, though, the island's only around 25 miles North-South. If you have a strange imagination, as I do, you can picture Crete as the chin of a featureless face, except for lots of freckles, the islands dotted through the Aegean Sea. Kinda. Anyways, we found that the heavily tourist populated spots, like Chersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos, and Vai, are mostly in the north and east of the island. Not to say these places aren't worth a visit. Vai is touted as "the only natural palm-covered beach in Europe." It's well worth a day visit, though it's located at the extreme east end of the island, and you should be sure to obtain reliable directions before setting out. We had a hard time finding it. The roads can be confusing in Crete.
Our first full day, we scoured the city for a car rental shop that wasn't going to gouge us. We found one, the Motor Time shop, which rented us an air conditioned car capable of handling the hilly roads for about $30 a day. We immediately set out for a ROAD TRIP !!! One of the most exciting things to do on Crete is to pick a road and see where it takes you. You're bound to end up somewhere worth remembering (unless you pick the road that goes to Chersonissos or Malia...). We ended up at an old monastery, out of use, that we explored. We then went through the Lasithi Plain, an area full of farms and windmills, modern and old-fashioned, and very picturesque.
In Greece, if you ever go without a good meal, you're doing something wrong. There's a wide selection of foods and restaurants, all very moderately priced and with delicious food. Get a Greek salad with every meal. They're cheap, and I got hooked on them. Who knew tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers in a plate dull of vinegar and olive oil could be so good? If for nothing else, get it to watch the oil bubbles float around.
We'd heard that Rethymnon was a nice place, and it wasn't too far away, so we made a trip there. It's a beautiful town, with plenty of old buildings, including a lighthouse you can walk out to, a pirate ship docked in the harbor, and a Venetian fortress overlooking the town. I've heard there are tours available, but none were when we went, so we admired it from a distance. Again, a fine selection of shops and restaurants, and plenty of attractions to spend a day here.
The "South Side" of Crete is less developed, but still has enough attractions to make it worth a visit. There are beaches strung out all along the coast, and you can find a secluded one without much trouble, if that's what you're in the market for. If not, it's equally easy to find a crowded beach.
In Crete, you can do anything your heart desires. If you like the party scene, head for the north coast, with its many fine beaches. If you're into ancient culture, look out the window. Ruins of the Minoan civilization are everywhere, most prominently at Knossos, outside the capital of Iraklion, where the main airport is located. It's been partially restored, and it's a must-see if you're at all interested in that type of thing. After all, these people had indoor plumbing and flush toilets 4,000 years ago and earlier. How can you pass that up? Plus, Knossos is a huge, sprawling palace, and it's evident that the builders were throwing around their vast wealth. Check this one out.
There are so many things to experience in Crete, a few of which I've been able to tell you about. You can have an amazing experience if you know where to look... or even if you don't.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bulldg60
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Location: Michigan
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 2 members
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