”I’ve loved Crete since I first saw it and from that moment I keep it in my heart as a second home”, a cretan “mantinada” goes by. And it’s right, as whoever has spent even a few days in Crete, hardly leaves the island unsatisfied. It makes perfect sense! Crete is famous for its hospitality, its warm people and the entertainment it offers. The party on the island doesn’t stop. It starts early in the morning and doesn’t end. It continues until the next day. From early in the morning, you go swimming and the dawn finds you at a party or wandering in the alleys of the island. Crete has a lot to offer you, have you tried it yet?
Morning Dives
In the morning, you should start your day swimming on the beaches of Chania. There are countless beaches north and south of the island. However, we highly recommend you to visit Elafonisos, one of the most famous beaches on the island. Elafonissi (Elafonisos for many), is located at the southwestern tip of the prefecture of Chania. It’s something between an island and a peninsula, because, in order to arrive there, you’ll have to walk in the water. What characterizes Elafonisi and makes it partly exotic, are the small islets with the very fine white sand that roses in several places. Also, the lagoon that is formed and the turquoise shallow waters give the possibility for diving to young and old. It’s characterized by many as a Caribbean beach as the landscape is reminiscent of exotic places. At one end, the beach has a rudimentary organization with a canteen, while at the other end, you’ll find a board rental store. However, don’t wonder why the landscape looks so wild and intact even though it has a large number of tourists. The enchanting Elafonisi, with its special and rare beauty, is a protected Natura area. So, don’t forget to get the sunscreen and water but also to arrive early in the morning as the place is a very popular tourist attraction.
Cretan cuisine
At lunch, after your day at the beach, it’s time to eat! Apart from its hospitality, Crete is also famous for its local cuisine. Dakos, Gamopylafo, snails, apaki ..are a few of the specialties of Cretan cuisine. If you are near a Cretan village, we recommend you to try their Cretan taverns. The more traditional the tavern, the more traditional food you’ll taste. In the end, don’t forget to drink the tsikoudia (or raki) that the owner of the tavern will offer you. Don’t ignore this advice, as the Cretans consider it rude not to drink or even try the food / drink they offer you. If you still don’t want to miss the “standard” cuisine even on your vacation, head to the center of Chania. Next to the port, you’ll find all kinds of taverns. Tavern with “classic flavors” but also traditional cuisine with slightly changed tastes. The aim of these taverns is to give the visitor a Cretan aroma through a familiar cuisine taste. Of course, all this is accompanied by Cretan tsikoudia produced by the owners of the taverns.
Afternoons at the Old Venetian port of Chania
After having lunch, you’re ready for your afternoon coffee. Walking down the Old Town of Chania you’ll see plenty ice-cream shops with all types of ice-cream flavors. Choose one, two or as many as you wish but don’t stay there! Take your delicious ice-cream and head to the Old Venetian Port. Sit on a bench and watch the sun goes down into the sea. Or, you may walk to the old Lighthouse, a symbol of Chania! Even if you don’t feel to go for a walk, don’t worry cause the city has many options for you either. You can enjoy your afternoon in one of the numerous cafes of Chania, as all of them share a view of the Port and offer various desserts along with your coffee. From the traditional desserts to ice-creams and pancakes, you have the opportunity to enjoy the magical spectacle of the sunset with the company of a good coffee combined with a piece of dessert.
Evening meetings
After wandering around the port and the old town, you’re ready to experience the nightlife of the island. You’ve got a lot of options at this point as well. If you wish to enjoy a dinner, you can choose to taste the famous Cretan specialties and also drink your Cretan raki in one of the many restaurants on the island. There, you’ll listen to Cretan music playing live from the music band performing in the restaurant. Each restaurant, during the summer months, offers live music that brings the world closer to the Cretan tradition. On the other hand, if you like clubbing, we suggest you walk the alleys of the town where you’ll encounter many nightclubs that offer a variety of cocktails and their music is playing out loud! Take a cocktail and let yourselves dance to the rhythm of greek and foreign music hits! Finally, if you desire to get to know the real Cretan life, then all you have to do is visit a Cretan village. There, every summer night, fairs and traditional dancing nights are being organized on the village’s square. However, if you go there, you’ll have to prepare yourselves to drink and dance a lot! Naturally, you don’t have to know how the dance goes. People will show you! Locals and strangers dance along each other till the morning. So, wear comfortable shoes and let’s start dancing!
