CRETE – HERAKLION, AGIOS NIKOLAOS, VAI & SANTORINI – THIRA, OIA

For our first holiday together we decided to choose the best from Europe. For the sun-filled beaches, delicious food and drinks, rich culture and history we are heading to one of the best Greek islands – Crete…

We arrived in the capital of Crete – Heraklion late in the evening and right after completing the formalities at the airport, we board a bus that took us to the town of Agios Nikolaos, where we will be accommodated during our stay. A smaller hotel near the city center with spacious rooms and a good swimming pool is ideal for us. The next morning, right after breakfast, we set out to explore the terrain and visit the beach and the town itself, which is also the capital of the easternmost Cretan province of Lassithi.

Agios Nikolaos is a nice town with a typical seaside atmosphere. The most interesting place for us was the town market with many shops and restaurants and the nearby freshwater lake Voulismeni. The city is nestled in the Mirabello Bay at the foot of a vast mountain range. The large sandy beaches in the city are an ideal place to relax or for various sports activities. However, Crete is also known for its windy climate, so sometimes it tends to have quite high waves. This didn’t stop us at all and we had a good time in the sea.

After a few days of relaxing on the beach and trips to the surrounding area, we decided to visit the capital of Crete – Heraklion. From Agios Nikolaos, we reached Heraklion in about an hour. The largest city of Crete has a very impressive historical center, in which the Minoan culture is pretty obvious. It is worth mentioning the cathedral of Agios Minas from the 19th century and the nearby original church of Agios Minas from the 15th century. It is definitely worth going to the square of Eleftherios Venizelos, who in 1913 annexed Crete to Greece. From the square, there is a magnificent view of the Venetian port.

We moved from the city center to the port where we stopped at a family restaurant for a delicious lunch. The owner of the restaurant greeted us with a glass of homemade Tsikoudia. Grilled squid with vegetable garnish was the right choice for further wanderings around Heraklion. We remain in the port dominated by the Venetian fortress from the 16th century. The preserved building, which depicts the lion of St. Mark, is the main landmark of the city.

We continue to get familiar with the Greek but mainly Cretan history at the palace Knossos, about 5 km away, which is the most important archaeological site in Crete. This architectural gem was once the main political and cultural center of Minoan civilization. You can get here either by car or by bus, which runs all day directly from the center of Heraklion.

This Minoan complex was built sometime between 1700-1400 BC. and occupied an area of approximately 10,000 m2. Right at the entrance, there are images in the form of models and presentations as the whole complex looked like in its most famous times. The main remains are the remains of King Minoa’s palace and there was supposed to be also a labyrinth as the legend says. The maturity of the Minoan civilization only confirms the fact that they already had a drainage system, sewerage, and water supply at that time. Due to the fact that Knossos is the most famous monument in Crete, it is also the most visited and it is associated with crowds of tourists.

Today I was especially happy because we planned a day trip to one of the most beautiful islands in the world – Santorini. A place that is on every single postcard from Greece. So early in the morning getting up, transfer by bus to Heraklion, and at 8am we get on the speedboat heading in the direction of Santorini. After about 2.5 hours of sailing, we disembark in the port of Athinios right at the foot of the volcanic island. We get on the buses that take us up the steep serpentines to the town of Oia.

One of the most romantic places on earth – Oia is calmer during the day because most tourists gather here especially in the evening for the famous sunsets. Even during the day, Oia has a lot to offer and the whole island is photogenic with its snowy white alleys and houses with blue roofs. The island has a very limited source of water, which forced the locals to capture rainwater and then filter it. Nevertheless, they also manage to grow vineyards and turn them into wine, so we recommend buying them and supporting domestic winemakers. After a short walk, we tasted homemade ice cream, bought some souvenirs and then we took a bus to the capital Thira.

Upon arrival in Thira, you either have the opportunity to stay in the city and enjoy it, or take a bus to a nearby beach with black sand in the east of the island, or you can go on a boat trip swimming around the volcano. We chose the first option and stayed to explore the narrow streets of the capital. We wandered around and found a small church where we chilled for a while and we also found an art gallery with beautiful paintings of the island. Since we were hungry during this exploration, it was about time to taste excellent Greek cuisine in one of the home restaurants overlooking the volcano.

The volcano itself can be reached by a short cruise on small boats directly from the port of Santorini and it is also associated with swimming around the volcano. You can get to the top after about half an hour of climbing from the port. Today, the archipelago is just a remnant of a volcanic island, that was destroyed by a huge eruption in about 1600 BC. The crater that created the volcano eruption is called Nea Kameni, and the last eruption was here in 1950. It was slowly getting dark and our trip to Santorini was coming to an end. We had to return to the port by boat and head back in the direction of Heraklion.

For today, we have planned a trip to one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, which is known for the fact that an advertisement for the Bounty bar – Vai Beach, was shot on it. It took us a 2-hour drive to get there from Agios Nikolaos, as this beautiful beach is located in the easternmost part of Crete. The flat route gradually stretched higher and higher into the hills from where we had a breathtaking view of the whole island.

The place itself will enchant you as you enter. Huge and dense palm trees line the entire coast and create a pleasant coolness. Under them, you can reach the beach by walking on wooden benches. We liked the idea that the locals tried to preserve the environment as much as possible and used mostly natural materials. Therefore, the umbrellas are made of wood and cane, as well as wooden benches, so the place retains its pleasant natural look.

On a nearby cliff, there are stairs carved into the rock, which lead along with the restaurant to a view from where there is an amazing view not only of the beach but also of the whole bay. After we had a good look at the whole place, we went to a restaurant for refreshments and then we just chilled on the beach. Vai Beach is large enough for relaxation, sports, or snorkeling and diving. After a day of relaxation, we return to Agios Nikolaos in the evening and this was the end of our stay in Crete.

In conclusion, I would sum it up that we spent a fantastic holiday in Crete, which we will not easily forget. Not only Crete but the whole of Greece with many beautiful islands is one of the TOP European destinations and it is only a matter of time before we come here again…

Total costs: 7 nights All Inclusive (Flights + Accommodation + Meals):  £650.00 

(prices as of August 2005)

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