Itinerary Summary:
Travel Time: August 2023 (was very hot – check avg. temperatures by month here)
Day 0: Travel from Nuremberg to Chania
Day 1: Tour of Chania Old Town and nearby beaches
Day 2: Balos Lagoon Day Tour and sunset at Iguana Beach
Day 3: Drive east from Chania to Rethymno and Heraklion
Day 4: Visit Elafonisi Beach and return to Nuremberg
Distance travelled: 629km by road and walked ~35km
Day 0:
We touched down at the Ioannis Daskalogiannis Airport in Chania, Crete after a 3-hour flight from Nuremberg. After breezing through the terminal, we took the free-shuttle to the Alamo office, a few kilometres away from the airport, and managed to get ourselves a brand-new Suzuki Ignis for our four-day road trip along the northern shores of Crete!
As it was already twilight by the time we got our car, we headed straight to our hotel – the amazing family run Theos Village, in the vicinity of the Golden Beach. Before we turned in for the night, we managed to savour their delectable specials – Chicken Souvlaki and Vegetable Pizza for dinner. A perfect start to our trip!
Day 1:
We kicked off the day with a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast to fuel our wanderlust, before heading out at around noon to explore the city of Chania.
Even though the temperature was ~29-30°C, the glare of the sun made it seem a lot hotter. To add to our misery, finding a parking spot was a treasure hunt, but we struck gold in an open field near the Maritime Museum of Crete.
Ignoring the heat for some time, we traced the footsteps of generations through the ancient labyrinthine streets and soaked in the historical sights of Crete and Chania – the Lighthouse, Old Venetian Port, Venetian Fortress, and the charming waterfront. Exploring the enchanting by-lanes on foot, we felt as if every corner had a story to tell – be it that of the Minoans, Venetians, Ottomans, or modern Greeks.
Seeking respite from the sun, we sat down by the waterfront, facing the Küçük Hasan Pasha Mosque, to flavour some Chicken Gyros, Chicken Skepasti, and Vegetable Moussaka at Gyros Chania, before cooling ourselves down with some frozen yoghurt at Chillbox. Unfortunately, none of these dishes wowed us, and we wouldn’t recommend them unless you feel ravenous.
We got back to the hotel around 5:30 pm, and recharged, before heading out to see the golden hues of sunset at Golden Beach – this we highly recommend!
Day 2:
For the road trip from Chania to the stunning Balos Lagoon, we set off around 11 am. Our journey west along the coast was pure magic!
We made our first pitstop at Viglia Beach near Kissamos Port and savoured the turquoise waters against the rugged hills – a true Insta paradise and a hidden gem in our opinion!
Onwards to Balos Beach, the drive was a rocky rollercoaster, to put it mildly – 8 km in 40 mins! Cost us €2 to enter and €3 for parking, but the views of Kissamos Bay, mountains, and nibbling goats were worth it. From the parking to the lagoon was a further 25-min rocky hike. We however, opted to go as far as the main viewpoint, as the beach was bustling to the brim.
En route back, we made a pit stop at Mouri Lakos Beach – located a stone’s throw away from the Balos ticket station, the crystal-clear waters were just as refreshing as they were inviting!
Falassarna Beach was next on our list, but after our experience at Balos, we chose to focus on panoramic views of the beach and the coastline, in anticipation of the main beaches being quite crowded in August. Thus, we made a stop at Meloinon‘s, from where we could sample both expansive views of the Falassarna beach and the western coast of Crete, as well as some organic olives and honey.
Our final stop of the day was for a late lunch/ early dinner of Kalitsounia Pies and Sfakiano Lamb at Taverna Mouraki – highly recommended for both the food and the views.
Finally, after heading back to our hotel, we decided to step out and view the sunset from the viewpoint overlooking Iguana Beach – the saffron hues of the dying sun against the mountains and blue sea made it a sight to remember!
All in all, Balos Lagoon, left us in awe, but would advise taking the daily ferry from Kissamos Port for a smoother adventure!
Day 3:
The whirlwind drive eastward to Rethymno and onwards to Heraklion and back was truly spectacular, from coastlines to mountains, especially the stretch along Episkopi Beach – strongly recommend driving this stretch in a westward direction in the morning hours for the best photos.
First pitstop – Venetian Fortezza Castle and it’s historic remains after paying a godly sum of €4. Next, meandering through Rethymno’s old town, we stumbled upon Venetian treasures – the enchanting harbor, old customs house, and Rimondi fountain, before succumbing to the heat and diving into Hari’s Creperie for a chocolate crepe filled with strawberries, bananas, and Oreo sprinkles.
On our way out of Rethymno, we made a quick stop at Despotiko Beach for panoramic views of the Fortress and Fotini Church, as our final destination of the day – Heraklion, the capital of Crete beckoned. It’s Venetian Port and the Rocca a Mare Fortress were nice but paled in comparison to the sights at Chania and Rethymno. Will give Heraklion a miss the next time, and rather head straight to the Knossos Palace.
Exhausted, we decided to turn around and head back to Chania, but not before making stops to snap photos of the amazing vistas along the way and then finally at Kastro Cretean Cuisine to savour local flavors, especially the Wild Goat “Fouriaris”.
A tiring but eventful day – wish we could have captured the beauty of the drive in-entirety!
Day 4:
Our last day in Crete – for this time at least!
We kicked off the day with a serene morning stroll from the hotel to the hillock overlooking Iguana and Yanni’s beaches.
After checking out from Theos Village, we headed to the southwestern corner of Crete – Elafonissi Beach – a pink beach and lagoon with crystal clear waters, and dreamy vistas. Unfortunately for us, though, it was bustling with thousands of beachgoers – not exactly our flavour for a day out, but we guess that’s the result of visiting one of the top-rated spots to visit in Crete in peak summer!
The drive to Elafonissi, however, was a true delight for both the driver and the passenger – from winding roads that traverse through the Topolia Gorge and small hillside hamlets to hidden beaches that make for perfect stops for travellers who prefer peace and quiet (like us!).
One such stop that we truly enjoyed was at the Stomio Pebbled Beach – it was a great break from the bustle and buzz of Elafonissi! To top it up, there was a beautiful tavern nearby, aptly named the Taverna Stomio. Set in a bucolic and rustic environment, it was a perfect setting to enjoy our last meal of the trip – local sea bream, Sfakiani pie with Mizithra cheese, local raki, and other local dishes. It took us on a culinary journey into Crete’s heart, and at a price that made our hearts smile – a must visit when in Crete.
Finally, with a heavy stomach and an even heavier heart, we set off towards Chania airport, trying to capture every possible glimpse of the beautiful Crete countryside in our mental memory books, and sometimes in the limited spaces of our mobile phones.
As the sun set on this adventure, our hearts were full, with memories etched in time. A three-hour late-night flight to Nuremberg took us and the magic of Crete in our hearts back home to record and share with all those interested in visiting this island paradise!
Antío gia tóra Kríti and until the next escapade takes us on our travels to Moksha!
