CRETE GREECE TRAVEL BLOG

Crete is largest Greece island. The capital, Heraklion, is home to the renowned Heraklion Archaeological Museum, housing Minoan artifacts, and Knossos, a Bronze Age settlement. Heraklion is quite small city, you can visit all tourist places with a walking distance. Top five places you should visit in Heraklion city. 1) Heraklion Archaeological Museum. 2) Rocca a Mare Fortress(Fortress in Heraklion, Greece)

3) Agios Titos Church.

4) Morosini Lions Fountain.

5) Bembo Fountain.

One day is enough to visit all good that Heraklion has to offer. Next day we decide to spend in Knossos city. Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe's oldest city. Place is absolutely amazing. It's around 30 min driving with car from Heraklion city. You can make it on your own or with tourist guide. I personally find it no need for tourist guide, they have very nice and friendly people that are working there and they are more than happy to tell you all the historical fact about the place. Now let's talk about food and beaches! Crete really can offer you beautiful sunny beaches and a lot of different tasty foods! First thing first, is food! What's really fascinated me, its olive oil! I'm always been told that italian olive oil is the best. But in my personal opinion number one is Cretan olive oil. And I have been traveling in other Greece islands and trying there the local olive oil too, but it's slightly different. And I haven't been a big fanatic on eating olive oil separately until I try Creten oils. Obviously they have very nice olives with different taste too. Very tasty cheese they have, lots of choices. I personally like it the most- Feta and Graviera Kritis, from cow and goat milk. Graviera Kritis they make with different herbs and different taste. I would recommend you to try with thyme and the spice one. Nice fresh fruits and fresh fruit juice. Very tasty fresh orange juice. And nice fresh avocados. They have very good quality nuts. I really enjoyed salty almond and pistacia. Around 40 min away from Heraklion there is city named Sissi. It's famous for great fish and seafood dishes. Thats a small lovely city, with water canal across. You can enjoy cup of coffee in one of coffee shops or bars next to water canal or right on the little rock watching sea wave.

Sissi has great Boufos Beach. That's a beach in middle of the little rocks and mountains. That's a beautiful golden sand beach. With small pebbles from rock in water.

Most of the time I stayed in Hersonissos city, during my travel. Hersonissos that's a curort village around 20 min away by driving from Heraklion Airport N. Kazantzakis. Already well known place for me, since I been there twice. I would recommend you to stay in this village if your flight is till Heraklion Airport N. Kazantzakis. Hersonissos it's beautiful village itself. You can reach beach and all other places by walk. The main street it's just next by the beach. All way up till the port. You can find there lots of different coffee shops, restaurants, shops and nightclubs. Most of the bars has small private beaches, where you can rent a sun bed. From port to other side of the village you can find wider beach. After the little rock you will see some free part of the beach, you will find watersports there too. After that continues beach hotel bars where you can rent sun bed too if you are not hotel member.

You can find there few good restaurants to eat too. From typical greek dishes to international kitchen. Zaeri restaurant its a good place for seafood dishes. And has a beautiful view too.

Most of the restaurants in the central street will regale you with complimentary national drink ouzo or small dessert. If you like to buy some souvenirs or to bring home some new dress, end of the season August all the shops in Hersonissos starts discount sales! Hersonissos is well located, close to airport and just about half hour away from capital city Heraklion and other tourist places. You can rent the car or simply reach everything by the bus. From Heraklion port you can take a tourist boat to other side of the island and spend a day in your chosen beach. We drive a rental car till other side of island, it takes around 3.30hours to 4 hours depends on place you want to reach, one way. Crete island is known for its varied terrain, which ranges from fine-sand beaches at Elafonisi to the White Mountains. Mt. Ida, the tallest of the range, is home to the Ideon Cave, which was the birthplace of Zeus, according to Greek mythology.

We spend one day in elafonisi beach. That's pure heaven on the earth I can say! One of the best beaches in crete, a place you must see. Elafonisi lagoon its mix of pink and white sand beach. One side is white pure water beach, when the other side is with light blue water.

And for the end, but not least we visited Balos beach. That's a number one place to visit in my opinion, if you have opportunity to go there while you're staying in Crete. Spectacular white sand beach hiding under mountains and rocks. Driving road was a bit extreme till this corner of beauty. You must to pass road by the mountains, view is amazing. I would definitely recommend you to start your travel as early in the morning as possible. Since road trip can be a bit challenging. When you arrive to balos lagoon nature preserve you will have to pay symbolick payment for entry, around 1€. Then you will drive on mountain ledge by the sea around 2 km. Until you arrive till parking space with friendly wild mountain goats. Then you will have to take narrow trail thru mountains, around 1 km more.

And you arrived congratulations! This is the best part of traveling with car instead of boat. You will see all way down balos beach from the top and the rock standing dignified in sea just infront of you. Downhill you will be able to enjoy several different shades of sea water. I'm bravely can say that's been one of most beautiful beaches I experienced in europe.