Crete - Diversified Holiday Paradise (part 1 / 2)
In 2006, my boy-friend (32) and I (30), wanted to go to the Greek islands, more precisely the biggest of those islands – Crete. Crete is located at about 160 km from the Greek mainland and has a surface of 8336 km². This size makes it very difficult to discover the whole island during only one holiday. We decided that the destination of our holiday should be the area around Rethymnon, which is beautifully located between the Ida Mountains in the east and the White Mountains, Lefká Óri, in the west, the Libyan Sea in the south and the Cretan Sea in the north.Rethymnon
Rethymnon is a magnificent city with an especially beautiful architectural atmosphere. With its 24,000 inhabitants Rethymnon is the third largest city of Crete. By passing the town gate - the Porta Guora – you enter the Old Town with its numerous narrow alleys which are very much like a little labyrinth. You can find little restaurants, shops and hidden hotels/guesthouses everywhere. In addition, there is a way passing here leading to the very beautiful Venetian port and the Fortessa fortress. Near the harbour, there are old pompous Venetian manor houses and a lighthouse. Further to the west of the harbour there is a fortress built on the cliffs, the Fortezza fortress that was built by the Venetians between 1573 and 1580 as a protection against the Turks. After some kilometres east of the port, you reach a charming fine-sanded beach which surrounds the major part of the city. The two monasteries of Moni Arcadi and Moni Preveli are also very inviting and are known as important resistance buildings against the siege of the Turks. The best way to explore Rethymnon is by walking because it enables you to see magnificent oases that are worth seeing. If you prefer travelling from one sight to the next by bus, this will be perfectly possible, too. Timetables of the buses are displayed at all bus stations and most hotels.Excursions
Many local and German travel agencies offer a multitude of excursions on Crete. Booking is possible from home but also from the holiday residence. Day tours cost between 20 and 50 euros and very recommendable as they enable you to see Crete's most beautiful sights. Although it is possible to rent a car or a motorbike, you will then have to plan the route for yourself, which is not necessary if you book an excursion with a travel agency. Trips to the south are very commendable, for example, to Matala to the Red Beach, which owes its name to the slightly red sand of the beach. If you mix this sand with water to obtain a slushy substance and put it on your skin, you obtain a baby soft skin mask. The Samaria canyons in the west of Crete count among the biggest canyons of Europe. With a height of 600 m, the rock faces towering on both sides of you as you walk along the bottom of the canyon really are a majestic sight. At the narrowest point, there is the "Iron Gate", which leaves a passage of no more than 3 to 4 meters width. Knossos, the biggest ancient metropolis of Crete, has one of the biggest palaces of the Minoan era. Chaniá – the second biggest city of Crete – is especially known for its most beautiful medieval Old Town and its picturesque harbour. The Yellow Train – a small train with open trailers circulating on wheels on the road – offers a real alternative to the customary excursion tours. These yellow trains offer very low-priced excursions to Crete's backcountry (15 euros for about 4 hrs.). These excursions are round trips including stops to take pictures. A horseback excursion may be another nice way to explore Crete. For this type of excursion you should, however, not be afraid of horses or, preferably, even know how to ride a horse. As Crete has a great variety of different sights, you should plan in advance what you would best like to see because it is nearly impossible to visit all of the interesting places.back to overview "Greece travel"
