My first tavel to the beautiful and romantic Greece

My first travel to the beautiful and romantic Greece

 

Departure....

July 24, 2009 - Pescara hours 5:40 departure for Heraklion Crete
Start a new journey, a bit 'sleepy but really excited and especially great enthusiasm by all.
Quiet flight time 1h and 40 and here we are at our first time in Crete Greek land
Rental car and the road to Kissamos first destination, the radio transmits only Greek music but the constant singing of cicadas covers any sound even with the windows closed, we get + or - at lunchtime and now that the owner greets us from the apartments Manolis with great enthusiasm and invites us for lunch ... we are a bit puzzled but accepting
14.00 hours local (attention because the local time is one hour ahead of Italy) we find ourselves at the table with other Italian, French and Manolis sig.re for the occasion has been prepared Cretan dishes: stuffed tomatoes rice, Greek salad, feta cheese sauce, sausage, rabbit, zucchini and potatoes ... all very good but especially the friendliness of Manolis offering greek wine and toast to all
Hospitality seems to be one of the gifts of Cretan and we got to enjoy

Kissamos: the better start, heading to Balos

without doubt one of the beaches' beautiful I have ever seen, a unique natural environment where the water takes more than the colors green, blue, from turquoise to deep blue .. is not easy to get better or if you prefer the convenience can be reached by boat ... but we (including my two children) we opted for the land route. We drive along the peninsula Gramvousa, about 12km of dirt road in some places only one lane and overlooking the sea, it takes 1 hour but the view is beautiful, certainly should not wish to meet other car, fortunately not many are fools like us. On the way companies make you all kinds of goats and sheep and bees, because the Cape is full of hives, and then a pleasant scent from the bushes of various types including a species of oregano.
The road ends at a clearing where we park the car, if you will not find goat on the roof of your car leave a bit 'far from the wall and begin the descent (20 m 3 km around poor) to walk, not especially difficult, but it is better to have the shoes.
What appears to us leaves us speechless, the only thought is to capture photos with this natural spectacle, and dive in clear waters.
A large lagoon with white sand, a small tract and equipped a small tavern very few people ... a wonderful day ended with a delicious dinner in a tavern by Joanes Sfinari whose specialties include stuffed squid, shrimp saganaki and finally apple fritters with honey
Balos has conquered our hearts ... we do not know how will the rest of the way

Falasarna, at few kilometers from Kissamos

Today the choice of destination + quiet ... but what a show! Before our eyes lies a very large sandy beach, with several bays, the water is crystal clear and also takes on the colors indescribable
On shore you realize that in some places the sand is pink, the sun's rays create a surprising effect. Rent umbrellas and deck .. the day is long because we decided to wait for the sunset on the beach ... we are mostly Greeks, are not much tourists and we remain there in bathrooms and play until sunset.
A shower and we were away from "Sunset" on the hill Falasarna under the leaves of a large fig spend our 3rd night Cretan based souvlaki and moussaka el'immancabile Greek salad Ah! Karpùzi every meal ends with forgetting (our watermelon) Raki and kindly offered by the owners of taberne sometimes sit with you to enjoy a glass of raki

Elafonissi, about 50 kms far from Kissamos, 1h by car

the road through the mountains and is very beautiful, certainly if you suffer from bad car coming in the stomach in turmoil, however, what appears before our eyes compensate for the inconvenience of the road. And here we are in one of the beaches' beautiful island of Crete, natural pools of clear water interspersed with sand dunes, sunbathing and sea accompanied by a slight breeze characterize our day
On these beaches is a bit more people, two small bars are a bit' crowded and it does not comparable to our beaches.

Kissamos

This first part of our journey ends here because we leave the apartment and the sympathy of Manolis with a visit to Plakias in southern Crete. We stop a gay in Chania town suffers much of its Venetian past, rich taberne and shops of local handicrafts and here we take leave a little 'shopping and enjoy a good Gyros and Pita with tzatziki
In the afternoon arrival in Plakias where Giorgos and Maria awaits us in their structure with a cup of coffee greek coffee ... well unfortunately nn is among the best things ... far from our express but the structure is very pretty and clean and they are a couple very nice

Preveli

after one day without a sea already feel the nostalgia and we are ready for this new beach unlike any other we've seen so far but very special. This beach is able 'to reach by boat from Agia Galini Plakias or 7 km, or need to travel by car, park your car near the monastery and come down' along the cliff about 460 steps.
We choose this second option and from now we can enjoy a fantastic view, the characteristic of this beach is the presence of Megalos Potamos river that flows into the sea, here is nn riparasi need an umbrella for shade from the sun enough to sdraiasi one of the many palm trees found on this beach
The sea is beautiful, nn is very sandy, are mostly small pebbles on the shore, the water is cold, you can swim in salt water or fresh water of the river is beautiful ... and then go up the river through one of two paths in search of waterfalls and pools. In fact the path is outlined initially, but then you walk on the stones is not very hard but is very suggestive. Evening fish cooked personally by Giorgos

Plakias

up early and away by car Hora Sphakia where we take the ferry that takes us from Agia Roumeli here and go up the gorge of Samaria is a great walk a bit 'busy, you should have some hiking shoes and bring me' water, sometimes sunny you can bathe to cool off directly from the stream. It's like being in the mountains!
The entire route is 18 km with children could not recommend it because it downhill, you should take a bus from Chania Omalos which brings you to about 42 km from here and begin the descent to where Roumeli Hora Sphakia ferry takes you to where you wait for the bus that takes you back to Chania Well! Crete another year we won and I'll be back soon ... but this holiday is not finished yet!
After the great trek (10 km walk there and back) we take the ferry and we Loutro stop in a village accessible only by boat or on foot ... there are no roads, no cars ... .. It 'very romantic, very few hotels from classic white and blue, and some taberna a beautiful bay with crystal clear water

Quiet day in Plakias

quiet day on the beaches of Plakias and Damnoni pity that the wind got up, but despite all the sea is always clear and not at all upset.
Spend the evening in a taberna in Mirtos which has a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea, eat well and do not spend much

Matala

destination Matala (90 km from Plakias)
This beach is known for the caves carved into the sandstone walls and used by hippies. Once at the top and left the car park but follow 'the sign for a beach less than the "Red Beach", we start to climb a hill along a path that is also somewhat uneven ... this hill really engages us much about 40 minutes walk in the sun and rather difficult.
From the top of this hill, but 'the view is fabulous, we stop to watch it and why not to rest a bit' .. the bay is very nice, here is the rock and beach sand in colors from red to yellow, the sea is fantastic as always. On the beach there is a lot of people and there are a number of nudist beaches often forgot already .. so far visited are nudists who do not necessarily restricted areas. .. . this is part of the folklore of Crete
For the first time we do not find on any beach in the village tavern, however, there are several quaint and so in the afternoon after leaving the beach we allow ourselves a cup of ice cream or greek yogurt with fruit and honey

FrangoKastello

FrangoKastello
The name is that of a Venetian castle built in 1300 next to the fort is a beautiful beach, the water is low and is crystal clear for about 50 meters
A quiet day in the afternoon moved by the wind was pretty strong ...
By Giorgos evening, Mary has prepared a kind of moussaka ... delicious! And then in the country
kalitsounia to taste (sweet Cretan) and see a show sirtaki

From Plakias to Ierapetra

After greetings and a bit 'of melancholy we head towards Ierapetra ahead nearly 3 hours
driving, we get it exactly Koutsounari lunchtime and after taking possession of the new apartment we go to the beach where we taste something quickly and we appreciate the sea of this new beach Agia Fotia
Now we are always more to the south but moved east from here .. and all the east side of the clay begins a tourist area and certainly more personally a bit 'less beautiful. The sea is always clear, the beaches a bit 'crowded, music, beach volleyball courts ... .. more fun.
There is a bit 'tired, we do indicate a taberna near the hotel and so we go from "Rodos" .. the place is not exceptional but the owner is very nice, brings us into the kitchen and makes us choose what to eat and then there is a little 'lesson greek

Chrissi Island

From Ierapetra take the "Fun Boat" to Chrissi Island
An hour of surfing and here we are on this small Caribbean island uninhabited.
There are several beaches, 10 minutes drive (from where we left the boat) will reach one where the fine white sand and is mixed with small shells, the sea is turquoise blue on shore and offshore. It's hot, there is little shade, but the sea is lovely.
The only sore point is the timetable of the boat is scheduled to return at 16.00 and we could not turn the island where there is a small church of St. Nicholas.
Evening in Ierapetra, there seems little feature although in reality we have not visited much, but there are many places on the waterfront and there is so many people here enjoy other traditional Greek cuisine, Keftedes (meatballs), saganaki ( Fried Feta) Giemista (peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, zucchini flowers stuffed with rice), Tigana (pancakes).

Vai

In the easternmost part of Crete is situated Go a beach whose main feature is the presence of the biggest millstone of Europe, about 5,000 palms. We arrive after little more 'than 1 hour drive, palm trees are only a few meters from shore, the beach is gravel and is very crowded. ... Buses arrive continually and perhaps that we are all a little' disappointed.
There are other nearby creeks where you can feel more relaxed and where the sea is beautiful as always.
When we take the car from the parking lot we find a flat tire, minor inconvenience but it can happen considering the condition of roads Cretan.
Evening in a "psarotaberna" (seafood restaurants on the beach). We had dinner on the beach with the moon almost full, the local cute, the decor strictly blue and blue, some lantern here and there and dinner very good. Having finally tasted the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), we have tasted the good grilled fish and fried squid.

Heraklion

Last day in Crete, Ierapetra we left and we headed to the capital Heraklion city, we visited the port, the central area with the fountain of Morosini, Venetian walls and in the afternoon we went to visit the ruins at Knossos Palace of Minos . After all the sea a bit 'culture!
After we rested a bit at the hotel here is our last dinner Greek

Heraklion - Pescara

8:45 am we are sitting comfortably in the hotel to breakfast a bit 'sad and convinced that the 7:45.
Suddenly a kind of successor to calm the storm, we see that are randomly 8.45 and we have the plane at 9:20. We have thought to have lost but we try ... I did not realize yet how we left ... we are going up on the plane and the plane door closes and goes away into Italy. In those 20 minutes we had all paid the hotel, left the rental car to Europcar and made check-in. A stormy greeting in Crete, subconsciously wanted to be able to run again and appreciate even more all that this wonderful island offers.