My travel blog, based on my own experiences and opinions. Trying to give you neutral and unbiased travel advise.
I really need to keep reminding myself to work on my travel blog as well, it’s been over 2 weeks since my last post. Once my 50 runs are over I hope I have more opportunities to write for my travel blog.
My wife took a picture of me in Rethymno, whilst I check whether my picture came out right
In October 2017 my wife surprised us with a family holiday to Crete. We had been going through a difficult period where she was un-employed and I also had some struggles, so she decided that a week away at the end of the season would do us all well … she was right
MY WIFE WAS RIGHT!!!
Men! listen to your wifes! They usually mean it well for you and your family and they always have the best intentions in mind (even if the execution is not always perfect 😉). Listen to them and remember why you married her in the first place.
A little collage of some pictures I took with my iPhone whilst on holiday in Crete
- Category: Sun & Beach, History and Culture
- Recommended Length of Stay: Minimum 1 week, longer if you can
- Currency: Euro
- Timezone: GMT+2
- Perfect for: Sun & Beach, Adventure, History
- Target Group: Families, Couples, Romance, long holidays and quick breaks
I am the first to admit that I was against this idea. I don’t like S&B (Sun & Beach) holidays and Crete is really one of those places that besides S&B is also overrun with tourists. I can not lie still on a beach, it bores me and I like to be active, see things, meet people, smell fragrances, taste different flavours … be out there.
So when my wife first came with the suggestion, I was inwardly not happy about this. She knew this and told me that it would be good for the kids, the sand between their toes, swimming and just relaxing. Off course I went along with the idea.
The flight from Zurich to Heraklion is about 3 hours, so not that bad when you have to travel with children. The drive from the airport to our hotel, the Sea Side Resort & Spa near Agia Pelagia was about 20 minutes, so we arrived at a nice and reasonable time, just before lunch at our beautiful but remotely located hotel.
the 'Welcome-view' at our hotel
In the afternoon we went down to the beach to get our first feel of the Mediterranean water, although the kids liked it we found it very slippery on the rocks and not at all suitable for small children, who are just learning to swim. So we said to one another that we would look for other beaches in the vicinity with sand.
The next day we agreed that we would rent a car to discover the island more as we both didn’t want to be stuck in this hotel, secluded from the rest of the world. This was one of the best decisions we’d made, this gave us freedom and opened up the possibility to meet the locals, visit the villages and discover the history.
Me in Chania
Throughout the week that we stayed in Crete we visited Chania & Rethymno, we went swimming at Bali Beach, entertained the kids at the aquarium, climbed up to the Lasithi Plateau where they have the historical windmills and picturesque villages and also the cave where legend claims that Zeus was born. We met great, friendly, honest, hard-working people, tasted fantastic food, visited stunning historical sites and all this whilst travelling with 2 young children. Life doesn’t stop when you have kids, it begins when you have kids. You don’t have to make and major changes, but you do need to consider them.
Driving in Crete was very stressful as the people either don’t know the laws or they do everything possible to break them. So I had to be very careful and because of this I decided on the last day not to go out, so that I could also have 1 day of rest. The island is easy to navigate, however distances are huge and long due to the rocky surface of the island and be careful of short exits on the ‘motorways’.
The food was fantastic once you opt to go away from the touristic places. We loved the fresh olives and cheeses they served everywhere, the meat was fresh and tasty. We ate twice at the Greek restaurant in our hotel and they also have a fantastic Chinese restaurant on site, probably one of the best Chinese I’ve ever had.
Fantastic Chinese, a very tasty and succulent Duck
Our kids loved it as well, the sun, the beaches, the food and most of all the family being together. This is a holiday none of us will soon forget and I can highly recommend it.
Why should you visit Crete:
- Loads of history & culture, it’s quite easy to go off the beaten track and go to places less known to tourists
- If you love Sun & Beach it’s a fantastic destination with stunning beaches and plenty of possibilities. Loads of sun, very warm climate most of the year and friendly welcoming people
- Tasty, original & fresh food made by friendly, honest and hard-working people
- Variety in things to do from visiting historical sites to discovering rural and remote villages, hiking and swimming to being lazy on the beach or just being touristic in the cities, visit the sites and buy souvenirs
In short, I’ll let my wife decide on our holiday plans more in the future, as she knows best for all of us.
The old port of Chania
Shopping is always a possibility (no, that's not my wife)
Goodbye Crete ... until next time!
Let me know what you think, is there anything missing in my review? Do you have any questions or suggestions? I would love to hear them and I will reply to each of them and do my best to incorporate them where I can.
Doron
!steemitworldmap 35.41801296880985 lat 25.018787386533177 long Sea Side Resort & Spa, Agia Pelagia, Crete D3SCR