Three excursions tried for you starting from Crete, from Lasithi with the Cava of Zeus and the Monastery of Kera, to Chrissi, up to Rethymno and Chania, read the post for all information on excursions.
You want to leave for one vacation in Greece and you don't know which island to choose? Well you are right, although I have only visited one of the many Greek islands, it is well known that all of them are renowned for their culture and for the great natural beauty they possess. Among which obviously the intense blue waters that pamper the famous cradle of Western civilization. With this article, I want to talk to you about some interesting ones in particular excursions to do in Crete.
The most beautiful excursions in Crete
For six and a half months I lived in the beautiful Island of Crete: I have not visited all that interesting the island offers because I was working, but during my free days I used the time to discover the places that most attracted me. North South East West.
Crete offers wonderful towns and delightful beaches everywhere you can reach it. In this article I want to share with you the three excursions that deserve to be done at least once in a lifetime. Assuming that every five meters in the city there are travel agencies that offer countless excursions at sometimes normal and sometimes inflated prices, I propose the excursions that I have done. Wanting to touch a little of what was there island culture and also trying to discover the beauties of some Cretan cities.
I don't know if costs and programs vary from year to year, I bring you my personal experience. I have not done any excursions so I don't know how much they can cost with the tour operators. My advice is to look around in the country you are in and not to listen to what the tour operator offers you, as they tend to increase costs exaggeratedly.
1. Lasithi: Zeus quarry and Kera Monastery
The first excursion I want to offer you is suitable for those who want admire Greek mythology up close. To tackle this excursion, we leave in the morning around 9:00 am with the bus that will pick you up at the hotel or apartment complex where you are staying. You will have to be armed with trekking shoes e sun hat. The bus trip offers the opportunity to observe very suggestive and characteristic landscapes of the island. The first stage you reach is the Quarry of Zeus in the Lasithi region, the easternmost of the island.
The advantage of the coach
Traveling by bus through this region you can admire the vast fertile plains that characterize it. The bus stops in the square and waits for all tourists to return to reach the second leg of the excursion together. From the square there are two possible routes to reach the Cave of Zeus: the first is a simple paved road recommended for those who do not like steep paths and prefer not to struggle. The second is a steep path and full of stones that requires the use of trekking shoes to have a good grip on the ground and not to hurt your feet. Being a lover of adventure, I opted for the latter and, despite not having brought hiking shoes and wearing low, open and leather sandals, I arrived at my destination safe and sound.
Before starting to walk along the path you will find a sign with the following writing: "Psychro Cave - Diktaian Antron". This is the cave in which Zeus was born and is located in the village itself Psychro. Once you get to the top of the path you queue up to enter the cave, the entrance is not included in the price of the excursion, it is an extra cost.
The Cave of Zeus
When my turn came, I went down, curious, into the cave. I imagined it different, bigger. It is a cave, to make you understand, that looking at it from above it looks like a large hole. You go down, cross it and go up on the opposite side. Inside there are stalactites e stalagmites in every corner of the cave. The explanation of the cave is given by the guide on the bus during the journey before arriving at the destination. I recommend bringing you one sweatshirt or sweater to cover you when you are inside the cave because the temperature is very different from the outside one.
Kera Kardiotissa Monastery in the village Kera, also in the Lasithi region. The latter did not impress me, but the explanation of the guide remains interesting and the whole landscape deserves some photos. We leave by bus to reach a small ceramic workshop: a gentleman shows the method of working with ceramics and, if there are children, invites them to create an object with him. Above the workshop there is a souvenir shop where you can buy numerous ceramic objects. Continue to the Tzermiado village, typical backwater village, in which we allow ourselves the lunch break.
The lunch
I had lunch in the Kourites tavern and I ate very well. Excellent value for money and you taste the real Greek cuisine. In the afternoon we go to the Palace of Knossos, the most important archaeological site in Crete, dating back to the Bronze Age. The guided tour allows you to gather any information about this important piece of history. After the guided tour we go to the bus to return to the accommodation, arriving at our destination around 18:00.
2. Chrissi
The second excursion that I want to propose is an island located in Libyan sea: the island of Chrissi. To face this day it is necessary bring your beach bag. The day begins at around 08:30, with the coach picking you up at your accommodation and taking you to the town of Ierapetra, in the south of Crete.
Once you arrive in this city you have to walk for about ten minutes and you will arrive at the kiosk that sells the ferry tickets which takes you to the island of Chrissi.
The group reaches the boat and heads for the open sea. The waters here are blue, a wonderful blue. If the day is particularly windy, this excursion is usually postponed. I was lucky because I found a not very windy day. I really enjoyed the boat trip: the sea is truly beautiful and approaching the island you can see the wonderful colors that make it famous and named "tropical island or Caribbean island". Once on the island, in fact, you can perfectly see the infinite shades of blue and turquoise, up to the deep navy blue.
The journey to get to Chrissi is long, I left Hersonissos and it took me three hours by bus to get to Ierapetra and others two hours by ferry to reach the island. Once arrived at the destination the guide will recommend the most deserving beaches, I went to the beach "Golden Beach" for example. The sea was beautiful but it was full of stones, small and huge, therefore quite dangerous. I recommend asking the guide what the best beach is.
Tips for the beach
Better bring the rubber shoes to enter the sea and, if you love snorkeling, a nice mask with snorkel and a pair of fins to explore this beautiful piece of the Libyan sea. The sand is golden and fine. For lunch I recommend the small kiosk that you find at the beginning of the island as you will arrive for lunch time; I ate a classic "chicken pita"For a few euros. Be satisfied, at least you will not have to go back if you are discovering the scenic beauty of Chrissi. The return is scheduled for 20:30 pm in Hersonissos. If you are not staying in Hersonissos do not worry: there is still the possibility to reach Ierapetra from any city of Crete and, once there, take the tickets to Chrissi. On the boat there is the bar.
3. Rethymno and Chania
The third excursion I want to offer you is the visit of two beautiful cities: Rethymno and Chania. Distant from Heraklion two and three hours respectively, both in the west of Crete, perfectly reachable also by car. I recommend visiting them with the excursion because you save a lot and, in addition, the guide will explain all the cultural and artistic beauties which both Cretan cities offer. Rethymno is home to a marvelous fortress from which the sea view is nothing short of spectacular.
I recommend a walk along the promenade of the ancient port, very suggestive. Chania it is particular because it is full of typical Greek alleys, with white houses and many flowers. The guide will be able to best advise you on all the beauties of this city. My excursion also included a stop on the beach, about a five-minute walk outside the city center.
There are many other tempting excursions that however exceeded the budget at my disposal, so I recommend that you inquire well about the destinations and prices of some travel agencies and not just one, to avoid paying unnecessarily inflated figures and to obviously choose the excursion best suited to you.
