Something I totally forgot to mention on the last post is actually the most striking feature of Crete: the extremely friendly people of Crete. I have no idea why these people are so friendly and if it’s the water they’re drinking or indeed the wine, the olive oil, and the sun.
But yes, Cretans are maybe the nicest people on earth and this alone makes it worth vacationing here.
For the sake of my parents, Jan and I planned less than we’re actually used to do. But for a few things, we could make them a little bit excited about. So we managed to visit some spots during that week. All with a rental car. (If you don’t have a rental car, there are always tour providers near any hotel.)
Elafonissi
The hard facts: It’s crowded, as it’s the island’s main attraction. In June, parking was free. Two sunbeds and one umbrella cost 15€. Don’t eat at the restaurant up at the entrance claiming they have the best view. Better eat at the booth close to the beach. At least you get some value for your money.
And now the interesting part: These beaches are crowded for a reason. The crystal clear water (which is still quite cold in June), the lagoon, the pink sand at the shore – everything here is a blessing to the eye. Therefore the crowds didn’t bother us too much. If you’re prepared for it, it’s not that bad anymore.
Again: The beach is abnormally beautiful. You’ll have to see it at least once. Don’t get discouraged by the crowds.
Falassarna Beach
Coming from Elafonissi, you might need to be mentally prepared for narrow streets on steep mountains. First, we were driving along the beautiful stony coast before we had to pass the mountains. If you’re not used to it (Jan already knew these kinds of streets from Sardinia), you might get sick from looking outside of the car. (My mum didn’t speak for a while during our drive.)
I wouldn’t drive here during the night and either Google Maps wasn’t smart enough or this was really the normal route. I guess the latter is true as by all means there were actually people living in the mountains. From the landscape point of view, the route was fantastic.
When we finally arrived in Falassarna, we discovered a little overpriced but nice beach bar and the beautiful beach. Next time in Crete, this is probably our place to be.
Kournas Lake
We didn’t have this place on our radar until we made it to Crete. I think, though tour providers promoting the place it’s still a bit unknown as there were only a few people here. Maybe it depends on the season. The infrastructure would be ready for more tourists.
If you’ll manage to find a viewpoint somewhere above the lake, you’ll see different blueish circles in the lake and further away also the sea.
If you like little fish nibbling on your feet, we’ll recommend putting your feet in the lake. Or just go swimming in it.
Preveli Beach
This beach is perfect for anyone who wants to make a little workout after enjoying too many Gyros. After arriving the walk down is really beautiful with all amazing view. But deep inside you already know, there will be an exhausting walking the way back during the heat. Bringing a lot of water to Preveli Beach is a very good advice.
The beach is gravelly and famous for its ‚heart rock‘. Furthermore, there’s a palm-lined river next tot he beach. The walk through the ‚jungle‘ was really nice and the place as a whole worth the trip.
There’s a beach bar with good food (though not a huge selection) and drinks. You can reach Preveli Beach also with the boat. It was more complicated and we were more flexible with the rental car.
The Bay at Klapsinos Tavern
As far as we know, this bay has no name and it is located right next to Klapsinos Tavern. A tavern with delicious food lead by an unbelievably nice family. Not surprising for Cretans.
They also offer their service to the people visiting the bay and we felt really comfy and welcome all the way long. Loungers and parasols are free if you drink or eat something there. As the bay is shielded from the currents the water is quite warm, shallow and a dream for everyone, young or old. Unfortunately, I have nothing better to offer than advertising vocabulary to describe you the perfection of this beach. Like the Klapsinos Tavern itself, the bay is popular among locals. And while I’m writing this, I already regret it. But anyway!
As it was just a 15-minute drive from our hotel, we were here almost every day and would come back anytime on our next Crete trip.
Near the tavern and the bay, you’ll find the Kanakis Apartments (we assume it’s the same owner). As mentioned in the previous post, we had a different hotel. For the next time, we would probably take this one. Location, pool, view and the easy self-supply on Crete, would make this one our favorite for the next time. Ratings on booking.com are really good.
If you have any questions, as always, just contact us!
Leave a Reply