So many places to go, interesting things to see while in Crete, where are you going to begin? After relaxing and re-energizing from your trip to Crete, a few top places to visit are detailed below. Take your time, hopefully to see all and spend time at each in order to pick your favorite.
The Palace of Mystery, also known as Knossos, used to sit atop and look down upon a city of 100,000 people. Knossos is the home of the “Horns of Consecration”, which defines the palace before the power was shifted to mainland Greece. The most impressive site at Knossos would be the rows, upon rows of large, decorated storage jars, which are called pithols. The “Throne Room” which is a room with a carved stone chair is also nearby, leaving you wondering who actually sat in the chair.
The Samaria Gorge is a beautiful place to take a stroll through. This is a natural gorge which is over nine miles long and begins at the “wooden staircase”. There is a picnic area about halfway down the staircase where woodcutters used to reside but is now inhabited. The trip through the entire gorge would possibly take 6-7 hours but well worth the end result of the sight seeing beauty and the end is an open area in a beautiful village with restaurants and taverns.
A joyful boat trip to the island of Santorini would be a top choice for visiting as well. Santorini is often referred to as one island but actually is a combination of five islands created by the explosion of a volcano in 1500 B.C. You will be able to see public baths, many buildings dating from different eras, theatres and sanctuaries.
When traveling around the far west end of Crete, you will be able to enjoy the peaceful beach of Falasarna. There are a few tavernas along the way but mostly this is a peaceful place to just walk and enjoy the view while feeling the sand beneath your feet.
The Island of Elafonisi, which is located near the southeast tip of Crete, is a beautiful islet. This is the site of a massacre of 850 women and children by the Turks in 1824. There is a memorial plaque in regards to this at the highest point.
For a more up to date culture and nightlife experience, you will want to visit Elounda, Agios and Lassithi. These are more of resort type areas where you can have nightlife and more scrumptious cuisine while in Greece.
If you wish to get the feeling of the past without a lot of other tourist, you will want to visit Ancient Eleftherna. You will be able to discover remains of the Dorian and later Roman times scattered all over the area. The city which stood here in ancient times was one of the most important during the seventh and eighth century.
When visiting the seaside village of Loutro, the South Coast village, you will be able to tour without the interruption of cars, overcrowded streets, beaches or restaurants. There are beautiful beaches to discover and enjoy a day in the sun on. There are many valleys and gorges to explore as well.
When the Turkish Army lie siege for two days and the defenses were finally broken on November 9th, 1866, the Cretan guerrillas and their families were located in the Monastery of Arkadi. There are few nuns and monks who still reside at the Monastery and take care of the surrounding grounds. You may book a private walk and in addition have lunch after the walk with your guide being a direct descendent of one of the heroes of battle.
There are many caves in Crete. You could spend a whole day exploring the caves and the impressive rock formations which have taken years to form. One of the most popular caves to explore is Sfendoni Cave in the village of Zoniana.
By taking a day trip to the city of Chania, you will be able to see one of the oldest Orthodox Cathedral’s. This can be combined with a tour of the Ventian Harbor which features a 16th Century Venetian lighthouse.
No matter what you decide to do on a daily basis in Crete, there are plenty of sites to see and exciting areas to explore. Whether walking, taking a boat trip or a bus tour, you will be amazed and astonished with the beauty and peacefulness of Crete.