Crete (Greece) > Reviews (47)

We visited the island of Crete this May. The island is varied depending on area, but we concentrated on the Chania area. This review is mainly random ramblings of our thoughts and observations, perhaps a few tips and some fundamental useful info too, hope you don't find it too boring.

Chania (also known as Hania) is an obvious destination for the tourist to visit. It's a mix of old and new, quite a busy place especially around the harbour area of the old part of town - where you'll find the famous Lighthouse.

Eating
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If you are looking for places to eat, there are numerous restaurants, all offering a similar mix of traditional and international cuisine. Moussaka is always on the menu, and you can't help but smell it in the air as you wander around. If you are stuck for ideas of what to choose, a safe bet is a Greek mixed plate - enough for two, if not three. Expect to pay between 15-30 Euros depending on your choice of restaurant

. What you'll get here is a very nice selection of traditional Greek food to sample - a bit of everything. Food on the whole is generally of a good standard, and presented well and in good sized portions. The staff however at some of the venues seem far from happy, quite obviously stressed and not particularly well dressed. Don't be surprised if your waiter takes your order and delivers it in jeans and a t-shirt. One thing to mention is that once you've sat down, you'll be liable for a cover charge, a few euros generally are added to the final bill.

If you are on more of a budget, or just want a snack, there are takeaways and cafes, serving pasties, pies, pizza and the like. We didn't however see any of the major junk food chains (not a bad thing) - although I'm sure they are there somewhere.

Drinking
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A bottle of house Greek wine will go well with your meal, and it usually is local. Greek wine is quite a mixed bunch, however the quality of that served in a decent restaurant is more than acceptable, and reasonably priced at around 7 euros per litre. Ouzo (not strictly Cretan) and Raki (100% Cretan) are of course always on the menu, as well as locally brewed beers Mythos and Amstel (both reasonably strong and tasty - 5% or thereabouts). It makes sense to at least try these things out, as you may never see them again. A beer in a restaurant may set you back 2-3 Euros, a cocktail - double that. Of course if you're looking for something to take back to you, any supermarket/mini-market will stock a range of local products, although the quality varies. If you can find real local products (home made) go for them instead. Ouzo will set you back just 4-5 Euros per litre, four beers less than 2 Euros, and an average bottle of wine, 3-5 Euros. Be very wary of large bottles of wine sold for less than a few Euros - some of them taste like toilet chemicals and are undrinkable. Tap water is perfectly good to drink, in fact it's rather nice - the local bottled variety is also available cheaply everywhere.

Travelling
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A cheap way of getting around is the public bus system.

Less than a Euro will get you from the surrounding villages into Chania, and another Euro will get you back. It is possible to buy your ticket on the bus, but cheaper to buy them at a mini-market - there'll be one not far from the bus stop. Bus stops have a blue round sign, with a picture of a bus, and are in Greek and English - the letters for the routes are underneath, but timetables are no where to be seen. They seem to run regularly on well used routes though. It's a good idea to hold out your hand, even when at a designated stop, and of course press the button to get off again in advance. At times, buses may become packed to bursting point - much like the London underground. On one occasion, the conductor stepped off the bus to allow one more person on - it was that tight. Incidentally the bus conductor will not be wearing a uniform, just so you can identify him easily.

Mopeds are another cheap way to get around, and of course you are far more free than with the bus. Hire centres can be found anywhere, and prices are cheap - most offering a discount on multiple day hire (40 euros or so for 3 days). It's common to see riders not wearing helmets, but it's not advisable to join in this fashion. It is law to wear a helmet, and is becoming more common to be stopped if you are not - and of course it's dangerous. While most major roads seem to be in reasonable condition, pavements are pit ridden, uneven and strewn with debris - certainly not great for those with prams, wheelchairs or difficulty in walking. Pavements also disappear at times, meaning you must walk on the road itself.

Taxis are cheap, a 15 minute journey costing less than 5 euros. If you are standing at a bus stop, a taxi driver may try and pick you up, negotiating a good price before you get in. Car hire of course is available, and prices are neither expensive or cheap but somewhere in between.

People
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It struck as being a very safe place to be. At no time did we feel threatened or unsure of our surroundings, We intentionally strayed off the tourist streets of Chania at times, walking through areas with local children playing in the streets, and old ladies sweeping them. These streets by our standards appeared run-down and tatty, but obviously have a certain charm to them. Perhaps this is due in part to heavy bombing that the town suffered during WWII. It's easy to see the Venetian/Turkish influences in these crumbling structures. In the middle of the day when people were taking siestas, the place seemed unbelievably calm and quiet, doors and windows left open with a feeling of contentedness flowing out of each of them. We would have loved to have been invited in. The streets are very clean, and not just of litter - we saw absolutely no beggars or buskers anywhere at all.

Shopping
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Whilst there are numerous shops to browse in, it can become tedious seeing the same products time and time again, much of which is made elsewhere anyway, with a Crete label stuck on. Souvenir hunters should look for real local goods rather than the endless cheap tat sold at these touristy shops.

Shopkeepers commonly sit or stand outside, and may sometimes entice you in, but never being overly pushy. Once inside service can be stressful if you are the only customer, as all the attention is on you. This doesn't appear to be as bad as shops in other countries however. Don't be surprised if the shop staff are puffing away at a cigarette whilst serving you, smoking seems to be widely accepted here wherever you are. We were surprised to find an old lady in the room of a small museum doing just that. Apart from the shops, there is the local market place - although this seems aimed at tourists too. All the local spices are available, although many of the market sellers have the same wares. Good buys are olive oil (2-4 Euros per litre) of all descriptions, a huge variety of herbs (including diktamos - only found on Crete), cheeses and honey. Staff seem very helpful, and willing to practise their sometimes pigeon English. The Euro is in use here, and there are plenty of exchange houses around competing against each other.

Sights & Attractions
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We visited a few of the museums in the town. The Archaeological Museum is housed in the 16th-century Church of St Francis, and has a wonderful collection of Cretan artefacts from the Neolithic age, up to more recent times. It includes some large mosaics, which were only recently uncovered in the town. There are some really good items which show just how Cretans have lived in history. It could take a few hours to look at all the exhibits in detail, but half an hour is best if with small less interested children. Entry is a few Euros per adult. No photography is allowed in this museum. The folklore museum is somewhere we stumbled upon by accident, whilst looking at the Catholic Church, in Halithon Street. It's a small web of dimly lit rooms, filled with things such as would be used in Cretan homes going back through time. Although quite interesting, it can all be seen very quickly. This also costs 2 euros to enter, but we were able to take photographs here. On the opposite side of the street is the Cathedral - you can't miss this. it's free to enter - it's worth it just to see the impressive artwork on hanging on the walls. The other museums, which we should have perhaps visited are the Historical Archive of Crete, Naval Museum and the War Museum. There are also plenty of other churches to look into, some little more than simple and somewhat shabby shrines where you can light a candle in return for a donation.

We wondered into the Jewish district of the town, where it was very quiet, and there were a lack of other tourists. The Synagogue, Kehal Hayyim can be found here.

Back at the harbour area, we walked along the Bulwark of St. Nicholas of Molos - a jetty which leads to the lighthouse. There is a restaurant and bar actually on the jetty. When we went, we weren't able to reach the lighthouse due to work being carried out, but the walk is nice enough anyway. Some boat restoration projects are happening in the harbour area too.

Climate
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Crete has a warm climate year round, although snow can be found on the highest mountain tops. We were able to still see white peaks on the mountains whilst we were there, sweltering in temperatures of almost 30 degrees. Even in the winter months, the temperature rarely falls below 15 degrees. The summer months can see temperatures reach 35 degrees. Sun protection and hats are a must in the hottest times, it's easy to burn quickly.

Language
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Obviously the official language is Greek. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, although it's not always easy to make yourself understood completely. More surprisingly perhaps is the huge range of limited vocabulary some of the restaurant staff have - especially the ones who entice you in. They quite easy could start a simple conversation in all the major European languages - and Swedish. Whilst this is all very useful, sometime you feel the uniqueness of being in another country depends on them using their own language - not yours, certainly not Swedish anyway. Most restaurant menus were in at least half a dozen languages, taking some of the fun out of choosing, and signs everywhere too, if somewhat badly and humorously mis-spelt. Outside of the main tourist areas, expect very little English to be spoken or understood, a phrase book and body language will be useful here.

Communications
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Should you need to call home, and your mobile doesn't work, a payphone is the next best thing. These accept cards which can be purchased almost anywhere for as little as 3 Euros. They seem to be good value when used at off peak times. Internet facilities can be found in the main town, prices vary but aren't too steep for light usage.

Beaches
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Whilst perhaps they can't be compared with the gems of the Caribbean, the best beaches seem very clean, some of the sand being very soft and fine. The water is clean, free from weed, although rocky in places. Some places charge for sunbeds and umbrellas, but you'll also find beach restaurants which don't. Beach sellers are not common, we only saw one chap selling donuts the whole week. To the west of Chania, the areas of Stalos, Marina, Agios and Platanias form a long stretch of beach to accommodate the tourist. I'm sure these are extremely busy in the peak of summer, however in May, they were all very little used - and it was never a problem finding a nice spot.

Landscape in general
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What you'll see around you will vary very much due to the season you go. Late spring, early summer seems to be a perfect time to see the island at it's best. Beautiful flowers can be seen everywhere, and trees of lime, lemons and oranges, amongst others grow, even in the town itself. I was just tall enough to pick a ripe orange from the tree, you can't get fresher than that. The smell of the countryside air is fresh and inviting. Fields of olives can be seen everywhere, lining hills roaming with chickens, goats and ducks. The summer heat takes it's toll after this and dries the island, taking a lot of the colour away.

It's not all chocolate box material though. Construction of new apartment blocks, hotels and so on is evident everywhere. Ugly grey slabs of concrete, some seemingly long forgotten spoil otherwise postcard views. Many buildings seem incomplete, with iron rods poking out of flat roofs, however this is so that the owners pay less taxes, and it's a very common practice throughout the island.

Summing up
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All in all we did enjoy the trip. Whilst it's not the Caribbean, it's a reasonably cheap destination if you can avoid some of the tourist traps, has enough to see for the average sight-seer, and of course a wonderful climate with some real treasures to be found. The character of the old town is pleasing, as is the friendliness of the locals. There are many places in the world for us still to visit, once we've done them all, we'd probably go back for another look.