I can't pretend that I've 'done' Crete. The island is much larger than I expected and with its rugged central terrain, and consequently slow roads, it takes a lot of time to get around. There's also much to see. So it will be a lifetime's study, not one holiday's.
For this first visit we had only a week - and we also had several young children in tow. We went very early in the season, during the first week of April. The weather is variable at that time - it can be sunny and warm, but you're taking a bigger risk then as it can also be cool and rainy. I imagine that it gets very hot in the peak of the summer. The advantage, as with anywhere off-season, is that there were far fewer people. We had beaches to ourselves, and even the innumerable tourist restaurants strung around the harbour in Hania were bearably quiet.
We were based in the Akrotiri peninsula on the northwest coast of the island, which had its own beaches and was undeveloped but was still easy to get to, less than half an hour from Hania and its airport. Hania is both a bustling, working city and a charming holiday town. Despite the countless standard tourist cafes (why do they all have to be exactly the same?), the old harbour with its lighthouse and Venetian architecture remains a relaxing spot. The covered market and the leather shops on one of the old streets near the harbour are worth a visit.
One of our best days was spent driving up into the White Mountains to the spectacular head of the Samarian Gorge. The scenery is beautiful and away from the gorge itself and the hordes who are drawn to it, I'm sure there are many rewarding walks and tours. Walking the gorge down to the south coast is one of the classic day trips of Crete, but it doesn't open until May so we and our children were denied our chance - probably a blessing really! I'd love to spend another time meandering along the more isolated south coast of Crete, jumping from one coastal village to the next by the only means available - boat. A future visit, perhaps without the kids!
Despite the shortage of time and the distance, we determined that we couldn't go to Crete without seeing one of the archaeological wonders of the world - the Palace of Knossos. It was a very hairy two-hour drive along the island from Hania to Iraklion and Knossos - the three-lane road is supposedly the most dangerous in Greece! Having survived the journey, I can only say that I was mildly disappointed by the palace itself. I managed only occasionally to sense the splendour of its original scale and life because as with many of these unique heritage sites the unavoidable acts of modern preservation inhibit our access and imagination. At Knossos my imagination was challenged not only by the infamous concrete reconstructions effected by Sir Arthur Evans during the original excavations, but also by the scaffolding and sheeting that prevented our seeing key parts of the site. Still, I can say I've been, and my six-year old daughter's imagination was certainly captivated by the colour and drama of the pictures in the official guidebook. As I say - the beginning of a lifetime's study.
For general tourist guidance and food and restaurant recommendations, I used the Rough Guide to Greece. It provides comprehensive coverage of the island - sadly I only used a small portion of it on this trip!
I also read Knossos: Unearthing a Legend by Alexandre Farnoux, on the background to the excavations of Knossos.
For maps, the Mairs Map of Crete at 1:150,000 scale was useful for general road navigation around the island, and the Harms Verlag Map of Western Crete at 1:100,000 provided a more detailed alternative for the local area, though there are minor discrepancies between the two!
Author: Douglas Schatz
Date: 1 July 2002
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