Travel review: Crete - a romantic idyll

Sometimes you find a place that just makes you feel good. The crowds don’t bother you, the heat is comforting-not uncomfortable, the food is tasty and fresh, and you feel like you can really relax. That’s how I feel about Crete. Read this travel review: Crete to learn more.

It’s not somewhere we have gone many times. Just two times over the last 15 years, each for a week long stay at the same family run hotel, about the same time of year, and we did similar things both times.

In September 2008, we enjoyed a week in Koutouloufari, just inland from Heraklion. We stayed at Creta Blue Suites. It was part of a prolonged trip to Greece including Athens, Santorini and Mykonos, and this was at the beginning of the trip. It was, and is, a great introduction to Greece! We spent our first day in awe of how quiet and relaxing it was at this resort, and the beautiful sunsets drew you every evening to the pool bar to watch the sun slowly drop over the horizon.

In September 2016, we enjoyed a week again at Creta Blue. This time we introduced friends of ours to the hotel. It had developed over the years and become more beautiful – there were minimal if any signs of aging in the building. Georgios, the hotel manager, was as friendly as the first time, and as inclined to make your trip a fantastic one as previously.

Recommendations

Accommodation:

We’ve only been to Creta Blue Suites! However, we do recommend you think about where on Crete is the best fit for you to stay. If you want a more active vacation, Heraklion or Chania may be a better bet for you. Keep in mind though, with more activity comes more traffic.

Eat:

On our recent trip in 2016, the resorts menu had expanded and breakfast, lunch and dinners were all available. Koutouloufari is full of great restaurants, some specific ones we enjoyed: Iokasti Restaurant – great view and excellent food! Nicos The Fisherman – pure fried fish heaven! Galini Restaurant – local food, with great wine and beautiful ambiance!

travel review: crete — Galini Restaurant in Koutouloufari

Activities:

A few key things to do include: Heraklion Archaeological Museum, The Palace of Knossos, wine tasting as some very scenic wineries including Boutari and Lyrarakis. The area around Koutouloufari and Hernossis is great for wondering around – just make sure you have water on hand for those hot days!