Holiday in Crete

In August 2013 we spent a week in Crete thanks to the free holiday we had won. We received a week's accommodation in the Village Heights Golf Resort in Hersonissos. The resort is located in the foothills quite a distance from the busy tourist area along Hersonissos beach. It was a quiet location, but we didn't feel too isolated as there was a shuttle bus into the village (and back) a few times a day. Our apartment contained a living room, dining area, balcony, small but very well-equipped kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. It was comfortable and spacious, and the furniture was full-sized, without the compromises seen in some hotels, though as in most hotel rooms the lighting was somewhat insufficient. We had breakfast and a couple of dinners in the poolside restaurant, and the rest of our meals in cafes or tavernas while we were out, or prepared in the kitchen.

View from balcony toward sea, Village Heights Golf Resort

 
We visited Heraklion, where we have been a few times before. We returned to the Archaeological Museum, which has been renovated since our last visit. However, the air conditioning was not being used, presumably for budget reasons, so it was rather hot. We saw various finds, ranging from Minoan to Byzantine. I recommend this museum to any visitors to Crete. We had lunch in a cafe in the pedestrianized shopping area, and while we were eating an accordion band walked by playing some sort of folk song. Then we went down the the Venetian harbour and spent a while trying to photograph the impressive waves, while preventing our sunhats from being blown away.

Heraklion Venetian harbour

Waves on a windy day

We also visited Agios Nikolaos, a touristy but still charming coastal town with a lake. That day started out cloudy and overcast, and there was even a bit of drizzle in the morning, which made a pleasant change from the normal summer weather. We walked around the lake, did some souvenir shopping, and had lunch in a taverna where we fed some cats.

Agios Nikolaos lake, view from above

Agios Nikolaos lake

Agios Nikolaos, taverna cats

Another day we went on a guided tour to the Lassithi Plateau and Knossos. I enjoyed the drive through the mountains, where we saw wild goats and eagles. First we visited the monastery at Kera.

Monastery at Kera

Then we visited the Cave of Zeus, but after climbing up the hill we saw the long queue waiting to enter the cave, so we decided not to bother and returned to where the bus was parked and had a drink and looked around the souvenir shops.

We were taken to a potter's workshop to see a demonstration of pottery making. Then we had lunch in a taverna with windmills in its garden. These windmills were the traditional way of pumping water from the aquifer all over the Lasithi plateau, but there are not many of them left now.

Windmills on the Lasithi Plateau

Ruth & Ivor with windmills

After lunch we were taken to Knossos, the Minoan palace, which we had visited before. The first time we were there we saw peacocks living on the site, but they don't seem to be there any more. It was hot and quite crowded, and we wandered around on our own instead of staying with the group. It was good to see the site again.

Knossos

Knossos dolphin fresco

We also went for a walk in the local villages not far from the hotel. We visited Old Hersonissos, Piskopiano, and Koutouloufari. These villages are in the foothills above the busy coastal area. We enjoyed seeing a more authentic view of Cretan life.

Church, Old Hersonissos

View towards the sea from Old Hersonissos

In Piskopiano we visited the Museum of Rural life, which contained a collection of artifacts related to farming and village home life, and also an impressive collection of traditional Cretan weaving and embroidery.

Household items, Museum of Rural Life, Piskopiano

Courtyard, Museum of Rural Life, Piskopiano

View toward the sea, Piskopiano

We had lunch in Piskopiano and then walked downhill to the touristy seafront of Hersonissos.

Hersonissos beach

We enjoyed our holiday, and found a balance between wanting to go out and see things, and also needing to rest and enjoy some quiet times in the hotel. Crete provides something for everyone. The locals are friendly, the food is excellent, the public transport is reasonably reliable, and we were fortunate to be staying in a hotel more luxurious than usual.