Holiday in Crete - October 2012

It was very bright and warm when we arrived in Heraklion.  Our hotel was further East in Agios Nikolaos.  It was on the promenade overlooking a beautiful blue and green bay with islands and there was a large terrace with a pool and bar and a magnificent fish buffet for lunch.  Being an ‘all inclusive’ break, the wine was free too and it was good.  

A stroll along the prom, a relaxing hour in the café, wonderful food at dinner, and a convivial evening in the bar (with free drinks, remember).  What more could you want?

We did lots more of this during our week in the sun.  Some of us went exploring, some went shopping and some (well, three of us) went swimming in the sea, which was crystal clear and still pleasantly warm.  

On the first morning we all chose to take a trip on the Fun (road) Train, which surprised me by heading out of town along the sea cliffs where we were rewarded by stunning views of Agios Nikolaos and Elounda bays, before going back to explore the pretty town, its harbour, narrow streets, main square, at least three bays and an inland lake.  There were plenty of shops too, including a surprising number of fur traders and upmarket jewellers.

Of course, we visited the Minoan palace at Knossos and learned a good deal of Cretan history peppered with Greek mythology.  I thought that Sir Arthur Evans’s highly controversial reconstructions in situ cleverly showed the scale, style and grandeur of the palace that, after 4000 years, has become largely a labyrinth of ruined walls, though I admit the scattered bright and pristine reconstructions give the site a bizarre, schizophrenic atmosphere.  

For most of us the star outing was to the island of Spinalonga that guards the strategic harbour of Elounda.  The weather was treacherous, but we had a smooth crossing to the island heavily fortified by the Venetians in the 16th century and later captured by the Turks.  This was fascinating to me because I had just read a great book by Roger Crowley bringing to life the great sea battles for control of the Mediterranean, involving the Hapsburgs in Spain, the Pope, the Venetians and the Turks.

But the most moving history is more recent – within living memory – when Spinalonga was used as a leper colony and the human drama has been described unforgettably by Victoria Hislop in ‘The Island’.  We saw the buildings and the conditions on the island and we were quiet.  It seemed so close.

Another day we took the ‘Cretan Countryside’ tour, which we all agreed was much better than its title promised.  It included a wine tasting, where the wines were excellent.  Why don’t we see Cretan wines in our supermarkets?

 We went on to a country pottery where the owner demonstrated incredible skill, creating two large, elegant and expertly decorated pots in seconds before our eyes.  We saw firing and glazing kilns and finally the shop with a myriad beautiful pots at knockdown prices (I’m a bit worried about that last adjective but they were very good value).  We bought several and I’m pleased to report our pots got home safely.  We drove back through some gorgeous Cretan mountain scenery, through charming valleys and pretty villages.

Finally we enjoyed an excellent dinner, a stroll along the prom, a sociable interlude in a pleasant beachside bar surrounded by the soft air, with stars and harbour lights reflected in the gently soughing sea.  If it’s not like that that near you in October, why not come with us next time? You’ll love it. We did.