Hello there, fellow greece enthusiasts!
My fiance and I will be visiting Crete this June.
We're planning on staying in Chania, but our return flight is from Heraklion - pretty early in the morning :(
We were wondering if that's possible to have a fun tour (Possibly a drive between wineries and authentic villages or some food and chat) - even a private one - which will start in Chania, and end in Heraklion, thus preventing us from getting up super early to get there (we'll stay In Heraklion if we reach there in the evening of course).
Thank you!
ori.silberberg
1
Jwugg
Yes of course you can, it is a great idea, & certainly stay in Iraklio city centre the night before your flight. The airport is very close to the city & an easy taxi ride. Thus you could visit the superb archeological museum in the early evening, stroll round the city & get a good last Cretan meal.
Are you having a hire car? I so, your day-trip can take you to many places! It's a simple 2 hour drive from Chania to Iraklio, & this main road is easy by bus. You could stop at Rethymno, around halfway - walk its beautiful old town & venetian harbour. Or you could do beach stops at Panormos, Bali or Agia Pelagia. Or you could do a tour to the South coast if you like to drive a lot seeing some of Crete's mountains - something like down to Hora Sfakia, along to Plakias & up towards Rethymno, or further along the south to Matala, for instance. You could drive back via the Amari valley, or many more routes.
But if you mean you want to join a tour, then I don't know of any starting in Chania & ending in Iraklio. You could ask 1 of the taxi companies to give you a price (I like Taxi4crete, lovely people & they do excoursions)It's about E170 Chania to Iraklio, would be more for a longer trip.
2
travelerjan
With a car, u can make yr own fab day-tour toward Iraklio (alas, a Concrete City, but some plusses). Use this great Map - http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-maps/images/Crete-eot.png -- click & it gets huuge. BIg GREEN road is modern hi-way; the RED roads offer many options:
• RED ROAD "Old Road" inland from Chania -- Georgeopolis is a UK "package-tour" beach town, but has amazing "allee" leading in, huge Eucalyptus trees lining it; you feel like a cough drop!
• RED "Old Road" on to Rethymnon - goes thru tiny villages, sometimes traffic jam w. goat flocks. Look for one with somber monument in tiny town center; memorial of Nazi massacre of ALL town's men (!!)
• RETHYMNON - the Old Town not nearly as interesting as Chania, so just drive straight to the Major FORTEZZA if you like HUGE buildings, then then leave (its museum not much)
• PANORMOS & MELIDOONI - If u need a swim, Panormos beaches lovely, watch for rip-currents. INLAND is amazing Cave of Melidoni -- beautiful, poignant, scene of 1825 tragedy, Ottoman turk atrocity.
• SEASCAPE - drive from Panormos to Iraklion, gorgeous views - I agree bypass city, drop car at airport & taxi or take BUS into town. Hotel KRONOS is right on seafront (ask for room w view) ... before dinner, walk out on causeway to the Heraklio FORTEZZA (it held out against turks 23 YEARS!). Good dining at the circle at foot of causeway, at ?? Taverna Psara?? Lots of great Cretan mezedes.
3
Thorn Tree
This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
trusted partner
trusted partner