Wanting to stay with a local family in Crete.

Hello itchyfeet, and congratulations on having 2 whole weeks to explore Crete!

I think what you are looking for doesn't exist in exactly that form any more ... if what you mean is, renting out the spare upstairs bedroom in a Greek home. A few decades ago, that was more common, they called it "domatia" lodgings (home). Back then, travelers came on very cheap tickets, and lived on a few drachma per day, and were happy to share a family's bathroom for a night's lodging at the equivalent of $5AUD in today's currency. But times change and expectations change ... travellers began expecting to have their own bathrooms en suite, and Greeks also built more facilities, for a bit more $$, and were not as cool with the idea of having people right in their living space, eating off the same table, sharing their shower etc.

However, many many many "mama & papa" B & B's exist ... buildings with as few as 6 apartments, where a family member comes in & tidies up every day, and mama brings a breakfast to your patio if desired. You meet their children, their retired grandpa, share photos of YOUR children, share a coffee or a glass of raki. In my 12 trips to Greece there are places where I go that I've seen the children get big, the proprietress & I share news of becoming Grandmothers. These places exist not just in the countryside but in Crete there are plenty in Chania, in Matala, in Falassarna, to name just 3 that I know of in Western Crete. If you'll share more about which area of Crete you wish to explore, you will get a greater number of specific suggestions --- but I'm not going to lay out a list, and then have you say oh no, I want to be on the Northeast Coast, near Sissi.

Wow, Thank you travelerjan for your wonderful reply. What you've described is exactly what I was looking for, and now I know what to look for. Yes, a "mama & papa" B&B for me!
As to area, we know we don't want to be in the midst of tourists visiting only for the sun and the beer. A we're allowing 2 weeks, we might stay in a couple of different places. Our port stop was in AG and we spent a long day sightseeing off-the-beaten-track including a trip into the mountains. Fabulous, as wherever we went, everyone else was a local. My memory is letting me down and my notes are packed away (somewhere!) but I thing we went to the Lassithi Plateau?
As you've been fortunate to visit Greece many times (am envious!), perhaps you might recommend areas to stay? Eastern and southern appeal to me simply because they seem less touristy.

Glad to know I was on target, itchyfeet! You have plenty of time to research and prepare ... so first off, I suggest you get a GOOD and CANDID guide ... my top choice would be ROUGH GUIDE to CRETE, either 2013 or 2010 edition -- you're not getting it for the hotel & restaurant prices, so a little older is OK. AMAZON has used paperback copies ... I hope you do have AMAZON online. in Australia? (I looked up your profile, but BTW, it's always helpful if people say where they are from... and if pertinent, whether they have GReek background). Also get a ROAD EDition map of Crete.. the most enlarged available. Online, my favorite map for planning is this one (click & it gets Huuuge) http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-maps/images/Crete-eot.png -- it not only shows roads but also TERRAIN, which explains where roads can and cannot go...

Yes, if your cruise ship stopped in Ag Nikolaos, then a logical excursion would have been up to Lassithi Plateau (that is an example of the Journey being more than the Destination -- the Plateau is nothing like it originally was, the "windmill farming" is all fake, but friends tell me the road up, the scenery is wonderful). Your saying that East & South appeal "because seem less touristy" shows that you do need to research --
• EAST of Heraklion, 60 mi or so of North Shore, until just before Sissi, is The MOST touristy stretch of Crete (UK cheapo package-holiday hell, centered in Malia, with concrete buildings on the shore, full of bargain-hunting BRits drinking beer & getting sunburnt).

• And the SOUTH, if what you mean is the area directly below Malia & to the east ... this coast is the Tomato-growing capitol of Greece -- miles and miles and miles of Greenhouses ...

Now, if by SOUTH you mean, what you get when you drive South west from Heraklion ... or any of the roads south from Chania or Rethymnon, that's a different story entirely! And the NORTH shore -- east & west of CHANIA for a few miles -- has a lot of Tourism in shore villages, but Nothing to compare with the above. I have done 1-week itineraries In Central/West Crete, and developed them for others. Examples would be:
• Fly into CHANIA (2-3 days) Drive WEST to FALASSARNA (2 nights), South to ELafonissi (if you want), or else to PALEOCHORA... then back to N. Coast (because you can't drive along S. Coast -- see map EAST to Georgeopolis areas then South to HORA SFAKION area (2-3 nights depending on what you want to do ... such as hike down the Imbros Gorge, or do the "cliffwalk" between Loutro & Hora Sfakion). Return to North Coast. --- OR:

• CONTINUATION OPTION (A) - Drive east along S. Coast, up thru Mountains to SPILI then drive thru half of beautiful AMARI VALLEY (1 night) ... on N. Shore, stop at MELIDONI Caves . Take INLAND route eastward toward Heraklion, perhaps veer south to Crete's WINE COUNTRY, around Dafnes (1 night, particularly if you do a vineyard "tasting drive" he he). Perhaps continue to KNOSSOS if it interests you. From HERAKLION you can FLY back to ATH or take the (large & modern) KNOSSOS PALACE overnight ferry in a stateroom for a mini-cruise experience.
• CONTINUATION OPTION (B) - Do the rugged drive from HORA SFAKION All the way to MATALA (yes, a tourist town, but I know a non-tourist family place back from the water... and there ARE those caves!!). (2 nights?) - Stop at FESTOS (Phaistos) Palace, and spend a night at Hill town ZAROS (some of Greeces best spring water comes from here) ... Take the Main Road NW toward Heraklion, making o'night stop in DAFNES area. Ending: as above.

TIME OF YEAR -- Frankly I like late May the best ... the water will be "brisk" but the greenery and flowers are wonderful! and the people in Spring are at the most welcoming, they're painting up their boats and flagstone walks, they're sociable & have time to talk. In September, the sea is warm for swims, but the countryside is brownish from 4 months without rain, and the locals are getting ready to get on with their lives. It's your call.

DRIVING -- not the tiniest car, fi you're going up & down steep hills etc; In crete you can rent at one big town and drop off at another without a big charge; you can leave a car at airport, at ferry pier, or park near your hotel & leave keys w. receptionist, depending on what you arrange.

SPECIAL INTERESTS -- For Australians, western Crete has special interest -- West of Chania, the cemeteries of Anzacs & Brits AND Germans, from the Battle of Crete -- annual commemorations in May. Also, Imbros Gorge was "escape route" for Anzacs & BRits pursued by Nazis (Sfakian sharpshooter woodsmen stood atop Gorge rim & picked off the pursuers). A harrowing tale. Raoul Dahl's Boys book "Going Solo" tells some of it

Once you decide on a tentative itinerary, I can suggest some places you'd enjoy staying, in the following Places:
Chania Old Town, Falassarna, Plakias, Frangokastello, Matala, Zaros, Heraklion --- all places I've been or friends have, and I can suggest additional ones in Other places. I have not stayed on the North Shore east of Heraklion, and have heard nothing but "beware" counsel for the S.E. area around Ierapetra. I have a Crete "Tipsheet" if you want to send me a PM with your e-mail address. But FIRST -- Get that ROUGH GUIDE! Planning adds to the Pleasure.

PS to Itchyfeet -- you may envy my many trips.... but I'm not a GotRocks World Cruiser! I go only to Greece, but of course if I won the lottery I'd go many other places. As it is (as a retired editor on a frugal pension) I've managed to make these trips by taking along 3-4 "newbies" for 9 of the trips; I do all the work, and act as "trip mommy" and they all pitch in a bit to cover my airfare & a bit more. I think that scenario is over... I no longer have the zip to keep up with energetic go-go-go Newcomers ... they start too early, stay up too late, and never let me finish my nap! 2015 was a solo trip... wonderful friends, good times, it may be my Grand Finale ... but who knows???

Thanks for all that. Yes, North Shore "activities" are definitely what we want to avoid. Guess I was thinking extreme east? And south coast. My sources may have mislead me.

Western Crete is lovely, but i have also enjoyed the extreme east and the deep south (Iraklio province). It's where there is the coastal road (roughly 20km east and west of Ierapetra) things are a bit disturbed in the way Jan described, but that is only a stretch.

Thank you Artemis (what a truly perfect name for someone giving advice on travel in Greece!).
While reading your message, I was enjoying a slice of home-made bread (mine) with genuine Feta (Greek) and olive "marmalade" (bought last year from an olive press co-op in Crete).
I found an email relating to our port stop last year. We began in AG, travelled to Elounda, Plaka, Furni and Kasteli. Then on to Neapoli, climbing up the Lassithi Plateau (no repro windmills, just ruins of the real deal) for lunch in a family restaurant with drop-dead gorgeous views and food. When drove through Mallia I knew instantly I didn't want to go there again!

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