Ancient Trees, Scenic Drives and Harbours

The Venetian harbour is stunningly beautiful, and it would be easy to while away a couple of days here, just exploring the streets, as around every corner (it seems), there’s another awesome sight. To get the best experience in a few hours though, you can try a trikke (a three-wheel electric scooter) tour.
This 2-hour tour will guide you around the highlights of the city; the different neighbourhoods that make up the old town, its famous monuments (including the Yiali Mosque, the Dry Docks, and the Grand Arsenal), its religious sites – churches, mosques, and synagogues, its prettiest streets, and, of course, the famous harbour. Along the way, you’ll learn about the history of the city from the Minoans to the present day, while making plenty of stops to take photos and soak up the atmosphere.
This tour must be booked in advance. Book online.

• Please note: the tour does not operate on Sundays.

While the traditional Cretan food is lovely, the dishes can sometimes be quite heavy, so it's good to find a restaurant with a 'lighter' menu.
What is great about La Bodega (as well as its prime position at the end of the harbor) is that it uses local products in interesting ways to create a range of healthy and appetizing small plates. Try apaki, a delicious wood-smoked sausage, and mizithra cheese, similar to ricotta.

Return to the hotel to pick up the car.

Olive trees have been cultivated in Crete since Minoan times when olive oil was a major export. Some of the best olive oil on the island is produced here at Terra Creta, an award-winning olive oil producer that has been in operation for over 20 years. Terra Creta produces a large range of oils from the ‘every day’ to the ‘premium’, as well as stuffed and marinated olives and balsamic vinegars.
Join the 2:30 p.m. tour to learn everything about olive oil production from cultivating the trees and harvesting the fruit, to the oil extraction and bottling process. See how you feel after you’ve had their guided oil tasting experience. At the end, there’ll be an opportunity to buy some of the products that you’ve tasted – a wonderful gift or souvenir.
This tour must be booked in advance. Book online.

• Note that the tour does not operate on Sundays and is only available from March to Mid-October.

Sticking with the olive theme, pause here to snap a selfie with what is claimed to be the world's oldest domesticated olive tree. Now a protected National Monument, you can climb inside the trunk of this ancient, gnarled tree – scientists estimate its age to be between 3000–4000 years – or simply give it a hug (as many visitors do!).
Remarkably, it continues to bear olives, which are highly prized. Adjacent to it, there's a small museum displaying traditional olive oil-making equipment that's worth a brief visit.

Stop here for an incredible view across to Hora Sfakion Bay before taking a dramatic drive down towards the coast via a series of hairpin bends. Be sure to stop at some parking bays along the way, which offer vantage points to view the stunning Imbros Gorge.
This 8 km gorge which ends in Hora Sfakion is a popular walk with visitors not just for its beauty but also as a pilgrimage to commemorate lost relatives. Imbros Gorge was the main route through which Allied Forces evacuated the island in May 1941 after losing the Battle of Crete during World War II. Around 20,000 troops headed from the North of the island through the gorge to Hora Sfakion to be picked up by boat and taken to Egypt. Only 13,000 made it onto the boats; the rest were captured by the Germans or fled to the hills (assisted by the Preveli monks – more about this later).

Frangokastello is a 14th-century fortress constructed by the Venetians and subsequently occupied by the Ottomans. It is temporarily closed for renovation, but you can still wander around its exterior. The view of this vast, austere castle set against the backdrop of the vibrant blue sea makes for a lovely photograph.

Plakias is a pretty village that curves around a 1.3 km crescent moon-shaped sandy bay. Once home to local fishermen, it was ‘discovered’ by hippies in the 1960s and is now a popular, but low-key, tourist resort.
This hotel is situated right on the seafront and offers simple but comfortable rooms, all of which have fabulous sea-view balconies.
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This is a family-run restaurant on the edge of the village, overlooking the beach. The main feature of this place is that the menu is refreshingly simple. It's primarily a selection of meat and fish, with dishes priced by the kilo; the sardines and lamb are particularly good. Probably not the best place to visit if you're vegetarian, although the tzatziki and salad are tasty.

Return to the hotel. Book Now