Trip to Crete.

Travel to the island of Crete. Greece.

The island of Crete is the mysterious homeland of the Minotaur. A luxury resort for families with a rest among olive groves.

Beaches and the sea of Crete

The shores of Crete are caressed by three seas: in the west they are washed by the Ionian Sea, in the north by the Aegean Sea, and in the south by the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes the northern waters are called the Cretan Sea, and the southern ones are called the Libyan Sea (these are parts of the Mediterranean Sea). The water warms up very quickly, therefore already in the middle of April the first tourists make a swim at the Cretan coast.
Beaches on Crete have a different cover - there are sandy, pebbly, and mixed areas. Perhaps the beach most loved by holidaymakers is Elafonisi. Here, to the south of Crete, couples come with children - the entrance to the water is very smooth, and the sand is soft, light pink. Lovers of snow-white sand, palm trees and silence choose the eastern beach of Wai. In the Bay of Balos, divers gather, looking for pirate treasures in a sunken ship. In the capital of the island - in Heraklion - the sand and pebble beach of Paleokastro is popular. In the Chania region, two beaches are remarkable: Falasarna and Frangokastello (not far from the Venetian fortress).

Lagos Balos
The famous Lagos Lagoon is located about 56 km northwest of Chania and 17 km northwest of Kissamos, between Gramvousa Island and the small Cape Tigani. Balos is considered the best beach in Crete, you can see it in almost all tourist guidebooks in Greece. It is no coincidence that Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited Balos on a private yacht many years ago. The beach is famous for its bright turquoise waters, white sand, wild natural beauty and beautiful exotic landscapes. Here is a very warm shallow sea - ideal for young children, and at the rocks on the borders of the lagoon it is deeper and colder, which is good for scuba diving. Opposite the beach there is a rocky island of Gramvous, on its top stands the Venetian castle with a splendid view of the surrounding landscape. In summer Balos is visited by thousands of people who come mainly by boats and ferries from the port of Kissamos. If you do not like crowds, then it's best to avoid visiting the beach in July and August, or to arrive in Balos early in the morning.

Wai
The exotic beach of Wai, known as the "Palm Forest", is located in the east of the island, 25 km from Sitia and 94 km from Agios Nikolaus. The local wild date grove consists of 5000 palms that make it the largest known palm forest in the whole of Europe. According to the local legend, palm trees grew here from the bones of dates, thrown ashore from ships of the Saracens in the IX century. On the beach lined rows of blue chaise lounges and straw umbrellas, tourists can find here a cafe and the main water entertainment. At the southern end of the beach there is a rock, with a viewing platform which offers a beautiful view - from here you get perfect photos. The tropical view of these places attracts thousands of visitors, which makes the beach very crowded during the high season. The main entrance is open from sunrise to sunset.

Elafonisi
Elafonisi (or Elafonissos) is a small island connected to the rest of Crete by a shallow reef that can be crossed when the sea is calm. The island is only 82 km northwest of Chania, it can be reached by boat or car from the Paleochora area, and then cross the reef. Elafonisi ("Reindeer Island") - as a paradise on earth, here is a beautiful beach with pink coral sand, surrounded by a shallow lagoon with the purest turquoise water. This magical place has been deserted for a long time, but now it has become a popular tourist attraction, and can be quite crowded during the high summer season. Absence of waves and depth are great for kids, adults can swim in the open sea south of the spit, bounding the lagoon. The beach has free parking, it is equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas, showers and toilets. If you go to the island itself, you will find there an absolutely wild beach with crystal clear water, where even in impressive depth one can see every pebble.

Resorts of Crete

Crete is divided into four resort areas: Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno and Lasithi. At each resort the tourist is guaranteed an azure sea and spacious clean beaches, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards.

Heraklion is a major city, the capital of the island of Crete. Tourists are more often located in the regions of Agia Pelagia, Amudara, Khersonossis, Stalida. From Heraklion it is convenient to go on excursions around the island and in sea cruises.

Lassithi is known for its "protected" place for tourists Agios Nikolaos, which is on the shore of the Gulf of Mirabello. In the region of Lassithi there are attractions such as the Cave of Zeus and the valley of windmills.

The cozy town of Chania is famous for its long beach. On local narrow streets it is pleasant to walk, hiding from heat in hospitable taverns.

Rethymno is a picturesque resort town with several satellite villages. Here the lively nightlife, many colorful shops and beautiful long beaches bloom with lush colors.

Sights of Crete

Sunken city of Olus

Belonging to the ancient Greeks, and later to the Romans, the rich city-port of Olus was located in the east of Crete, attracting many tourists. Under the water, he left after one of the earthquakes, periodically shaking the outskirts of Europe. To date, you can enjoy the surviving remains of the architecture of several civilizations that have left their imprint on the city, using scuba equipment. Here you can almost literally plunge headlong into the riddles of ancient Greece, which, by the way, will be very interesting and unusual.

Knossos palace

Acquaintance with Crete and its sights will not be complete if you miss visiting the famous palace, which is the foundation of the ancient Greek city of Knossos. It is located in the northern part of the island, near the modern Heraklion. It is worth noting that more than once Knossos Palace was destroyed by earthquakes and fires, and then rebuilt. At the beginning of the XX century, the English archaeologist Evans began to buy up lands on which, in his opinion, this ancient structure of Crete was located, and tried to recreate some fragments of the palace. At the moment, tourists are presented restored parts of the ancient palace in this form, but it corresponds to the original or not - it is difficult to say.

Labyrinth of the Minotaur

According to Greek mythology, the monstrous Minotaur of Crete was kept in a maze and horrified by the Athenians. King Minos used it to pay tribute, and the hero of Theseus rescued the Athenians from the Minotaur, at the same time liberating the beautiful Ariadne. Another beautiful Greek myth. Geographically, many are inclined to have an ancient labyrinth in the ruins of the Knossos Palace, in the north of the island of Crete. Many of the surviving fragments of the palace are located in such an intricate order, which indeed can lead to the thought of the sinister labyrinth of the Minotaur.

Hotels

Elounda Bay Palace 5 *

Elounda Bay Palace 5 * is located 10 km from the city of Agios Nikolaos, in the picturesque bay of Mirabella. Heraklion International Airport is 64 km from the hotel, the village of Elounda is 1.5 km away.

230 comfortable rooms and bungalows with a view of the sea or the garden; 28 family rooms and bungalows with sea views; 12 Executive apartments and bungalows with sea views; 5 frontal bungalows with sea views; 4 Mediterranean villas overlooking the sea coast with swimming pools; 1 gubernatorial apartment with a heated swimming pool and gymnasium; 1 palace apartments with panoramic sea views.

Minos Beach 5 *

Hotel Minos Beach 5 * is a new boutique hotel that belongs to The Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It was reconstructed in 2001-2002. The hotel accepts tourists from April to October. The hotel is located in Agios Nikolaos on the eastern coast of Crete, 65 km from the International Airport of Heraklion.

In the Minos Beach hotel there are 129 rooms: 1 presidential villa, 3 Executive villas, 3 villas with private pools and 110 bungalows, and a main building with 10 rooms and 2 suites.

The hotel offers a restaurant Bacchus, restaurant Ambrosia, French restaurant La Bouillabaisse, a la carte restaurant Terpsis Cretan and 3 bars.

Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa 5 *

Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa is located on the sandy beach of the Anissaras resort, just 3 km from the town of Hersonissos. It offers a free tennis court, a mini football field, water sports facilities and a spa. There are 3 outdoor pools and 1 indoor pool with sea water.

Elegant rooms and bungalows are equipped with air conditioning and an LCD TV with satellite channels. Other facilities include a minibar with free drinks. All rooms have a balcony or terrace. Bathrooms include toiletries, bathrobes, slippers, scales and a hairdryer.

Guests have at their disposal 1 main restaurant, 1 pancake and 5 themed restaurants, serving a wide variety of dishes from Mexican, Italian and Cretan cuisine to Asian dishes and sushi. The resort has 5 bars, including a champagne bar. 2 bars are located by the pools, and 3 more are in the main building.

For young guests there is a full entertainment program, a children's pool with water slides, an outdoor playground and a games room. On the beach and at the pool are umbrellas and sun loungers. Free Wi-Fi is available in some areas of the lobby.

Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa is located 24 km from Heraklion Port and 22 km from Heraklion Airport. Free parking is provided on site. At reception, guests can rent a car, bicycle or motorbike.
Fontos információk: There is a separate charge for placing an extra bed in a child over 12 years of age, a second child of any age or adult. For further information, you can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the hotel directly.