My first trip to Crete 10 years ago had a profound impact on the way I travel.  For someone who’s not necessarily a beach person, I went into the trip with reservations.  Sure, we had always wanted to visit Greece, but 2-ish weeks of island destinations far exceeded this city girl’s desired quota of sand and sea.  But Crete changed everything.  It was an unexpected adventure in many ways.  Not only was it part of our whirlwind first visit to Greece, it was also the first time we’d ever rented a car abroad, granting us a newfound sense of freedom that we hadn’t known before in our travels.  We drove different directions to different destinations each day, exploring at our own pace places that we might not have visited otherwise.  The world was now our oyster.

Since then, I’ve not only been dreaming about returning to Crete, I’ve found myself trying to recreate the same magic in other places like Sicily and Puglia.  While both of those destinations hold a special place in my heart, nothing has resonated with me quite the same way as Crete.  Now a decade older and wiser, we were heading back to Crete, but this time with a different sort of reservation.  Would it live up to the expectations that were so indelibly imprinted and our minds and souls?  Spoiler alert, it did and then some and I’m already dreaming about returning again, but next time sooner rather than later.  Here’s how we spent 4 magical days on the island of Crete.

Day 1
There’s something to be said about the best things in life being worth the effort, which would certainly be true about arriving in Crete.  No less than 4 flights and a nearly 2-hour car ride later we finally reached our first destination.  The drive down to the southwest coast of Crete from Chana International Airport (CHQ) to Elafonisi was glorious.  Winding roads led us through sleepy villages dotted with traditional tavernas, overgrown fig trees and the omnipresent Greek cat.  Pairs of old men sat in the shade conversing the afternoon away, while yayas kept a watchful eye from their porch perch.  In between these subtle reminders of civilization operating at a slower place of life, colorful wildflowers blanketed our route, flaunting the vibrancy of their late spring/early summer peak, interrupted only by the occasional roadside stand selling local products like honey, olive oil, jams and other Greek delights.

By late afternoon we had arrived at the family-run Elafonisi Resort located in the southwestern most part of Crete within walking distance of Elafonisi Beach.  This equal parts elusive and illustrious beach is known for its crystal-clear water and distinctive pink sand made from crushed shells, and is often named one of the best beaches in the world.  The resort is made up a large main building with restaurant and a handful of white-washed cottages spread out among a grove of olive trees.  We stayed in the modern style studio, which we found to be quite large and open with a kitchenette, spacious bathroom and patio.

After dropping off our bags in our room, we quickly changed into bathing suits and headed straight to Elafonisi Beach.  With the sun nearing the horizon, there were few people remaining on the beach.  We crossed the shallow lagoon to the neighboring island where we traversed over sand dunes sprouting with weathered flowers, plants and other beach botanicals, up to a spot where we found a chapel and lighthouse perched on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

The hike was about 2.5 miles out and back, and after returning to our hotel we freshened up a bit and headed to dinner at the on-site restaurant.  Taverna Kalomirakis has a wide, open patio where we were able to take in our first of many Greek sunsets as we poured over the menu of too many delicious choices.  We eventually decided on an assortment of small dishes, including a traditional Greek salad, spicy feta, fava and eggplant dips served with pitas.  I was quickly reminded that one of the things that makes Crete so amazing is the food.  Simple and fresh and made from local ingredients at their best, which is why our approach to ordering in Greece is to always sample a selection of sharable plates.  However, on this first night our weary jet-lagged bodies seemed to take over as we ordered a bit too much.  Despite being full, that didn’t stop us from capping the experience with the small bottle of raki and yogurt with honey and walnuts that was presented to us at the end of our meal.  At least we would sleep well.

Day 2
While we regrettably only spent one night at the Elafonisi Family Resort, we made the most of our travel day by enjoying an early breakfast at our hotel’s restaurant before heading out for a hike to Kedrodasos Beach.  It took us approximately an hour across 1.5 miles each way to reach the beach, heading left from Elafonisi Beach past the crowds for a peaceful trek along the rocky coast.  The well-marked E4 trail weaves between private little beach coves to sandy inland spots with some rock scrambling (and goats!) before leading to the inviting aqua waters of Kedrodasos Beach.  Without waves, the calm water was perfect for wading, and in our case, to find a spot on the large rocks to sit and do some sketching before heading back to Elafonisi.

We said goodbye to our hotel and made a brief stop at the mini market across the street to pick up a few road trip sweets – a huge container of juicy watermelon slices and a Dubai chocolate bar.  The drive to our next destination, Villa Kerasia located in the center of Crete, was long at about 3.5 hours and as we pulled up to the lovingly-restored stone villa, I instantly remembered just how special this place is.  Lush plants and trees were everywhere across the meticulously cared for property, with playful kittens running about, as well as a new edition of a stray puppy that recently decided to make the grounds of the villa its home.  Our host Babis seemed to have not aged a day in the 10 years since we had last seen him.  He was also just as warm and jovial as we had remembered him to be as he showed us to room no. 4 (the same room we stayed in last time, which was bright and open with small balcony overlooking the villa’s pool below and the fertile valley that surrounded us.  Simply put, Villa Kerasia is quite literally one of the prettiest places I’ve stayed anywhere in the world.

That evening our dinner plans were to return to another special place called Earino.  The taverna and guesthouse is located at the top of the down of Kato Asites and has a small, dreamlike village feel of its own.  To our great pleasure, little seemed to have changed since our last visit as it was still run by the same couple, who like us now were parents to a young daughter.  We were seated at the table towards the edge of the patio with a view overlooking the town and sweeping valley bellow, and were presented with a menu marked up with notes in pencil about the evening’s offerings.

We ordered house white wine along with a Greek salad, dakos (hard rusks topped with tomatoes, cheese and capers), meatballs that were crispy on the outside and light and tender on the inside and a special dish called gemista, which our host explained to us to mean “full of something”.  This something was a large tomato, bell pepper and zucchini stuffed with creamy rice and roasted until the point of becoming melt-in-your-mouth tender. Once again we found ourselves quite stuffed after such an incredible and memorable experience, but could not turn down the raki and dessert trio of watermelon, citrus yogurt and chocolate pie presented at the end of our meal.  We made conversation with our hosts before leaving and promised that we would returning again, next time with our son.

Day 3
The next morning after a short run and simple breakfast of fruit, yogurt, toast, meat and cheese, we set out for what would become a favorite hike to Preveli Beach.  This scenic spot on the south coast of Crete is not only home to a beautiful beach, but also a magnificent palm forest where the river meets the sea.  We parked near the small Preveli Bridge adjacent to Gefyra Taverna, and started out on the 2-mile hike along the west side of the gorge.  The landscape was fertile as the trail traveled through olive groves and fields of wildflowers in a peaceful silence that was punctured only by the cacophony of bells from a heard of goats that we passed along the way.  We climbed higher until we reached the top of the gorge and got our first glimpse of the beach and palm grove below, leaving us both literally and figuratively breathless.

The trail eventually connected with beach parking lot where we encountered a strategically positioned stand selling fresh fruit.  Obviously we couldn’t pass up another opportunity to buy some sliced watermelon before descending down the treacherously steep stone stairs to the beach.  Claiming our spot on the rocky shoreline, we took in the beauty of the aqua-blue water that surrounded the so-called “heart rock” several yards out.  The water was quite cool, but refreshing after sitting out in the mid-day sun.

After some time we decided to pack up and go for a short hike up the gorge.  Rocky cliffs soared above the wild oasis of magnificent palms with bright pink flowers in full bloom lining the banks of the gentile stream.  We climbed up on a flat rock in a shady spot to take a snack and sketch break and truly soak up our surroundings.  Between the beach and the palm forest, the entire place was magical.

Returning to the beach, we headed up the trail along the east side this time.  The steep climb transitioned to a flat brush-filled landscape that was hot and exposed but beautiful nonetheless with swirling colors from the different types of plants that blanketed the ground.  We eventually connected with a road that led back to the taverna where we stopped for an ice-cold frappe and plate of dolmas before driving back to the villa.

For dinner, our destination was the nearby town of Dafnis where we had had yet another memorable meal a decade earlier.  Upon arriving at the atmospheric stone taverna, we learned that our previous host Maria had since sold the restaurant.  The new owner Jim had reopened Arodamos less than a year earlier with a different, more elevated approach to the menu.  We started with a green salad with dried figs, large slices of grilled cheese, shaved carrots and radishes heavily saturated in dressing, along with a sort of fried cheese with homemade marmalade.  We also ordered what turned out to be a warm clay pot filled with orzo and tender, melt-in-your-mouth chunks of beef.  The scent of cardamom filled the air as we spooned portions onto our plates.  It was delicious and cozy but felt out of place for the summer season.  Once again our meal was capped with complimentary glasses of raki and little squares of coconut dusted orange cake for dessert.  While the hospitality was lovely, we found the food to be too rich and too elaborate for us.  We had longed for the simple menu of traditional Greek village food, lovingly cooked by Maria and her husband, from our last visit.  Some things will inevitably change over time.

Day 4
On our last full day in Crete, we headed south once again but this time to the village of Matala.  The beach here is one of the most famous in Crete, distinguished by its caves that played host to hippies in the 60s and 70s.  We skipped Matala Beach this time and instead wove through the town towards the trail to reach the Red Beach.  It’s a steep .6-mile climb up and then down to the beach, which means that fewer other people to share the beach with.  We found the trail to be easy to follow with painted red markings, yet it seemed steeper than I remembered it to be, with its loose rocks warranting good shoes (and good knees).

The once isolated strip of reddish-brown sand also boasted a few new amenities since our last visit, such as chairs and straw umbrellas available for rent.  There was also a second stand selling drinks and snacks in direct competition with the once lone proprietor, Yanni.  Years ago Yanni and his mangy goat had a monopoly on this tiny beach, selling mojitos and frappes.  This time, gone was the goat and instead were tables and merch for sale with Mojito Yanni’s face plastered across them.  His made-to-order drinks had also skyrocketed in price, detracting from the charm that the humble little beach shack once had.  Despite that, the beach remained a great place to relax. The wind and waves started to pick up so we headed back to Matala to do a bit of souvenir shopping before continuing to our next destination.

Agiofarago Beach is a true gem that is worth the effort to reach.  It’s one of the southernmost beaches on the island of Crete that is like the reward at the end of a treasure hunt following a drive that goes from a paved to (slow) dirt road as far as your car will take you, followed by about a 1-mile hike through a gorge to reach the beach cove.  Passing the red-roofed church of Agios Antonios and more of the pink flowers along the way, the trail eventually opens up to an unobstructed sea view, as if pulling back curtains to reveal the sapphire blue water framed by dramatic cliffs.  Even fewer people were there, making it feel like the beach was still our little secret.  Sitting on the water’s edge, I was reminded why this place is quite literally one of my favorite spots in the world.  I could have stayed there forever, gazing out into the vastness as the water lapped around us on the smooth pebble beach.

Eventually the pull of one last dinner in Crete prompted us to pack up and make the return trek to our car, once again with a promise to return again.  For this meal, we headed to Ethimiko in the village of Agios Myron.  The beautiful family-run taverna sits on the north end of town and was empty when we first arrived, but not for long.  We were warmly led to our pick of the tables on the upstairs patio, which offered stunning views of the surrounding countryside.  We were given a paper menu to mark our selections, from which we choose a Greek salad, chickpea dip and baked eggplant with cheese.  Following the house white wine, brown bread and bowl of olives, the rest of our food came out in quick succession and did not disappoint.  Afterwards we were presented with a bottle of raki, plate of fruit and small piece of chocolate cake and dollop of frozen yogurt with bits of chocolate, coconut and coffee mixed in for dessert.  This wonderful meal with equally as wonderful hospitality was the best possible ending to our time in Crete.

The next morning we would wake up early to once again say goodbye to the beautiful Villa Kerasia and drive to the ferry port in Heraklion to continue onto the next stop of our Greek adventure.  Just like the last time we were there, it was bittersweet knowing that we would be leaving but optimistic knowing that we would return again.  While there were a few drawbacks to visiting in June rather than September, namely shorter days and cooler water, we were rewarded with fewer crowds and a slowness as the seasons transition from spring to summer.  And of course, the wildflowers.