Crete

Eating out on Crete - Eating alone was yesterday
The most common restaurants on the island of Crete
are the tavernas. These are usually kept very simple, there are
There are usually only simple wooden tables, on which a simple cloth
or a plastic tablecloth. In order to meet the expectations of tourists
expectations of tourists, tavernas located in tourist centers often have
colored tablecloths and candles or lanterns. After the guests have arrived at the
restaurant, the waiter brings them some white bread. The
typical Cretan never picks up a menu, as these are too impersonal.
are too impersonal for them. Instead, the Cretan prefers to look at the
pots before ordering. For the tourists, however, there is a
menu. Typically, large groups of Cretans order many different
different dishes, which all arrive at the table at the same time,
It doesn't matter whether they are starters or main courses.
Everyone eats what they want, everything belongs to everyone, everyone takes their fork
fork and can eat what they want from each plate.

Nightlife on Crete - Discover the variety
The nightlife on Crete is varied. Partly
there are entire streets,
where the most modern cafés are lined up next to each other. These

have the character of a catwalk.





























The young Greeks,
spend their summer and winter evenings here.
The cafés on Crete are very modern
and each one is a real eye-catcher.

The clubs and discotheques do not charge entrance fees. But the
drinks are correspondingly expensive. There are no dance floors
in most discotheques and clubs.
Instead, the Greeks stand at the numerous bars and dance wherever they happen to be.
Greeks have very decent parties and rarely drink too much.

Baden

- Elafonisi
A touch of the Caribbean in Greece. The beach is the most beautiful on Crete with white sand and turquoise blue water. Accordingly crowded in high season.
- Chrissi Island
It is only a 45-minute drive from Elounda to Ierapetra. From there, regular boats leave for Chrissi Island, just eight nautical miles away. With its white shell beach, dunes, turquoise waters and the southernmost nature park in Europe with a 200-year-old cedar forest, the island has a very special charm.


Golf

On Crete, golf is still in the shadows. The only 18-hole golf course (www.cretegolfclub.com) on the island is located near Chersonissos. Nevertheless, the "Crete Ladies Open", a tournament of the European professional tour, takes place here in October, and some luxury hotels cooperate with the course and also offer their own golf academies. There is another 9-hole course in Elounda - it belongs to the Hotel Elounda Mare.


Excursions

Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean, about 250 kilometers long and twelve to 60 kilometers wide. Around 620,000 people live on the island. Due to the distances and geographical conditions - the south coast in particular is sometimes difficult to access - rental cars are recommended for exploring the island, which are available from around 20 euros per day for a small car.

- Agios Nikolaos
It is not far from the luxury hotels near Elounda to Agios Nikolaos. The town lies like an amphitheater on the beautiful Mirabello Gulf. Even without a picturesque old town, it exudes a great deal of charm. The restaurants and nightlife are concentrated around the harbor and especially around the adjacent small Voulismeni Lake, which is connected to the harbor by a narrow canal built by the Turks.

- Spinalonga
The small island in the Gulf of Mirabelllo, just a few hundred meters off the coast, gives the bay of Elounda its special scenic charm. But the island is also of historical importance. There was once a mighty Venetian fortress here, which was later taken over by the Turks. In 1903, the Greek government set up a leper station on Spinalonga, where leprosy patients lived in a village-like community with a school, cinema, kafenion, stores and workshops until 1957. Boats cross over from Elounda to the island, where a circular route leads through the former leper colony.

- Lassithi plateau
A beautiful, not too long excursion leads from Elounda to the Lassithi plateau in the Dikti Mountains, 800 meters above sea level. It is known for its numerous windmills, which used to irrigate the land. The main attraction, apart from the incomparable landscape, is the Dikti Cave, also known as the Zeus Cave.

- Knossos
Excavated and controversially reconstructed by researcher Arthur Evans, the excavated palace is exemplary of the island's first advanced civilization and provides a good insight into Minoan culture. Best visited early in the morning.

- Old towns
Chania and Rethymnon both have picturesque old town streets, a Venetian fortress and a Venetian harbor, where cafés and restaurants jostle for space.

- Samaria Gorge
At 18 kilometers, the longest gorge in Europe is a real nature experience. If you want to walk through it completely, you should be a good walker.


Shopping on Crete - the right souvenir for everyone
Crete offers you a rich selection of typical souvenirs that don't have to be kitschy, but can be used as foodstuffs
such as olive oil, spices, honey, wine or as everyday objects such as
such as ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, woven and embroidered goods
can be used in everyday life.

In
the smaller stores away from the major tourist centers you can usually find
the best quality craftsmanship, sometimes directly from the respective
the respective manufacturer, artist or craftsman, even at very reasonable prices.

Kiosks, souvenir stores, smaller supermarkets and stores in the tourist centers are also open outside normal opening hours, as well as on Sundays and public holidays.