Looking back, 2022 became a whirlwind of travel. Ever so slowly, the pandemic finally appeared to be loosening its grip on traveling safely and well. As fall approaches, I was preparing for a rather “big” birthday. My traveling buddy Kristin insisted on celebrating a bit early with a girls trip to Crete.
Who was I to turn down visiting the ancient Greek island sitting in the midst of the beautiful Aegean Sea? Crete is the largest Greek island and fifth largest in the Mediterranean. It is home to the Minoans, the first European civilization thriving during the Bronze Age.
Is Crete worth a visit?
You bet; especially if you enjoy fresh Mediterranean food, delectable wine, warm Mediterranean waters, and of course, ancient history.
Arriving on Sept 10, 2022, Kristin and I checked in at the Village Heights Resort, just outside of Hersonissos and only 20 minutes from the Heraklion Airport. Our perfect accommodations included: our own sleeping quarters, a fully stocked kitchen, living room, and charming balcony overlooking the northern coastline. Village Heights houses the gorgeous Aegeo Spa, outdoor pools, and offers cuisine from several onsite restaurants.
Travelers Tip: Village Heights Resort is perfect for all travelers and especially larger groups traveling together. Book early. Friends of mine tried to book a family get together this year four months in advance only to find the resort’s larger apartments already filled.
If you choose to visit Crete, it’s advisable to brush up on your Greek history to maximize your sightseeing. Found through Tripadvisor, Kristin and I enjoyed a day trip visiting a charming monastery, the Lasithi Plateau and its antique windmills,
We finished up our small bus tour at Knossos Palace, Greece’s largest and most prominent archaeological site.
A trip highlight, not to be missed, was chartering a boat to the island of Spinalonga.
A leper colony from 1903 to 1957, it sits deserted now. Visiting the island offers a haunting and extremely fascinating glimpse into living with leprosy in the 20th century.
Travelers Tip: Victoria Hislop’s historical fiction novel. The Island , is a must read before visiting Spinalonga. The characters in her book come alive when peeking inside the still standing buildings and strolling the streets and pathways.
What could be better for self care than to sign up for the spa package at the Aegeo Spa located in the lower level of the main lodge of Village Heights resort. Kristin and I splurged on the $500 spa package including over five hours of spa treatments and $300 of Cretan produced spa products (which are fabulous!).
Travelers Tip: Travelings with carry-ons only, Kristin and I worried about how to get our full size spa products home. It proved easy and inexpensive to mail the bottles to the US directly through the local Hersonnissos post office. Amazingly, our goodies arrived within two weeks of our return, all bottles (glass and plastic) intact.
Our lazy days became filled with sitting poolside, lounging at a nearby beach club accessed by the hotel shuttle, shopping, and dining on fantastic fresh fish, the best olive based dishes ever tasted, and exquisite wines.
Leather goods are very reasonable on the island of Crete. It is here where I found these wonderful sandals (praying mantis included) and the weekender bag offered in my "big giveaway". For more information on how to purchase your own all leather weekender bag shipped directly to your door, contact - Hatzis Leather online.
Too soon, it was time to return to reality. Yes, Covid was still a concern though thankfully by this time, no testing required to return to the US.
Which turned out to be a good thing. Despite wearing masks in populated areas during our trip, I tested positive the day after arriving home. A close call. Testing positive in Greece at the time meant a mandatory 10 day quarantine in a Greek motel most definitely not including poolside beverage service.
If you desire a quiet, more relaxing Greek vacation, I highly recommend putting Crete on your wish list. Visiting is overall very inexpensive, the Cretans are extremely welcoming, and taking in a bit of ancient history is always good for the mind.
Travelers Tip: I discovered while visiting that many of the hard working Greeks do not get paid vacations we Americans enjoy. If you are happy with service provided whether it be at a hotel, restaurant, spa, or airport lounge, please acknowledge your appreciation with a kind word and tip well if possible.
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