Back to Crete (and we couldn't be happier)

 1.  Chania

After leaving Cephalonia, by ferry back to the mainland, we drove east all the way back to Athens. It was the end of July and the never-ending streams of oncoming indicated that Athenians had begun their August summer holiday exodus.  An overnight stay in the Athens seaside area of Artemida before boarding an Aegean Airlines flight to Heraklion, Crete.  One of the advantages of travelling with only carry-on luggage (apart from not having to wait at airport carousels for bags that may or may not arrive)  is the ability to exit the terminal quickly and be ahead of the summer crowds heading to collecting rental cars.  Within minutes we had our car, were enjoying the coastal views, and feeling great to be back in Crete, the ancient home of the Minoans.

We drove west from Heraklion to the old Venetian port of Chania, a lovely two hour drive along the scenic north coast of Crete.  Driving in Crete is a little different, mostly driver's stay way over to the right off the actual lane and in the road's shoulder. This is to let faster vehicles pass on their left but it doesn't seem to matter if there are double yellow lines or on-coming traffic, just move over a little more to the right and on a bend with double unbroken lines two oncoming vehicles and one overtaker can all share the road - four vehicles abreast on a two lane road!  It's a bit unnerving for the first few kilometres, but it all seems to work and in our previous trips to Crete we have driven the length and breadth of the island more than once and miraculously have not encountered any collisions or mishaps.  The national road between Heraklion and Chania has many marked speed cameras along the way, they look mostly old, a bit dilapidated really, and by the number of cars speeding past us we wonder if they're working at all!

We drove around Crete in 2015 and 2017 and we always love to return so this visit we're returning to some of our favourite places, especially the rugged south coast and the blue, blue Libyan Sea.  I think this old adage is true - that any trip to Greek is incomplete without a visit to Crete.

Chania's beautiful Venetian harbour

So happy to return to Crete

Chania harbour and the Mosque of the
Janissaries, Yali Mosque - the first mosque
built in Crete after the Ottomans captured 
Chania - is now a performance space.

Chania harbour from the Maritime Museum

The vaulted Arsenali - ship building and
repair yards built during the 14thC by
the Venetians - a whole row of them
still stand on the harbour's edge.

A stroll around Chania's lovely old town

Chania harbour and the lighthouse. 
In the 16th century a chain was 
connected from the lighthouse to 
the fortress on the left hand side to
close the harbour and protect Chania
from invaders or pirates.

Quiet, early morning Chania.  By 10am
the harbourside, lined with pretty
tavernas, is packed with tourists.

So many lovely alleys and lanes

Charming at every corner

Breakfast in the old town - at 
Phyllo, best breakfast location.

Another favourite and an almost identical photo
to one I took in 2017 - To Stachi restaurant, 
organic, vegetarian, grown, harvested, 
prepared and served by Stelios and his family.