Author Topic: Travelling up to Spinalonga  (Read 4385 times)

Offline Tony and Sandra Smith

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Travelling up to Spinalonga
« on: April 17, 2013, 05:57:20 PM »
Hi All,
We are off to Crete in 2 weeks time. We are hiring a car (the missis made me get a convertible) from Heraklion airport then we are traveling to stay with our friends in Asomatos and spending the Easter weekend in the Plakias area. Sandra read the Victoria Hislop book "The Island" about Spinalonga a few years ago and wants to go and explore the North East of Crete for the rest of our stay. So we will probably have about 4 days to travel there and look around before the pleasures of Heraklion airport again.
Can anyone suggest places we should see apart from the old leper colony and suggest places to stay for a few nights.
We have been as far as Knossos in the past but no further.

Cheers

Tony



 
« Last Edit: April 18, 2013, 12:39:45 PM by Tony and Sandra Smith »
Tony


With thanks to Ueuecoyotl, the Aztec God of Sex and Irresponsible Merrymaking (I've found my deity!!)

Offline Yvonne

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Re: Travelling up to Spinalonga
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2013, 11:23:20 AM »
Certainly worth a visit,  Plaka (in the book) has a couple of interesting tavernas, but as far as I know, no accommodation May be wrong in that assumption, though.  Elounda is very pretty and not too commercialised.  Should be possible to to get rooms there.  Going south, beyond Ierapetra is Mikro Gialis (spelling!)  Lovely.  Hope this helps in some way.
Yvonne

Offline Voloudakis

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« Last Edit: April 18, 2013, 06:19:02 PM by Lampyland »

Offline Sunny Jim

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Re: Travelling up to Spinalonga
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2013, 02:44:07 PM »
You might consider exploring the east coast before or after Spinalonga, if you do you wont be dissapointed.
Can recomomend Faros apts in Xerokambos, and a stuningly beutiful sandy beach at the north end of the bay (the main beach is quite nice too but not for nudists as there is a tarmac road alongside it) , smallish, sandy bottom, good snorkelling and the few visitors that find it are usually Nudist. In the village there are 2 tavernas one which is especially nice.
Kato Zachros Palace apts further north offer superb accommadation with stunning views of the bay, mountains, and the palace ruins, if you enjoyed Knossos then you'll love it here and you have the choice of walking the gorge "valley of the dead" on your doorstep. Half a dozen or so Tavernas at Zakros, most offering excellant choice of food. http://www.crete-today.com/accommodation/kato-zakros-palace-apartments-with-sea-view
A bit further north we stayed at http://www.crete-today.com/accommodation/elia-studios-in-agathias-palaikastro  these apts are on the edge of Angathia village and very peacefull. The owners father has one of the two tavernas in the village and you are assured of nice clean accommadation and good food failing that you are only 10 mins drive from palaikastro where because its a small town you would have more choice. The beach is only 5 mins drive from Elia apts.
Heading yet further north we personaly liked Itanos beach which is good for swimming and usually a few nudists at its northern end but space is very limited at that end. Just several hundred metres to the south is another beach which seems to have taken over by a local guy in that he has a bed and water supply thats ben piped down to a sandy enclosure with palm trees, there is a sign at this point saying "Nudist Beach" but whilst the beach itself is sandy there are many rocks once you get into the water. One should mention Vai beach which really is very nice but its commercialised, busy, and you have to pay to park unless you have a blue badge (wink) We did find that if you walked further along Vai beach it was possible to find shaded quite spot underneath one of the palm trees for which its famous for.
If it was my choice I'd base myself at Zakros and explore north and south from there. There is something special about the atmosphere at Zakros and if you stayed at The palace apts George would certainly look after you and allows all guests to pick fruit and veg from his adjacent garden.

Have a nice trip whatever you decide to do

Offline Tony and Sandra Smith

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Re: Travelling up to Spinalonga
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2013, 03:07:45 PM »
Thanks all,

We will only have a few days but have booked into Elounda Heights
(http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g189416-d622161-Reviews-or10-Elounda_Heights_Apartments_and_Studios-Elounda_Lassithi_Prefecture_Crete.html#REVIEWS)
 for 4 nights. It comes out well on tripadvisor. Have taken onboard some of the other places to visit after doing "the Island" thing.

Many Thanks

Tony
Tony


With thanks to Ueuecoyotl, the Aztec God of Sex and Irresponsible Merrymaking (I've found my deity!!)

Offline Voloudakis

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Re: Travelling up to Spinalonga
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2013, 12:05:52 PM »
Thanks all,

We will only have a few days but have booked into Elounda Heights
(http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g189416-d622161-Reviews-or10-Elounda_Heights_Apartments_and_Studios-Elounda_Lassithi_Prefecture_Crete.html#REVIEWS)
 for 4 nights. It comes out well on tripadvisor. Have taken onboard some of the other places to visit after doing "the Island" thing.

Many Thanks

Tony

Wow! That looks amazing. Have a great time, with Elounda Heights as a base you are going to really enjoy your holiday.