Just returned from Plakias

[Dunkie]

Returned on saturday (early hours) to Bristol having spent two wonderful weeks in Plakias. The weather on our second week was some of the worst that the Cretians had ever seen, we experienced torrential rain, wind and thunder on thursday. However this did not dampen our spirts....after all everything looks better after a few glasses of Alpha!!  

Plakias is still my favourite place to take a well deserved holiday and we have already booked for next year!

Happy holidays to everyone who will be going soon

Dunkie

[Karen T]

We've just got back too, on the 10th June.  Our first week was your second and I agree I have never seen such torrential rain and thunder storms as during that wind, not to mention the wind!!!  We went walking down the lower part of the Kourtaliko Gorge on the day after the rain when the wind was at its worst and my little boy aged 5 nearly got blown away.  We had intended to walk down to Preveli beach as it was still bright sunshine but turned back because of the gale blowing down the gorge.  I wonder if the German couple who passed us with a similarly small child made it!

However, weather aside, we had a great two weeks.  Our friend Rob is still there and heading up to the north coast on Friday for his last few days.  We didn't manage to meet up with John (Ostraco) but I should think he's having a grand time as I've heard that since we got back it's just been getting hotter and hotter!

Too bad it's over again for another year!

Karen

[Karen T]

Oops - should have said "that week" not "that wind".  My brain must still be in Plakias ....... or maybe it's the retsina!

[philj]

Arrived back on the 11th after another great week in Plakias. The first three days were overcast but still warm giving us the opportunity to do something slightly more energetic than just sitting by the Costas pool.

A walk up the hill to Mirthios is certainly to be recommended, although possibly not as pleasurable in blazing mid summer. The views over Plakias are worth the walk up the hill and it is nice to spend a while just wandering around the narrow streets of the village. Also there is an interesting workshop/shop run by an (English?) man who makes all sorts of decretive pieces out of olive wood.

Another day we took the public bus to Rethimnon (costs just over 6 euros per person each way) to wander around the old town and fort area for a few hours. As you might expect, there are some quite commercialised areas of the town but it is easy to take a quiet side street and get away from it all if you wish. Getting the bus back is simple (check the return times before you leave Plakias) as the bus station in Rethimon is small and all announcements about departures are made in English as well as Greek and German. The two busses we caught left exactly on time.

John recommended we take a walk (actually I think he said a taxi!) to the Kastro taverna above Plakias for dinner one evening. This was probably the highlight of the week for me. We made sure that is was still light when we arrived so we could enjoy the arrival of dusk and night whilst we ate. The setting was good for the views and the feeling of being off the beaten track but the food (like much of the cooking in Plakias) was wonderful. I recommend the fennel pie to start and the lamb in lemon sauce (the meat fell off the bone) to follow for anyone considering a visit.

We stayed at the Dora Studios which were basic but fine if all you want is somewhere to shower and sleep for a few hours each night. Strangely, the room was cleaned each day up to and including Saturday but then was not touched for the next three days before we left. I actually preferred where we stayed last year at Costas but there was not much in it and it is not as if you go expecting/needing 5 star luxury.

If anyone is in Plakias when John is around it is easy to tell who he is. Sit on the Ostraco balcony at about 10:30pm and watch the people coming up the street. John is the one who takes half an hour to cover the 75 yards from the bakery to the door of Ostraco. This isn’t as a result of Mythos (well it might be!), but because of all the people who want to stop him, say ‘hi’ and have a chat. Seriously, when you read this next week John, it was good to put a face to the name. Hope you had as good a holiday as we had and thanks for the Kastro recommendation.

Phil

[JulieB485]

Sounds fab!
I can't wait till we go

[Karen T]

Phil is right - the views from Mirthios over Plakias are pretty spectacular but if you're feeling a bit more energetic why not go one better and take the walk up to the summit of Timeos Stavros and check out the 360 degree panorama from there.  For those who don't know, Timeos Stavros is the pyrimidal mountain out towards Lefkoyia with the little church perched right on top.  I wouldn't recommend those going in the height of summer to attempt this walk unless the day is overcast or a bit cooler than the norm, as it is rather long.  You can walk from Plakias but I'd recommend getting a bus, taxi or taking the car to Lefkoyia and walking from there.  If you have a hire car, take the road right (if you are coming from Plakias), past Stelios's Taverna - signed for Skinaria Beach.  A short way further the road forks, take the left hand fork which travels uphill (the lower road snakes along a very long and winding track and eventually reaches Skinaria Beach).  You come to an old and partially renovated laundry where you may be able to park the car as we did as we felt the concrete road might not be suitable further on.  As it was, we did see hire cars being taken much further up the road past the short length where the concrete had deteriorated badly, right up to an area by the lower church.  Good views are to be had from this position too but to continue on to Timeos Stavros, follow the path marked with a cairn which is directly opposite the track forking off to the lower church.  The route is fairly easy to follow and waymarked by cairns at intervals and the path eventually joins the bulldozed track which makes several switchbacks up the hill untill it peters out again to another rocky track.  An easier route rather than following the path is to keep to the bulldozed track from the lower church although this may take longer.

We first did this walk over 10 years ago whilst on SunMed's rambling holidays and we had been to the summit on 2 separate occasions before this one.  I had my doubts as to whether we would make it to the top this time as we had our 2 children with us - aged 9 & 5 - but they were brilliant and managed to make it to the top with no mishaps and the minimum of complaints!!  There is now a visitor's book inside the church for those hardy souls who make it to the top to write their comments.  On glancing through the book I was surprised at how few English people had signed it so come on you lot, don't let the side down, make an effort and get on up there.  It's worth the effort, believe me!

Karen

[sarah]

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know that  we will be returning to Plakias tomorrow and we cant wait!!!!  I just hope the weather holds out, but even if it doesn't, nothing will dampen our sprits.  We have always have a FAB time the many times that we have been to Plakias, and long may it continue.  I have never meet John, but who knows if I am down the town in the evening I will be sure to say Hi.

The taverna in Mythios sounds great, I think we will have try it out!

We have made  friends in Plakias,  namely Costa, Maria, Billy, Doug, Jeannie & Stamati, to name a few, so we will be doing the rounds to catch up with them. It seems like ages ago that we were there (September 2002) we are already looking to book our next trip even before we get back.

Hope any one that is having a holiday soon , has a great time.

Take care
Sarah  

[Yvonne]

Having read the previous postings, I can't wait - we come again in September, can't come soon enough.  Looking forward to all our old haunts.  We love Mirthios and the Platia taverna.  There is also a fairly new (2 years?) taverna on the road to damnoni beach which is very good.  say hi to Andreas for us!
Yvonne