Driving from Plakias to Timpaki/ Tymbaki?

[Voloudakis]

Hello again.
Has anyone done the drive to Tymbaki to visit Phaestos?
Googly Earth says 57Km but not being a trusting soul I thought I would ask.
Route does look fairly straightforward but is the road tarmac all the way?
Looking forward to seeing Plakias again after a break of 36 years (scary).
I Sadly lived on the North coast of Crete many moons ago (before mass tourism).
In 1991 I took the ex Wife to show her where I lived in the Winter and actually wept to see what had happened to the tiny fishing port near Malia I used to know.
At least my Fathers village of Lappa in the mountains remained the same.

[John R]

Yes - we do that run almost every time we have visited Plakias - at least 15 times. A very straightforward journey - fast wide roads, all tarmac. We usually have time to look round Matala on the same visit. and even call in to Aghia Galini. A very nice trip indeed. There is even a Spili bypass which is worth using if you don't want to call in to Spili. The road to Lappa now much improved and much shortened a few years back with a new link - another drive we do on each visit. I think the one thing that will surprise you is the significant number of new roads / improved roads since you were here. Generally wide and fast - if you needed to go fast that is. I suspect the drive to Sfakia will be very different from your old days.

[Voloudakis]

That sounds perfect. Thank you so much for the information. My other half will be pleased as She wants to get some history and culture as well as beaches and Tavernas. She does the driving and I navigate. Lost my licence due to ill health & not liquid refreshment :-).

[Hugo V]

The drive from Plakias to Timpaki and Phaestos is very nice and the road is very good.  But count on at least 90 minutes each way.  We have done it every year since we split up our stay in Crete between Kamilari and  Myrthios.  In fact, Kamilari is very close to Phaestos and if you are into Greek restaurants, we recommend that you have lunch in restaurant Milonas.  Very good authentic Greek food at very affordable prices.  Kommos beach is very close to Phaestos as well and is one of the nicest beaches on Crete.  Also nice to visit is Ligres beach, which has been described here on this forum in several other posts.
We are sure you will enjoy the trip.

[Voloudakis]

The drive from Plakias to Timpaki and Phaestos is very nice and the road is very good.  But count on at least 90 minutes each way.  We have done it every year since we split up our stay in Crete between Kamilari and  Myrthios.  In fact, Kamilari is very close to Phaestos and if you are into Greek restaurants, we recommend that you have lunch in restaurant Milonas.  Very good authentic Greek food at very affordable prices.  Kommos beach is very close to Phaestos as well and is one of the nicest beaches on Crete.  Also nice to visit is Ligres beach, which has been described here on this forum in several other posts.
We are sure you will enjoy the trip.

Great Information. We are always on the lookout for good traditional Tavernas. It has been a long time since I visited Kamilari but I remember the way as it is so close to Timpaki.

[harribobs]

Also nice to visit is Ligres beach, which has been described here on this forum in several other posts.
We are sure you will enjoy the trip.

there are two very good tavernas at Ligres as well!

[Hugo V]

Can confirm this, with a slight preference for Villa Maria.  We ate there last September and the prices continue to remain very low.

[Voloudakis]

Thank you Both for the Taverna and beach recommendations. Will certainly visit some of them.

[harribobs]

My friend Adonis runs the Villa Maria  (Maria is his mother)

[Voloudakis]

Websites for the tavernas mentioned (Had to use Google translate for Villa Maria as English version broken).
Villa Maria Ligres beach http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ligres.eu%2F&sl=&tl=en
Milonas Traditional Tavern Kamilarihttp://www.milonaskamilari.gr/tavern_en.php

[Voloudakis]

Thank you for the recommendations. We visited all the places. Milonas Taverna was perfect and we had an amazing lunch there looking towards Phaestos (Festos) from the taverna balcony.
Villa Maria and Ligres were so good that we booked in for the night so we could swim as the sun set and enjoy a beautiful dinner.
Wish I was not going home.
Here is the new Villa Maria website for anyone interested http://www.ligres.eu/en/

[harribobs]

so pleased you enjoyed yourselves there....

[Hugo V]

So glad you enjoyed our recommendations.  We spent a week in Kamilari in June and just made reservations to go back in October.  We will spend a week in Myrthios and one week in Kamilari and stop at Villa Maria when driving from one place to the other.  Someone needs to support our Cretan friends!!!!!!!

[harribobs]

hehe  Isee adoni used at least one of my photos for his site!