Me and travelling companion have been back about a week after a fortnight in Plakias. It was a bit of a mixed experience really. We had some good meals out, lunch at Antoni's was good, as was our evening meal at (I think) Manouses (the taverna nearest the junction of the post office road and the back road). Since we last ate there a few years ago it's gone upmarket with posh crockery, linen tablecloths etc. But the menu was interesting and the place was very busy with the serving staff rushed off their feet. We had more simple food up at Panorama up in Mirtios -that's always good, as well as at Sifis, Sirocco and at Muses (although the service there was weirdly slow) and a very nice Pastistio at O Zezonis, with very nice service too. The only thing about there though is that it is quite a small place with tables close together, so you have to be prepared to breathe second hand smoke. We were also lucky (!) to find a free table at Harakas once and also had something really nice and authentic at Lysseos. In fact the only poor eating experience was at that Gyro/grill place near to Candia. To say the Calamari was tough would be an understatement.
On the less positive side, we were disappointed with Hotel Sofia - having booked a twin room through Olympic 9 months in advance (and that clearly stated on all of Olympic 's paperwork,we were fobbed off on our arrival with a small double, just for one night they said, then we could move to a bigger room. But in fact that was also a double! We got the room we had booked on the third night. Not impressed.
Also rather disappointing, although nobody's fault, is that it's no longer possible to follow Lance Chiltons walk description up to Mirthios via the old mill. You can still get up there off road until you join the little road that goes past the wash house but you have to be pretty nimble and have the confidence to walk on eroded tracks.
Our main disappointment, which we began feeling 4 years ago, is that Plakias for us is loosing its special feeling. As one of our fellow guests said, 'Plakias is no longer a village.' It's no longer a comfortable walk to Souda and back. Road traffic increases all the time, there are cars everywhere when you get there, what used to be the cliff top track between Damnoni and Amoudi is now a dirt road wide enough for cars to pass each other so that Amoudi is no longer a special place, just another beach with visitors whose only effort to get there has involved climbing into a car. More sun beds, a far less diverse lot of visitors and a notice saying 'nudity is forbidden.'
If you've had the patience to read this far, thanks. We've been to Greece about 40 times in the past 35 years and Plakias is the place we've returned to the most, but this time is probably the last time. I recall reading on here a couple of years ago someone saying they were giving up on Plakias and going to start going to Paleachora. Anyone know what that's like?
