![]() Which explains why when Mr Smith idly suggested we spend Easter in Greece this year, my immediate response was that I wanted to go to Crete. Even the name 'Crete' held a magical quality. We moved houses, and the book got lost, but I never forgot those images and the thrilling sense of this other, ancient world. When you’re eight, any number over ten is old. The book said Knossos was 4,000 years old. It was about an island called Crete and it had amazing pictures of an austere throne-room in a palace called Knossos that was filled with paintings of gorgeous Minoan ladies with huge curly hair, and lithe youth somersaulting over bulls. When I was eight, I was given one of those dinky Ladybird children’s books for Christmas. I turn to Mr Smith and yell, ‘I can’t believe we’re in Crete!’ ‘Left, right, left, right!’ The woman to my left, M from New York, whispers, ‘Oh my God, he’s gorgeous!’ I hope her husband on her left can’t hear over the quickening beat of the blaring music. Anendyk Maritime runs hop-on, hop-off ferries between ports along the south coast from Paleochora to Sfakia (Is it a cliché that, on my first trip to Greece, I am dancing Zorba the Greek in a dining room of our hotel with a group of complete strangers? Probably, but I’m having so much fun it’s hard to care.Įleni – general manager, party hostess and all round cheerleader at the Paradise Island Villas – is busy working the playlist on the iPod while, Paul, her deputy puts us through the paces. KTEL Buses run between Heraklion and Sitia in the north-east, via Hersonissos (Otherīlue Star Ferries (and Minoan Lines (both run overnight car and passenger services to Heraklion, leaving the main Athens port of Piraeus nightly during summer months also try. That said, the main routes run west-east, rather than north-south, so if you want to explore the north coast from your base at Anissaras, hiring wheels will increase your options. AutomobilesĪs with most Greek islands, the roads of Crete are not for the faint-hearted, characterized by hairpin bends, cliff drops and narrow carriageways. TrainsĬretan locomotives exist only on the internet, as spoofs for naïve tourists buses and ferries are the get-around transport of choice here. ![]() It’s served by direct international flights as well as connecting domestic routes from Athens International, Elefthérios Venizélos airport. Nikos Kazantzakis International, just outside the island capital of Heraklion, is 23km from Paradise Island Villas. The hotel is in a residential area, just outside Anissaras, and close to Heraklion, the island capital and main air hub. Drinks can be ordered anytime from 9am to 10:30pm. Order food from the à la carte menu from 9am to 4:30pm and from 7pm to 10:30pm. Leisurely breakfasts take place between 9am and noon lunch is served between noon and 4:30pm dinner is 7pm until 10:30pm. It’s chilled out to the max (in fact, watch the soothing Greek sounds don’t send you to sleep). The ultra-modern poolside bar is decked out with hanging stainless steel lights and azure-coloured sidelighting to match the turquoise water. The poolside restaurant is mostly outside, so expect a light and airy setting, with views of the mountains in the distance. The room is bright, with decorative ladders hanging on the walls. There’s also locally reared lamb to look out for, and make sure you leave room for the loukoumades (a doughnut-like dessert with honey and ice-cream). You can’t beat the catch of the day, grilled and served with roasted vegetables. It does not store any personal data.Ambrosia dishes up Mediterranean cuisine with a few Greek enhancements here and there. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. ![]() The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". ![]() The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
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