Pretty Green

Chania, Crete.
The very friendly tourist information centre is in the modern part of Chania. We were visiting out of season so the organised trips hadn't kicked off yet, but they made sure we had plenty of information on the public transport that could get us up and down the coast for a few days out.

The bus to Rethimno takes about an hour and heads east along the coast, and makes for a pleasant trip. The bus station at Rethimno was a fifteen minute walk out of the town and required circumnavigating the huge Fortezza Castle which is an imposing 16th century Venetian Citadel. It reminded us of walking round the Great Orme in Llandudno!

Fortezza Castle, Rethimno, Crete

From the top of the fortress the wonderful vantage points offer spectacular views of the coast and the White Mountains. It's definitely worth a little detour on the way to the town.

Lighthouse at Rethimno, Crete

The Venetian Harbor of Rethimno is filled with fishing boats and lined with tavernas.
It's also home to another Venetian lighthouse, and whilst not as grand as the one in Chania it makes a nice focal point for the harbour.

Harbour and Lighthouse at Rethimno, Crete

The old town of Rethimno is an enjoyable place to spend a few hours. We had a fantastic lunch at Stella's kitchen. Stella makes a few pots of food every day for you to choose from. There are lots of vegetarian options but I had a pork chop with mash and greens that simply melted in your mouth. It was to die for. Don't eat anywhere else!

The old town is also home to the Paleontological Museum in a building that was once a temple. It's distinctive roof is made of nine domes and they are overlooked by the city’s oldest minaret, which peeks out from the  twists and turns of the old town's narrow streets.

Rethimno, Crete

Our second day trip along the coast this time took us west and gave us the opportunity to see the coastline of north western Crete.
Some roads and bridges had suffered from last winter's storms in 2018, which were some of the worst in Crete's history. Properties had also been affected by the disaster. Some had just seen better days, or lay half developed resulting from the financial climate in Greece. But this was restricted to short sections of the coastline which in itself is a fabulous distraction, and the town of Kissamos to where we were headed was very pretty.
Unfortunately it was closed for the season.

Kissamos, Crete

The only folk we saw were builders and handymen paining and prepping the town for another summer season. On the plus side it did mean we had the beach and expansive views to ourselves. But after a wander and a coffee we got back on the bus back to Chania!

Kissamos, Crete

The bus back to Chania was along the old road route, which took us high into the lush green hills and gave us a little window into normal Cretan life, as well as stunning views of the coastline.

View from the old Road from Kissamos, Crete

And that was our week on Crete. Highlights were the great food and warmth of the locals.
I leave you with our favourite balcony view from Chania.
Yamas.x

Chania Lighthouse, Crete