Europe Week 1: Crete, Greece

Hello friends! I’ve decided to start this blog as an online journal of sorts to document my time in Europe. For those of you that don’t know, I’m traveling before starting a job in Spain this October.

My first stop was in Crete, Greece. I was excited to visit Crete, as I had never been but had thoroughly enjoyed the parts of Greece I had visited before (Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini). After a long day of travel which included 3 flights and a slightly sketchy taxi ride, I arrived at my accommodation just outside of Rethymno – Grand Leoniki Residence (pictured below). The rooms are slightly dated (not terribly so), but it was nice to have a kitchen and such a spacious balcony.

My first couple of days in Rethymno I didn’t do much other than attempt to adjust to the time change and lounge by the pool. However, my third day on Crete I scheduled a tour to Balos Beach and Gramvousa Island. The tour included a bus ride from my accommodation to Kissamos, and then a ferry ride with the first stop being Balos Beach/Lagoon and the second being Gramvousa Island. Below are some pictures of the exquisite area!

Arriving to Balos Beach by boat was not quite what I expected. Firstly, the arrival area is … well … not really an arrival area at all. If you were imagining some sort of dock or legitimate pathway, think again. We all essentially had to climb down a rocky area onto the sand by the lagoon. This was fine for me, but if I had been with someone that had any type of mobility issues it could have been problematic. If you ever visit Balos by boat, my advice is to wear sneakers and just bring sandals or flip flops to change into once you’re on the beach!

Second, I underestimated just how many people were on the ferry. It looked like a pilgrimage of people crossing the lagoon. Therefore, the beach was quite crowded. Not uncomfortably so, but if I were to do this again (and perhaps if I were staying closer to Kissamos or had a rental car at my disposal) I would try to catch one of the earlier ferries. After a couple hours on the beach, we all trekked back to the ferry for the short ride to Gramvousa. Gramvousa is an island formerly occupied by pirates that has a Venetian fortress at the top. There is also an old visible shipwreck between two of the bays. The view from the fortress at the top looks out over the bays of Gramvousa, and to Balos Bay in the distance. Both stops were stunning, and my only complaint about the tour would be the limited amount of time at Gramvousa.

The tour to Balos & Gramvousa was an all day event, as I didn’t arrive back to my hotel until 8pm. So the next day I took it even easier and once again lounged by the pool. The only pool that was open at the resort was quite nice, and at least I didn’t have to pay for a lounger there. That being said, if I were going to pay for a sun lounger, I’m very happy with the place I chose on Wednesday. Baha Beach Club is the type of place I would expect to be packed (sans Covid of course), but that I was quite happy to enjoy without the massive crowds in late August. The design of the beach club is stylish in a boho chic manner, and boasts a couple bars, a restaurant, a large pool, and of course the beach. I got two beach sun loungers (single use) with an umbrella, as well as a complimentary water and towel all for 15 Euros. Compared to what my family normally pays in South Carolina, that’s a bargain – not to mention drinks can be ordered from the sunbeds here! I also ordered a burger and fries to eat at my lounger, and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food.

Wednesday I had quite a slow morning, and once again got some sun by the pool. I didn’t do much with my morning, because I had plans to spend part of the afternoon in Rethymno before eating dinner there. The streets of Rethymno are incredibly picturesque, and I enjoyed moseying down the various narrow lanes. I ate at Castelo, which was on a beautiful little street. The restaurant itself is in an old tower, but there is seating on the street as well. It was quite an idyllic setting. Thursday I made the most of what time I had left with my wonderful balcony, lounging either there or by the pool. After checking out on Friday I ate at a local taverna, Taverna Yiannis, which was just down the street from my accommodation. The food was extremely fresh and delicious, and once again the overwhelming Greek hospitality came through with some free extras.

While I was in Rethymno the United States was removed from the EU’s white list. Italy therefore changed their restrictions for people who had been in the USA within the past 14 days, which meant that I would need a negative test to enter the county. Fortunately, I was able to find a next day appointment where I was guaranteed my results by midnight the same day of my test. Even more conveniently I found a place that would come to the hotel to test me, and since I did the antigen test I received my results immediately (shoutout to Doctor Near You). Although I had no reason to be seriously concerned as I had followed the COVID protocols & restrictions in Greece and am fully vaccinated, I was quite stressed about the possibility of testing positive and being an asymptomatic breakthrough case. Fortunately, I tested negative and was able to board my flight to Naples for my next stop – Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast!