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Crete in 6 Words: Warmth, Hospitality, Self-Sufficiency, Freedom, Vitality, Raki
Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to create an entire short story in six words. He wrote, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” I love that challenge – and his clever response to it. The brevity of using just 6 words brings the essence of your story into sharp focus, but simultaneously, it invites you to start a conversation which has the potential to take you on a much longer journey?
I have not long returned from a week visiting Western Crete, based in Chania. The 6 words I would choose to sum up the essence of Crete would be: Warmth, Hospitality, Self-Sufficiency, Freedom, Vitality, Raki.
Warmth
Crete is blessed with a warm and sunny climate. Temperatures in the season (1st April to the end of October) rarely dip below 22 degrees C and just 74 mm of rain spreads itself thinly across those 7 months with barely any falling over the long, hot Summer. Just like their climate, the Cretans are a warm and friendly people too.
Hospitality
Cretans are also great hosts. Everywhere we went, we were met with a convivial smile and a genuine desire to make our stay a pleasant one. Interestingly, xénos is the Greek word for both stranger and friend, which tells you a lot about how welcome visitors are made to feel here.
One of the most enjoyable things to do whilst in Crete is to indulge in a traditional taverna meal. Eating in Crete is a social activity best shared with others. It is fun to be part of a paréa (dining community). Platters of all manner of local delicacies prepared with passion are held high and spread on your table to be shared amongst the diners. If there is too much to eat in one go – no worries – many people bring a box and take the leftovers back home to rekindle a little of the atmosphere later on.
Self-Sufficiency
Unlike in Britain – where the strawberries mostly come from Spain and the gooseberries that grow so easily in our cool climate are frustratingly hard to find in our shops, Crete is self-sustaining. Crete imports a bare minimum and exports only what its citizens do not consume themselves.
Goats and sheep graze the hillsides and their milk is used to make a variety of delicious hard and soft cheeses and luscious, creamy, thick Greek yoghurt. Trees provide olives, nuts, avocados, pomegranates, and citrus fruits. The island’s surrounding seas provide a bounty of fish and shellfish too.
The warm climate means that growing tomatoes is easy. You can see all the plastic greenhouses for Winter protection lined up along the coast. Vines yield enough grapes to keep your wine glass filled to the brim with both red and white local wine and provide you with a shot of raki whenever you feel the need.
On top of all that, the honey of Crete is unmatched in its quality. What more could you need or want? As a result, the people of Crete are resourceful and skilled at self-sufficiency – transforming the best of what nature offers them – whatever the time of year -into delicious, healthy meals.
Freedom
History always tells you a lot about a country and its people. Crete has been occupied by countless invaders over the years, each leaving their mark on the landscape, the buildings and the culture. From the Romans, the Venetians and the Turks to the bitterly opposed German Occupation in WW2, Cretans have had to battle for their island – hence their motto “Freedom or Death”. Road signs scarred with bullet holes ensure that the troubles of the past are not forgotten despite more peaceful times since union with Greece in 1913.
Vitality
Their simple approach to life – a love of good, fresh food, kindness to strangers and a warm communion with each other and Mother Nature gives Cretens a unique and enviable vitality and makes Crete a great place to spend a relaxing holiday.
Raki
Raki is Crete’s national drink – enjoyed chilled both as an aperitif and at the end of a meal. Raki is a fruit brandy with a high alcohol content (45% to 50%) which makes it just as potent as any other spirit – including ouzo. Hospitable to the end, Cretans often serve a small bottle of raki complimentary (free of charge/on the house), after a meal, accompanied by fresh fruit – or – if you are really lucky – a small pastry/sweet treat.
Raki is reputedly good for the heart, reducing blood pressure, numbing pain and even making the common cold more endurable. Whatever the truth of that, it is a firm part of the Cretan way of life.
Where We Stayed
We based ourselves in the Elia Hotel & Spa in the tiny village of Ano Vouves – about 35 kilometres from Chania.
Elia is a traditional hotel carefully converted from an old farmhouse. It has a lovely pool area and is surrounded by gardens filled with flowers and fruit trees. The welcome is warm and the hotel does well at creating a homely atmosphere where you feel you can quickly settle in, relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of their tucked away location.
Meals are all made from locally sourced ingredients. There is no menu choice offered, but if you have any allergies etc., they will happily do their best to accommodate them. Breakfast is a self serve buffet with plenty of choice. You can choose whether to take your meals up on the sunny terrace, or eat at one of the numerous tables in the gardens or in the cosy farmhouse.
We stayed in a Deluxe Double Room which was spacious and airy with a lovely terrace overlooking the White Mountains. All in all, it made a great base for exploring western Crete.
Things to Do in Western Crete
Chania
Whether you call it Chania, Hania or Xania, it is a beautiful city that definitely deserves a day or two of your visit to Crete. It has 4 areas that each have their own character but seem to merge seamlessly into one another.
Topanás – the arts & crafts harbour area of the picturesque historic old town is as good a place as any to try to find somewhere to park and start your exploration of the town. If you park in one of the parking areas by the ancient fort, you can walk all around the harbour edge past the Mosque by the sea (Gali Tzamisi) and the 7 Venetian boathouses and floating craft market stalls into Kastelli – the centre of the Venetian city where smart Venetian houses are now home to many restaurants and cafes.
Splantzia – the easternmost old Turkish quarter – has whitewashed churches/cobbled alleyways. Evraiki in the southeast is the Jewish Quarter with good shopping/eating opportunities and home to the Centre of Traditional Folk Art and Culture, where you can admire the embroideries and exhibitions of traditional crafts. Skridlóf is the street to go shopping for good quality leather souvenirs. The city park is a nice area to stroll through or pause for a while at the lovely café where strong mocha coffee is brewed in traditional copper pots.
Tips for Future Travellers
With the wonderful benefit of hindsight, I would have started our week’s trip in Chania and spent a couple of nights here before hiring a car and exploring the rest of Western Crete. This would save you the hassle of driving into this busy city – and finding somewhere to park. You could also have sampled the nightlife a little, maybe hearing the traditional lutes being played in one of the many tavernas. There are plenty of options for accommodation here, so you can easily take your pick of where to stay depending on taste and budget.
Restaurant Recommendation
I can recommend the Steki Restaurant for lunch. Their Mezze appetisers are a great way to sample a wide variety of traditional Greek delicacies in one sitting without spoiling your appetite for dinner.
Mountains, Goats, Gardens and History
History - Theriso - "Freedom or Death"
Start the day by winding your way up the steep mountain roads to the little village of Theriso – an obvious place to become the centre of Cretan resistance during WW2 and also base for the insurgents during the revolt against the Ottoman Empire which was instrumental in Crete becoming part of Greece in 1913. Visiting in the morning will probably give you the best chance of the museums in the town telling the tales of resistance and fighting for freedom being open, but check the opening times which are short, especially out of high season. Apart from the museums in town, the bullet holes in the road signs are the only remaining evidence of the past struggles of the freedom fighters defending their island with the motto “Freedom or Death”. The tavernas in Theriso are supposedly excellent, but we didn’t get a chance to sample them so I can’t give any recommendations.
The narrow mountain roads around Theriso are good place to see the wild mountain goats – Kri-kri – the only large wild mammal in Crete. You can see them clinging to the craggy mountain sides with their admirable ability to go to places no human – or many other animals – can venture.
The next stop is the small but beautifully formed Sarakina Gorge in Meskla. A path leads from the pretty Byzantine church in the village. Don’t miss going inside the church – its interior is stunning. Gorges are a big attraction in Crete, so even if you aren’t a keen hiker it is good to visit at least one during your trip? Sarakina is an easy choice.
Trip Highlight - Botanical Gardens of Crete
Fournes is home to the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete, containing a stupendous variety of meticulously labelled trees, plants, herbs, medicinal and ornamental plants from all over the world in its immaculately maintained 30 hectares. Typically Cretan in style, the gardens are understated and make the best use of natural materials easily to hand to enhance the environment and add interest to the visit. The gardens were lovingly recreated after a devastating fire destroyed them in 2003.
It will take you a good 2 hours to explore the many riches the garden has to offer. Take your time – the walk up and down the steep terraces is well worth the effort.
Fruit and vegetables grown in the gardens are incorporated into the dishes served by the park’s restaurant. It is hard to make your choice from the extensive menu which includes wood fired dishes cooked on the premises. I can definitely recommend the fennel pie. The cleverly named “White Mountains” version is topped with delicious melted local cheese.
Finish your day with a peaceful stroll around the Agia Lake area.
Beaches
Falasarna Beach
Long, sandy and deservedly popular, Falasarna Beach is a Blue Flag beach fringed with sea daffodils/sea lilies – the endangered jewel of the Mediterranean coastline – in the Autumn. Peek into the greenhouses along the shore to wonder at just how many tomato plants can be crammed into one space.
The other beaches around Kissamos/Kastelli are not sandy and not great for swimming as the waves are lively. They are really lovely for strolling along though with clear waters and very few people.
Elafonissi and Sfinari Beaches
It’s a fun day trip to take the inland route down to Elafonissi Beach through Topolia Gorge and wind your way slowly back up the vertiginous coast road visiting the pretty fishing village of Sfinari en route.
When you get close to Elafonissi Beach, you will be beckoned into “guarded parking”, but drive as far as you can before abandoning your car and paying the parking fee because it actually gets cheaper the nearer the beach you get. There is a 10-15 minute walk down through the land that cars are now no longer allowed to access.
Elafonissi Beach is long and is famous for its pink tinged sand and clear shallow waters which are perfect for wading or bathing. There are sun loungers to rent and beachside bathrooms (costing 1 euro).
By contrast, Sfinari Beach is rocky and the sea is excitingly rough there. The big waves and the pebbles keep the crowds away so it is a peaceful place to stroll a while. There is a string of fish tavernas along the shore if you are hungry too.
Balos Beach
I would bet that Balos beach is beautiful, but I can’t tell you for sure because we chose to obey the strict warning issued with our hire car not to drive it down the dirt road to get there. We could have taken a boat cruise from Kissamos, but decided we had had our fill of beaches with all the other more easily accessible ones we had already visited.
Gorges
Deliana Gorge
The problem with gorge trekking is that often it is a steep walk down – and of course back up – and it is all one way (rather than circular), which leaves you with the problem of how to get back at the end. Buses and taxis can be booked to help you of course, but if you are looking for a simple option that gives you the flavour of the gorges of Crete without any need to pre-book or prepare, then Deliana Gorge is a good option.
Deliana Gorge is located 7 kilometres south of Kolimbari. It is only a 2 hour walk (around 7 kms) from Deliana to Mesavlia and return and it is an easy walk – even for children. You can have some fun taking a photo of yourself visiting the Gorge from both sides (see left).
If gorges are your thing, then Western Crete has plenty to offer. Sirikari, Irini, Ímbros, Askifou, and of course – largest and most challenging of all – Samaria Gorge are all within striking distance, but you would definitely need to do some advance planning to enjoy them to the full.
Restaurant Recommendation
Time your visit to Deliania Gorge so that you return to the excellent Taverna To Faragi in Deliania for lunch. If you are visiting at the weekend, reserve ahead as it gets very busy with local trade – always a good sign! The boureki here is legendary – it is a prize winner. Be sure to try it!
Foodie Firsts
It is always a pleasure to sample new cuisines and – despite having travelled quite a bit – Crete delivered all sorts of new foodie firsts for me to try.
Coffee
Coffee is something of an art form in Crete and quite complicated to order if you are not familiar with the local customs. Here are some useful pointers on what to order:
Skétto – without sugar
Métrio – with some sugar
Glikó – with lots of sugar
Dipló – double portion
Neskafé – instant
Sestó – hot
Frappé – cold (cold instant coffee whipped up in a blender with evaporated milk – increasingly popular and one of my favourites on this trip.
If you order the strong mocha coffee, leave the thick and bitter dregs safely in the bottom of your cup!
Fascinating Facts
According to an informative sign in the Crete Botanical Gardens, human cultivation of coffee began after goats in Ethiopia were seen becoming frisky after eating the leaves and fruits of the coffee tree. In reality, human consumption of coffee fruits probably began long before humans took up pastoralism.
The first written record of coffee made from roasted coffee beans comes from Arabian scholars who wrote that it was useful in prolonging their working hours. The Arab innovation of making a brew from roasted beans, spread first among the Egyptians and Turks and later on found its way around the world.
Pastitso
Comfort food Cretan style, pastitsio is like a lasagna, with layers of noodles, cheese, and seasoned beef topped with bechamel. Unlike moussaka, it has no eggplant or potatoes.
Portokalopita
Portokalopita is a simply delicious orange cake, enjoyed here with a glass of homemade pomegranate raki. If you fancy trying to make it at home, here is a recipe:
Horta - Wild Greens
Not ones to waste anything, Crete makes use of all nature has to offer, including its wild greens – or Horta. Not really to my taste – but certainly nutritious – and free!
Bougatsa
Boureki is a cheese and potato pie of epic proportions that is famous in Chania. The To Faragi Taverna in Deliana is my top recommendation for the best place to try it though. Their prize winning boureki is made to a family recipe which contains not one but four types of local cheese. It is a meal in itself – or in my case – a very memorable last supper.
