Clarets mad and UTC have always been good travel guides (Croatia / Montenegro and Fuerteventura just some).

Advice required on quiet resorts in Corfu and Crete. Not your Malia / Kavos types. Hope to go in early September.

Struggling for guidance from trip advisor etc.

My parents lived in Crete for 6 years. Just come back from a week in Rethymnon and a week in Chania. Obvioulsy I don't know your budget but if you're just going for a week then try the Royal Sun hotel which overlooks Chania. Superb views, great food, stunning sunset. There is a free shuttle bus every half hour that runs you into the city. You won't be disappointed. Well we loved it anyway

Elounda on Crete nice little fishing village down the South Eastern end of the Island, have also stayed a hotel in Chania last year and it was very good, but cannot remember the name

Both the above very good advice. Crete is fantastic and I would also recommend Palaeochora on the south west coast. Whilst there get the boat along to Loutro, a lovely village around a cliff-backed cove with no road access. You can also visit , and walk, the Smaria Gorge which is in that corner of the island.

Stalida / Stalis Crete is terrific. Been 6 times in last few times in last few years. It has everything, great beach loads of great bars / restaurants and tavernas.. it's a great place. 40 minute transfer from airport. You wont regret it. Small town feel, easy to navigate and well worth a visit. Make sure your accom has a pool tho...not all do

Is Loutro the village you pass on the boat after doing the gorge walk? Beautiful if it's the one I'm thinking of. I'd say Rethymon would be my choice for towns but that hotel in Chania was just superb for the price. Lovely people the Cretans too

Im going to Retymnon in 2 weeks time, never been to Crete before.

I hate dossing around a swimming pool all day so I have a couple of questions:

Is the long gorge walk (€2) worth the effort?

Is it worth taking a good camera and lens for wildlife photography within a relatively local area?

Thanks for any help and advice.

Rethymnon is a beautiful old town with a fantastic Fort perched up high overlooking the town which is open to the public. The harbour boasts a wide variety of tavernas and restaurants with some fantastic views.
It can be busy in the evenings at the height of summer with people strolling along the sea front but it is very family oriented and therefore free of any groups of younger revellers.

There are a multitude of narrow streets to explore with small tavernas tucked away amongst the traditional shops and ancient architecture. There is also the modern side to the town with plenty of shopping opportunities.

The beach in the centre is very sandy and extensive but it does get more pebbly the further you are from the centre.
Rethymnon is a large area and some places are still described as being in rethymnon despite being 10km from the centre so be wary of this.

I can recommend this town whole heartedly.

FWIW - I've stayed in several small, traditional fishing villages in various parts of Crete over the years. I'm biased, but I simply love the Island - amazing history/ mountain scenery/ picturesque villages/ wonderful, genuine people. Get away from the touristy areas and sample the real Crete.

JohnMac wrote:Im going to Retymnon in 2 weeks time, never been to Crete before.

I hate dossing around a swimming pool all day so I have a couple of questions:

Is the long gorge walk (€2) worth the effort?

Is it worth taking a good camera and lens for wildlife photography within a relatively local area?

Thanks for any help and advice.

If you're there for 2 weeks I'd def do the gorge walk. It really is beautiful. Look into a day trip to Elafonissi beach too. It's a stunning spot and the beach has a wierd pink coloured sand. They normally stop off at a few sites to break up the journey.

Try a restaurant called Castello in Rethymnon which is hidden in one of the little back streets. It took us quite a while to find it but when we did the service, food and setting was perfect.

Enjoy

We liked Sidari, on the north coast of Corfu, when we visited a few years ago, but if we were going back, I think we'd be looking at Kassiopi.

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Has anyone been to Koutouloufari / Piskopiano near Hersonnisos? Been to Hersonnisos about 14 years ago, wasn't that keen, bit too lively for us now!

Has anyone been to Faliraki recently? Giving away holidays there atm, went 10 years ago and it was an unfinished building site.

Stalis/Stalida situated on the beach road, accommodation on this road or just off it is ideal, rather than the main road that runs adjacent, too far to walk! If you look up Sergiani garden apartments, or Neon Hotel opposite, we found this area ideal, as nice and quiet in the day/evening but a short 5-10 minute walk takes you into the busier part of Stalis, 20 mins in the other direction to Malia. We've been going regularly since 2004. Great base to take trips from as well. Mochos village in the mountains not far, (20mins if that, in taxi)very traditional and the British war graves are worth a visit on the best of the west tour. Smashing folks. I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed ...

Dougall wrote:We liked Sidari, on the north coast of Corfu, when we visited a few years ago, but if we were going back, I think we'd be looking at Kassiopi.

I have given up my beloved Goa this year for a holiday in Crete when we were due to fly next Thursday after school had broken up and 'A' levels had finished because the hotel complex had water slides and was all inclusive.

However when my eldest arrives home this afternoon from meeting his mate in Burnley at my expense I am going to murder him and bury his body under the patio.

As he rarely comes out of his room nobody will notice him missing until weekend so it will give me chance to watch Lancs v Yorkshire cricket on Friday before I get sent down for life.

I will tell my wife and the youngest child that Crete sounds good and to have a pint on me.

Corfu is our favourite greek island, the quite resort of paliokastritsa is beautiful, nice beaches, and amazing restaraunts, good luck wherever you go mate. utc

Chania is a beautiful town with a Venetian harbour, nice bars and restaurants too and lovely to walk around. great maritime museum and stunning views. I stayed in the resort Katostalos, nr Platania. The beach and the swimming is first rate and all the restaurants do great food with a free bottle of rhaki for afters. Not much in the way of nightlife, but great for a quite holiday with a partner. Not so much for a lads holiday.

The Greek gods are still there, if you have eyes to see them:

Stalida / Stalis Crete is indeed terrific. Hire a vehicle and go into the interior of the island though and you won't be disappointed. We went into Malia one morning for a giggle - it's not for the middle-aged even at that time of the day.

Had a week in Koutoulafari in June, very relaxing.
Stayed in Marni Village within easy walking distance to the many excellent restaurants.
Definitely recommended.

I would again echo Rumbletonk.....Elafonissi is a real wow. Beautiful pink sand and a turquoise sea. Reading this thread brings back some great memories of western Crete in particular. The Samaria Gorge is DEFINITELY worth the visit and , yes , Loutro is the village you pass on the coast nearby (assuming your on a boat).

Been to Koutouloufari in Crete loads of times fabulous it's above Hersonissos so you can go down into the noise and nightlife if you want then leave it behind . Their is a fabulous restaurant in Koutouloufari as well called The Galalini id you go try it

Stayed in Gouves/z there a few years back and had the best pizza I have ever had the pleasure of devouring haha.

We love both Corfu and Crete, Dante is another one we go to, for us stalks is the best option because it's busier and more going on, Roda or sidari in Corfu for the same reason not crazy like malia but enough on daytime and evening, we always hire a car and get out into the remote villages to see the real Greece but would go a bit stir crazy in the really quiet villages, kassiopi in Corfu is nice too , paelocastritsia or something like that also Corfu is stunning, tsilivi in zante also decent

Gone for Maleme, think it's about an hour from Chania.

Katostalos is only about 20 minutes away by local bus, so it's easy to go to and from Chania.

By the way, on your return flight from Chania, there's an excellent roadside local bar about 400 yards down the road from the airport, free of tourists when I flew (had to wait 6 hours.) Excellent Fix Lager in the fridge for 1.50 EU.