Day Itinerary
10 Activities
Day 2
110 mi0.5 mi
Brilliant Beaches and Heroic Heraklion
On day two, you'll continue the quest to Crete's brilliant beaches with a busy start to Caves beaches, featuring crystal blue waters that drift into stunning cave formations, and then to Karavostasi beach for a more relaxing and comfortable experience. After your morning swim, you'll drive inland a little to reach a gorgeous little monastery in wonderful surroundings.
Lunch will be in Heraklion at the outstanding Apiri Greek Eatery, after which you'll have time to hit some iconic spots in Heraklion and explore the town. On the way back to Chania, there's time for one more swim before a drink at a beach club and a delicious, hearty dinner to wrap things up.
Lunch will be in Heraklion at the outstanding Apiri Greek Eatery, after which you'll have time to hit some iconic spots in Heraklion and explore the town. On the way back to Chania, there's time for one more swim before a drink at a beach club and a delicious, hearty dinner to wrap things up.
25.8 mi
50 min
09:3030 min
Caves beaches
Start your morning with fresh air and sea salt at Caves Beaches. This is another beach without much room to relax, but its beauty is when to check out for a quick swim, with crystal waters flowing into monumental caves.
0.1 mi
5 min
10:151 hr
Karavostasi Beach
Once you've seen the beauty of Caves Beaches, pop around the corner to Karavostasi Beach, which is similarly beautiful water but much more shore area to enjoy and get comfortable.
18.4 mi
40 min
12:0030 min
Ιερά Μονή Αγίου Παντελεήμονος Φόδελε
After a refreshing start to the day, drive to the Holy Monastery of Panteleimon. This gave me a great refresher of the culture of where I was after chilling so much on this route - it's a beautiful church perched up a hill and in the greenery. You can visit any day of the week.
16.3 mi
50 min
13:301 hr 30 min
Apiri greek_eatery
Lunch is held in Heraklion, which asks for quite the drive, but you'll get to relish in a new town once you get there, and Apiri Greek Eatery is well worth the drive.
I loved this for its fresh take on traditional Greek food. While I'm crazy about Greek food, I needed a bit more variety at this point, and the modern twists on classics at Apiri were perfect. They're open for lunch every day of the week, and you can make a booking through their website.
I loved this for its fresh take on traditional Greek food. While I'm crazy about Greek food, I needed a bit more variety at this point, and the modern twists on classics at Apiri were perfect. They're open for lunch every day of the week, and you can make a booking through their website.
0.3 mi
5 min
15:1510 min
Bembo fountain
After lunch, you'll have time to explore Heraklion. Begin with a walk to Bembo Fountain, which takes you down a charming route through gorgeous streets to marvel over. Bembo Fountain is a historical water feature with most of its structure preserved today.
0.2 mi
5 min
15:3030 min
Herakleion Central Market
You can then walk to the vibrant Central Market, offering lots of different stalls and an eclectic crowd of guests. You can pick up some essentials, gifts, snacks or just absorb the traditional market which is open every day of the week.
0.8 mi
10 min
16:1515 min
Venetian Walls of Heraklion
After the market, hop back in the car for one last stop in Heraklion, the historical Venetian Walls that once protected the city. There is no official site or entrance, but you can sit on the bench and enjoy the view of the walls and the city before the drive back to Chania.
15 mi
30 min
17:001 hr
Fodele Beach
There's time for more beach, and after all the exploring of Heraklion, you're probably ready for a well-deserved dip. Fodele beach is a perfect spot to stop on the way back, as you can find a comfortable space on the shore to leave your things and enjoy the water for an hour.
30.7 mi
50 min
19:0045 min
Baja Beach Club Restaurant- Rethymno
After a dip and a drive, the sunlight will slowly be fading, and that's a perfect excuse for a drink by the sea. At this stage, while I had soaked up a lot of the beauty and swam in the stunning waters, I was ready for a drink to top it all off. Baja is outside the town, so it has a relaxed and ambient feeling and is right on the beach to get the best views.
3.3 mi
20 min
20:151 hr 30 min
Vassilis
Beyond being at the tip of the land and among the port, Vassilis was a memorable dining experience, and while it doesn't provide innovative dishes, it excels at taste with Greek dishes that are incredibly well cooked, and the service is fantastic and left me smiling.
Enjoy a final dinner cooked with experience and love to wrap up the beach discovery route before making your way back to Chania. They're open every day of the week, and you usually don't need to book in advance.
Enjoy a final dinner cooked with experience and love to wrap up the beach discovery route before making your way back to Chania. They're open every day of the week, and you usually don't need to book in advance.