Lepers, Lace & Raki

Yesterday’s recommended read was Zorba The Greek; today’s is The Island (by Victoria Hislop) set in Spinalonga’s leper colony.
This might not sound like the most fun place to go on a road trip, but it is a fascinating visit! To get to Spinalonga, book a boat crossing with any of the large number of operators plying for trade along the harbor. Some of them offer half-day trips or guided tours, but I recommend that you just book a simple ferry crossing, which takes around 20 minutes.
You’ll also need to check on their return time, as they vary, but if you want to take a really good look around the islet, I recommend a visit of 1.5 to 2 hours.

Occupied since Minoan times, the islet of Spinalonga was fortified by the Venetians in the 16th Century to protect its inhabitants against an Ottoman invasion, but it is mostly known for its role as a leper colony in the early 20th Century. Once diagnosed with this incurable disease, patients were exiled to live out the rest of their lives on this islet. At its peak, there were around 400 residents, and the islet housed a school, a café and even some shops. The colony survived the Nazi invasion during World War II as soldiers refused to set foot on the islet and, eventually, a cure was found in the 1940s. By 1957, the site was closed down until the 1990s, when it was re-opened as an historic tourist attraction.
Once you reach Spinalonga, buy a ticket at the entrance to the site and start exploring. Many of the buildings are now in ruins, but the interpretation is good, and you can see where the residents slept, ate etc. There’s also a small museum with more information about the islet and a café. The mark-up on the drinks and food though is huge, so I recommend you bring your own refreshments.
Note, the site is closed from November 1st to March 31st.

Now that you're back, head to the hotel to collect your car.

Return to the car.

Tucked away in the hills above Mirabello Bay, O Kroustas is a traditional Cretan restaurant in a village of the same name. There are 2 ‘must-trys’ here: snails (yes, I know it’s not France), foraged by the village women and stewed with wine, garlic and herbs, and boiled goat. This is shepherd country, so goat features prominently on local menus, and it’s much nicer than it sounds. Cooked well, the meat is tender as butter and falls off the bone.
After lunch, it’s worth taking a walk around the village as it’s known for its high-quality lace and embroidery, and you’ll often see the old women sitting outside their houses making the lace.

Park here then follow the small road North along the beach and across Cap I’stron.

The view from the top of the headland along the coast and across Mirabello Bay is breathtaking.

When you get back, you can stop for a drink at this casual beach bar.

This is a small and simply furnished hotel in an excellent location on the harbor front with parking nearby. Book a sea view room with balcony if you can. And check out the rooftop cocktail bar for a sun downer.

I’ve heard Sitia described as a town that welcomes tourists rather than a ‘tourist town’ and I think this is a great description. It’s a very picturesque place with an imposing Venetian fortress, cobbled streets and narrow alleyways, and a lovely harbor for visitors to enjoy, but it’s also a normal working town, which I really like.
With an enviable seafront location, Inodion is a family-run restaurant that serves authentic Eastern Crete dishes using local ingredients, including Xigalo, a creamy cheese spread (a bit like a runny burrata) that’s unique to Sitia, served with wood-fired barley rusks (dakos) and Sitian olive oil. Try the apaki too, another Cretan specialty, a wood-smoked cured pork loin flavored with oregano and other herbs.
If you haven’t already tried Tsikoudia, Cretan raki, get a small glass here. The term ‘raki’ is used to refer to a distilled grape liqueur in many countries, but it doesn’t taste the same; in Turkey for instance, it is flavored with aniseed, like Greek Ouzo. Cretan raki is just made with sweet sultana grapes that are barrel fermented for 30-40 days before distillation. The result can be a very strong liqueur, so be careful how much you drink.
I recently came across this ‘poem’ about Cretan raki which I think sums it up. Roughly translated, the first glass of Raki brings appetite, the second health, the third brings joy, the fourth happiness, the fifth brings excitement, the sixth, chatter, the seventh brings fight, the eighth brings the police, the ninth brings the judge and the tenth, funeral.

Walk back to the hotel.