How CRETE it is...
Blown away by the welcome and the food, Michelle ALREADY planning a second helping of this Greek
Land of the Minotaur and legendary Minoan civilisation, Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands. Perhaps lesser known as a culinary jewel glistening in the Aegean Sea but that’s exactly what Terry and I discovered as we dined our way across the island finding mouth-watering treats at every turn.
Starting at Agios Nikolaos the first feast we are greeted with is for the eyes. The town resembles a movie set overlooking glistening Lake Voulismeni where the gods Artemis and Athena purportedly bathed. The bottomless water is surrounded by charming taverns and restaurants – in the distance gigantic mountains pale into the azure sea, framing the harbour mouth and beach.
Restaurant Giome Meze perches high above the town with incredible food to fit the view. Yannis, the restaurant manager, suggests we try the stuffed courgette flowers followed by sea bass, carved expertly off the bone in front of us.
It is the first of many lunches where our hosts insist on us having traditional cake washed down with Raki, a clear spirit and the most popular beverage to complete a Cretan meal.
Agios Nikolaos is the capital of the Lassithi region in the east of the island. As we left the town we travelled first over mountainous terrain on skinny roads met with breathtaking views.
We stopped at the prairie landscape once filled with thousands of cloth-covered windmills where now
THIS EERIE CAVE IS TRULY A BIRTHPLACE FIT FOR A GOD
only handfuls remain. High on the Lassithi Plateau is the Diktaean Cave where, according to Greek mythology, the god Zeus was born among the remarkable stalagmites and stalactites formed in the rock.
Eerie green lights and dripping water enhance the atmospheric spectacle – truly a birthplace fit for a god.
The option to trek up to the cave on a donkey might make the walk easier but the vistas are so spectacular it’s a shame not to breathe in the views slowly along the way.
On our next stop we find ourselves underneath the dappled shade of an olive tree with the Kokolakis family, gathered at a picnic table. I’m cupping a tiny spherical glass containing olive oil in my palm. Mikelus, the general manager at Kokolakis Olive Oil Factory is guiding us on the subtleties of the different flavours of this golden liquid. The first step is to breathe the infusion in the same way as a wine. Next we take a sip and rinse around the mouth. After swallowing we wait until a burning sensation slides down the throat and we have to describe the aftertaste. The aroma the oils emit depends on the variety of olive used. I clearly get the scent of tomatoes and bananas, which is not unusual after a tasting.
Delicious local Kalitsounia pies are served along with the oil – this activity is a truly unique experience that I’d recommend to any foodie. Priced €50pp it is bookable online at kokolakisfamily.gr
Our first base is the Mari Kristin Beach Hotel in Hersonissos, a bustling resort with many bars and restaurants that hugs the coast and is 20 minutes east of the capital Heraklion. Our little balcony allowed us to watch the sun set over the beach and meandering bars and hotels. The staff couldn’t do enough for us and the location is especially good for those seeking lively nightlife. We then spent two nights at the quieter end of Hersonissos in the fivestar Creta Maris Resort. Spread out with a range of apartments and bungalows, it meanders like a Greek village with peaceful restaurants for adult guests while catering for the needs of families in others. We dined at Artemis seafood restaurant beside the beach and returned for breakfast. Our wonderful suite overlooked the Cretan mountains and the rooftops down to the sea. I woke one morning and sat on the balcony hypnotised by the sun rising up over the horizon. With its own private beach it is a stunning resort and somewhere I would like to return. The hotel offers a wide range of activities too from tennis to mini golf and at night live music in some of the bars.
Another warm welcome greets us in the west of the island when we met the director for the region, Manolis. After bringing us to see the unique pottery Keramion that can be found in the hills high above
Chania, he brings us to his home town of Eleftherna and serves us cheese pies to enjoy a real taste of the region. ‘We are completely selfsustaining here in Crete,’ he informs us. Only the day before, his mother Eleni went out into the fields to pick wild vegetables that she used to fill our pies. He’s passionate about the restoration of the mountain cottage that his family have called home for generations. The open hearth, stone floors and corner for crushing grapes is a perfect example of typical homes in the past.
During the week Manolis lives in
HIS MOTHER PICKED WILD VEGETABLES TO FILL OUR PIES
Rethymno, one of the larger towns on the northern coast and one of the most charming with a Venetian lighthouse standing majestically at the harbour mouth.
The Venetians acquired Crete from the Byzantines in 1204 and ruled for more than four centuries, leaving a fascinating range of architectural features that stand at Cretan ports. The charming Rimbondi fountain is another one of those Venetian reminders and located around the corner from Othonas restaurant where we enjoyed delicious sardines for lunch. Portion sizes are generous to say the least and Mr Othonas has a range of impressive awards lining the walls of his delightful property. Although restaurants line the narrow cobbled
streets each offers something different and fresh.
Our first night in Chania we see teams of dancers in traditional costume circling the square. The electric atmosphere runs down the main street to the waterfront.
We decide to return in the daytime and try out at seafood restaurant Neoria, next to the rebuilt Minoan Ship at the Nautical Museum.
Chania is surrounded by beautiful sandy beaches that run across the west of the island.
I’ll happily visit a winery for research purposes but in Crete that’s not enough on its own – there is always food involved. Dourakis Winery is a scenic drive through mountains outside Chania and a wonderful setting for lunch with all the joys of sampling wines in the process.
Evie is a generous host who tells us how her father set up the winery after working in Germany in 1992 and it now produces over 200,000 bottles per year. She boasts that part of the winery’s success is the fact that it is a family business.
Her father takes over as we finish sampling the rosé and he brings us to the cellars to see the fruits of his labour lined up in bottles and packed in crates.
Mr Dourakis’s stories are engrossing as we ramble through the wide range of herbs in his garden, from lemongrass to wild mountain thyme. With his knowledge of scents it’s no wonder his wines are so well received. After the Second World War, soldiers were given tea made from sage. It was used as a type of cleansing to take the evil memories of war from those who sipped it.
This was my first proper introduction to Cretan wine and I am already a fan. Nothing prepared us for the food that we tasted in Crete. Knowing that you are self-sustaining and efficient in the way your resources are managed is a template that we all aspire to but to do it with a belly full of healthy delicious food is inspiring.
The most outstanding restaurant in Heraklion is Peskesi where Eleni Vougioukalaki brought us to enjoy the farm-tofork fine dining that includes a remarkable fortune cookie-style sugary sweet at the end of the meal. We sampled pork and shrimp cooked over flames with an abundance of vegetables that tasted good enough for a Greek deity.
As for the fortune cookie sweet, I was given a message that hinted I would return to Crete some day.
There is a connection with the welcomes and food that sums up the Cretan spirit and warm hospitality, so the sweet heralding my return is without doubt correct.
HIGHLIGHT ONE
The Archaeological Museum in Heraklion holds many unusual and priceless artefacts. The Phaistos Disc is embellished with writing that has no link to any other hieroglyphs found in the world. Also on display are two snake goddess figurines from the palace at Knossos, used in ceremonies when the Minoan culture was at its peak. The Malia Pendant, a Minoan necklace made of gold and representing a bee, is also on display and reproduced in several jewellers around the island making a lovely memento to bring home. See heraklionmuseum. gr Take a guided tour of Knossos Palace, only 10 minutes outside the city but well worth a visit. Our guide Maria Andrianaki brought us to both.
HIGHLIGHT TWO
Take time in Chania to explore the Maritime Museum of Crete and learn about the rich sea-faring history from as far back as the Minoans. See how Crete survived through World War II and explore the battles between the Cretans and various enemies from Byzantine times. The Venetian period left a archaeological legacy and, with spectacular views from the top floor, you can see Chania harbour at its best. For details visit mar-mus-crete.gr
AFTER THIS INTRODUCTION, I AM A FAN OF CRETAN WINE