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By Katia Luz
Crete to Amorgos - a personalised itinerary.
Hello there,
We are wanting to include Crete and Amorgos in our holiday. We fly into Athens on 31 August and out on 27 September, and imagine we would be in Crete for about 12 days with a car then explore other islands as well as Amorgos. We are 2 adults and 2 children 11 and 14. We love nature and both work in natural health. How would be get from Crete to Amorgos?
Crete to Amorgos
Yiasas to your family!
Your trip to Greece sounds exciting and it is our pleasure to offer a few suggestions below.
You said that you are arriving into Athens around 31 August and fly out of Athens on 27 September, giving time to visit Crete for around 12 days, and some other islands. In Crete you would most likely hire a car and want to stay in 2 or maybe 3 locations and use these as a base for exploring, but not moving around too much. With a love of natural places and natural health as an overlay to your fun and interesting family holiday, this will be a unique trip.
Some suggestions below, of course all up to you and only
provided for your interest. Information pages are included below.
Accommodation
We have made suggestions for 3 locations in Crete and on each island. Let us know if you have any further questions or
want a slightly different type of accommodation etc., as there are myriad
options.
September
This is a perfect month to visit Greece, as the weather
is still warm but not crazily hot and the water temperatures are great for swimming, yet most of the
hordes of tourists have departed. More space for you and easier to explore. We
would recommend booking in early, however, for your accommodation in early
September, especially in Athens and Santorini.
Athens
In Athens we suggest staying in the old quarter of Plaka
right at the base of the Acropolis. Use this as a base to explore the city and
beyond, and be surrounded by history and architecture at every turn. There are
pedestrianised streets and relative calm. Athens is a big, bustly city, so it
is best to take taxis and get really organised or it will be chaos. Good for a
short stay; 3 days max.
Crete
Crete is a
large island 260 by 60 km with 3 mountain ranges, 4 major towns and hundreds of
beaches. So there is a lot to see and choose from. We have narrowed it down to give you our best suggestions. The highlights of Crete are the ancient
Minoan culture and layered history as well as unique geography and folk music.
We have included many nights in the west of the island in the region named Chania.
In the east we have suggested two distinct choices. Upbeat and happening or remote and quiet.
East - Elounda is on a beautiful bay and is quite developed with luxury hotels, offering some of the best spa treatments in Crete. From there you can explore Spinalonga Island and other day tours which are family-oriented and also easily visit the town of Agios Nikolaos for more buzz.
East - Kato Zakros is in the far east of the island in a remote, lesser known area. It is quite sparse and has its own beauty. There is a lovely beach, a ruin of a Minoan Palace and the beach of Vai with Palm Forest. There is also Zakros Gorge to walk - which is known as the ‘Gorge of the Dead’ and we think you will love the Terra Minoika Villas created with love by some mad hikers Ilias and Stella, who will be good hosts.
Santorini, Mykonos & Amorgos
It actually makes better sense to visit Santorini and
Mykonos and other Cycladic islands after Crete on the way back to Athens. This
is just purely because of the ferry timetables. We think it would be crazy to
miss these islands, which are famous for a good reason - they are beautiful.
Quintessential Greek islands. Choose the lesser-known Cycladic
island of Amorgos to spend more time relaxing, and then make your way back to Athens by a short plane or
ferry ride. Easy.
Your Personalised Itinerary
Crete to Amorgos - Athens Trip Ideas
Day One - 31 August
Arrive Athens
Take a pre-booked taxi to your
hotel in Plaka
Explore Plaka and Anafiotika on foot
Dinner in a Plaka taverna
Stay in Plaka
Stay at the Zillers
Boutique Hotel or A
for Athens
Day Two - 1 Sep
Walk up to the Acropolis on foot from Plaka - see the Parthenon,
including the beautiful statues of Caryatids of the Erechtheion, and the
Temple of Athena Nike
Walk back down to the Athens
Agora - see the green heart of the city - Stoa of Attalos,
the Temple of Hephaestus, and the picturesque Holy Church
of the Apostles from 11th century
Lunch in Plaka
Afternoon visit to the Acropolis Museum
Pre-book ‘Skip the Line’ tickets
to the museum and take a 1.5 hour guided tour
Choose other tours here
Stay in Plaka
Stay at the Zillers
Boutique Hotel or A
for Athens
Day Three - 2 Sep
Spend this day in Athens or a full day tour to Delphi or Hydra - see below
Both these tours will mean a very long day but with pick up and drop off from your hotel, everything will be organised and you won’t need to worry about battling the Athens traffic.
Stay in Plaka
Stay at the Zillers
Boutique Hotel or A
for Athens
Delphi
Day Tour - Delphi is about 3 hours drive from Athens but the day
tour makes it easy. It is one of the most famous places in Greece and
really worth
the extra effort to see. It is home to the famous ‘Oracle of Delphi’, where people have made
pilgrimages
since ancient times. Apparently gas exuding from fissures in the rocks
might explain the trance-like state. Either way, it is a stunning
ancient site
and landscape in the mountains that the whole family will benefit from
visiting
and never forget, with a museum to visit close by.
Hydra Day Tour - Hydra is a stylish island across the Saronic Gulf from Athens. The day tour there will involve a lovely ferry ride and get you into the Greek Islands feeling. We visited here from the Peloponnese and we all adored it. This lovely seaside village has no cars - only donkeys are allowed! The terracotta rooftops and narrow white lane ways are so characteristically Greek. This is a stylish destination, having been discovered by the jet set and artists in the 60s, it retains a bohemian charm.
Crete to Amorgos - Crete Island Trip Ideas
Day Four - 3 Sep
Athens Crete
Take a pre-booked taxi from your
hotel in Plaka to Athens Airport
Flight to Chania in Crete - 1 hour
Fly Olympic Airlines or Aegean Airlines Chania code is CHQ
Pick up your hire
car
Drive to Elia Traditional Guesthouse 27 km
Stay at this rural retreat near Ano Vouves village
Visit the nearby Olive Museum with oldest olive trees in Crete
(perhaps in Greece)
Relax for the afternoon
Stay at Elia
Hotel & Spa
Day Five - 4 Sep
Visit Chania Old Town
Lunch by the harbour
Museums, boutiques and historic old town in the afternoon
Or take a small
group walking tour
Stock up on snacks and food for lunches for day trips
Drive back to through countryside
Relaxing afternoon (poolside and spa treatments)
Stay at Elia
Hotel & Spa
Day Six - 5 Sep
Self drive day trip
Elafonisi Beach via Topolia Gorge
60 km each way
Stay at Elia
Hotel & Spa
Day Seven - 6 Sep
Day trip self drive and boat
Balos Lagoon
30 km each way to Kissamos town
Boat trips leave from the harbour
Dinner at a seaside taverna on Kissamos Bay
Stay at Elia Hotel & Spa
Day Eight - 7 Sep
Rest day or visit Milia Mountain Retreat – an eco village project
30 km each way on back roads
Stay at Elia Hotel & Spa
Day Nine - 8 Sep
Drive to Sellia Village near Georgioupolis 56 km
Visit beaches or Chania town on the way
Kolymbari, Maleme, Agia Marina, Stavros Beach or Kalyves Beaches
Or visit small villages in the Apokoronas area near your new village
Stay near Sellia village
Stay at Strofilia Villas
Day Ten - 9 Sep
Inland drive through gorges and Askifou Plateau
24 km each way
Stay near Sellia village
Stay at Strofilia Villas
Day Eleven - 10 Sep
Visit Kastello Taverna Organic Gardens and Foraging Tour
Must make an appointment with Vassilis
36 km each way
Long lunch or visit Rethymnon Old Town
Stay near Sellia village
Stay at Strofilia Villas
Day Twelve - 11 Sep
Relaxing beach day on Georgioupolis Beach 8 km each way
See the cutest chapel in Crete by the bay
Lunch by the beach
Visit inland Lake Kournas 12 km each way
Stay near Sellia village
Stay at Strofilia Villas
Day Thirteen - 12 Sep
Optional Day Trip to Samaria Gorge
This is best done with an organised tour – small group walking tour of Samaria Gorge
Stay near Sellia village
Stay at Strofilia Villas
Crete to Amorgos - Central and Eastern Crete
Day Fourteen - 13 Sep
Early start - drive 110 km to Knossos Palace in central Crete
Arrive early to avoid crowds
Get a ‘Skip
the Line’ entry ticket with a 1.5 hour guided tour
Drive to eastern Crete 75 km to Elounda or 170 km to Kato Zakros
See notes above to choose your destination
In Elounda stay at the Blue
Palace Resort & Spa
In Kato Zakros stay at Terra
Minoika Boutique Resort
Day Fifteen - 14 Sep
In Elounda take spa treatments, a day
tour to Spinalonga or a day tour for a Cretan
long lunch, or visit Kroustas Forest
In Kato Zakros see the ruins of Zakros Palace, walk Zakros Gorge and visit
Vai Palm Beach
In Elounda stay at the Blue
Palace Resort & Spa
In Kato Zakros stay at Terra
Minoika Boutique Resort
Day Sixteen - 15 Sep
Drive back to Heraklion
Stay near the port for your morning ferry
Dinner at Peskesi Taverna
Stay at the Lato
Hotel
Day Seventeen - 16 Sep
Drop off hire car at Heraklion port
Take the ferry 9.00am - 10.45am to Santorini (Thira)
Ferry
Heraklion to Santorini
Stay in Oia
Stay at Caves
1880
Crete to Amorgos - Santorini
Take the ferry from Santorini to Amorgos
The fast ferry is only 1 hour from Santorini to Amorgos
Pick up hire car in Katapola
On Amorgos stay at Kaerati Studios in Katapola
Day Nineteen - 18 Sep
Visit Monastery of Panagia Chozoviotissa
On Amorgos stay at Kaerati Studios in Katapola
On Amorgos
Relax and visit Aegiali village and beaches
Chochlacha Beach, Psili Ammos Beach and Levrossos Beach on Aegiali Bay
In Aegiali stay at Amorgi Studios
Crete to Amorgos
Day Twenty-Six - 24 Sep
Drop off hire car in Aegiali
Take the ferry from Amorgos to Naxos to Mykonos
The fast ferry is 2 hours 40 minutes from Amorgos to Mykonos
In Mykonos stay within the old town at Matina
Hotel
Day Twenty-Seven - 25 Sep
On Mykonos
Stay within the old town at Matina
Hotel
Day Twenty-Eight- 26 Sep
Explore the island, stay there or depart for Athens
Perhaps stay overnight at the airport hotel to catch an early flight the next
day
The flight Mykonos to Athens is 40 minutes
Option to stay at Sofitel
Athens Airport which is very convenient
Day Twenty-Nine - 27 Sep
Depart
Crete to Amorgos - the big picture map of your Greek holiday will look like this.
Athens
West Crete
|
East Crete
Other Islands
|
Crete to Amorgos - ferries arrive from Santorini into Katapola on Amorgos
Crete to Amorgos - Monastery of Panagia Chozoviotissa, Amorgos
Crete to Amorgos - views across the bay to Aegiali in Amorgos
Crete to Amorgos - ferry information for your island hopping adventure
Crete to Amorgos - contacts for your trip
Harry at Rental Centre Crete for Car Hire; a local business with online booking, transparent charges and good service, Harry and his team will look after you.
Ph:+30 2810 240120
E: info [@] rental-center-crete[.]com
In Crete - Vasillis at Castello Taverna & Foraging Tours
Ph: +30 697 280 1688
E: castellotaverna [@] gmail[.]com
In Crete - Giannis Taxi Driver Guide
if you ever want someone else to do the driving or if you ever get
stuck call Giannis Bertakis.
Ph: +30 694 985 0006
E: bertos990 [@] hotmail[.]com
In Amorgos - Thomas Auto Moto Rental
Ph: +30 2285 071777
E: info [@] thomas-rental[.]gr
We trust you have enjoyed these tips from the We Love Crete team. Evíva!
Yiásas!
Anastasi, Apostoli & Katia
are the We Love Crete team
We just love sharing our passion for Crete, Greece and travel
About us Contact Us Kaló taxídi!
Yiásas!
Anastasi, Apostoli & Katia
are the
We Love Crete team
We just love sharing our passion for Crete, Greece and travel
About us