We stayed in the old town section of Chania. The city is very alive and young with lots of shops and restaurants. Our room at the Mama Nena Charming hotel was perfect. The front of our bedroom gave us a view of the lighthouse in the harbor and our sitting room and private patio faced the mountains. It was truly the best of both worlds! Our first night in town we had dinner at a small Greek restaurant. After every meal in Crete (except breakfast) you're given a shot of their local liquor, tsikoudia. There was also a complimentary bottle in our hotel room. I can tell they're very proud of their product! After dinner, we wandered the many shops. There were a lot of spas where you put your feet into what looked like a fish tank and I decided to give it a whirl. Supposedly the fish treat the problem areas of your feet, but mostly I think they just tickled me. My feet did feel very soft once they were done!
We had rented a car for transportation and it was an enjoyable break from public transport for a couple days. On our second day we took a road trip to the beautiful Elafonisi Beach. Somehow we missed the national road and ended up taking the "scenic route." We drove up and down the mountains along the coast. Sometimes the roads were a little scary with hairpin turns and steep drops but it was totally worth it for the views. Elafonisi Beach was amazing and the weather was perfect. The sun was hot but the Grecian breeze kept it from getting unbearable. For a few euros we were able to rent chairs for the day. I loved being able to lay on the beach while also enjoying stunning mountain views. After we were done soaking up the sun we headed back towards Chania but made a stop to see a lagoon we had read about online. It is only reachable by foot or boat. We had to drive 30 minutes on a dirt/rock path before we could start the 30 minute trek down to the Balos Lagoon. It was absolutely worth the work to get there (and back). There were hardly any other people on the beach and the unspoiled, natural scene was nothing less than breathtaking. We were once again able to be on the beach yet surrounded by rock cliffs. Most of the pictures are on my waterproof camera and I can't upload them until I get home next week, so be sure to come back and check those out.
We ended our day with dinner and drinks back in Old Town Chania. Our flight back to Dublin wasn't until late afternoon so today was spent laying on a more local beach until it was time to head back to the airport. Crete has impressed me with it's ability to combine relaxation and adventure. I'm feeling recharged and ready to head back to Ireland for the rest of our adventures!
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