The Place: Coastal Crete Island, Greece

Some 650 miles of coastline frames the mountainous island of Crete. As early as the Minoan Bronze Age, trade ships connected Crete with Cyprus, Egypt, mainland Greece, and other far-flung ports. Eventually, wars and infighting ended local rule. Like all Aegean islands, Crete fell under a variety of allegiances over the centuries – Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman – until the end of the nineteenth century, when the island briefly reigned as an independent state before uniting with Greece. In modern times, Crete’s major cities are found along the coast, and the burgeoning tourism industry centers around the island’s numerous lovely beaches.

Heraklion promenade, Crete.

Heraklion:

Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete.

We entered Crete on the northern coast at the port of Heraklion, our first major city since leaving Athens. Here we returned to city traffic and multi-storied urban districts. With over 200,000 residents, Heraklion is Crete’s largest city as well as its capital, home to administrative offices; historic buildings and fortresses, primarily from the time of Venetian rule; museums and parks. Our hotel was in the heart of the city, next to a pedestrian district full of shops and cafes set around a beautiful 17^th-century fountain and near a small park dedicated to Crete’s most famous painter, El Greco. The imposing Venetian Fortress and a long promenade extend into the harbor, a perfect place for a sunset stroll. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum showcases a stunning collection of artifacts unearthed at Knossos and other Cretan excavation sites, ranging from Minoan up to Roman times. With jaws dropped, we viewed twenty-seven galleries of painted frescoes, stone vessels, double axes, glazed ceramic figurines, clay figures, life-size marble statues, sophisticated pottery, and jewelry of beads and gold.

Matala Beach:

Matala Beach, Crete. Photo courtesy John Harmon.

The next day we bussed to the southern side of the island, first to the inland excavation at Phiastos (see previous post), then to the coast at Matala Beach. Matala, once a quiet fishing village, is now a popular tourist destination. Pale beige sand curves around a beautiful bay, and layers of sandstone cliffs angle like a partially submerged ship on one side of the beach. Caves were carved out of the sandstone for tombs in Roman times, dwellings for early Christians, and, in the 1960s, temporary homes for an assortment of hippies, including folksinger Joni Mitchell, giving rise to Matala’s nickname, the hippie beach.

Matala was also my last chance to take a swim in the Aegean. With swimsuit packed, I’d long envisioned gliding through the seas surrounding the Greek islands, seas as clear and warm as those in the Caribbean. In point of fact, the Aegean is not as warm as the Caribbean, and the islands in October are chilly and windy. On Mykonos, Paros, and Santorini, I looked out on the waters and pulled my jacket tighter, sadly untempted. On the other hand, Matala faces the African coast, so just maybe . . . As luck would have it, that day dawned pleasantly warm and sunny. After polishing off a heavy Greek lunch, I peeled down to my swimsuit, marched into relatively warm water, and swam out to a buoy and over to the sandstone cliffs. It was glorious.

Two Ports:

Rethymnon, Crete.

On our last day on Crete, we bussed westward along the northern coast to catch the overnight ferry back to Piraeus/Athens, stopping at two historic port cities along the way. At the first, Rethymnon, the bus dropped us off at its waterfront, where a 16^th century stone lighthouse towers above a small square harbor next to the city’s old quarter. Dating back to Minoan times, Rethymnon is one of the best preserved Renaissance cities in Greece.  Much of its old quarter reflects the styles of the Venetian and Ottoman empires that once ruled here – Venetian stonework, Ottoman woodwork, houses, mosques and churches. The best preserved mosque, complete with dome and minaret, was built on a former Venetian church. We wandered through narrow vine-decked streets filled with shops and cafes, and lunched on sardines and Greek salad.

Chania, Crete.

Our final stop, Chania, has also been settled since Minaon times. It too features a picturesque Venetian harbor protected by a promenade and a stone lighthouse. There are mosques; Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches; and the Etz Hayyim Synagogue, where the Jewish population worshipped before German occupiers deported them in 1944. That afternoon, the water was choppy and washed onto a stone seafront surrounding the harbor. After dinner overlooking the sea, we made our way to the ferry and soon found ourselves in a most charming cabin for the overnight ride to Athens.