Crete Part 4 - Chrissi Island

The end of our glorious week in Crete was approaching. With just one full day left we joined an excursion to Chrissi Island. I hadn't even heard of it till relatively recently when a work colleague told me about it and suggested I go if I had the time.

Not one to miss an opportunity, we asked the travel rep at our hotel to help organise a day trip for us. We were picked up by a cab that drove us to Agio Nikolaos where we joined a coach which transported us to Ierapetra on the south coast. There we boarded a packed ferry for the one hour journey to Chrissi Island.

We had a smooth crossing as it was a fine day with not too much wind and upon arrival on the south side of the island the masses starting heading north for the 10 minute walk to the famous Golden Beach. We opted to stop at the beach bar for a cold drink and a bite to eat before going. There was a grill bar serving fresh souvlaki which was perfect with a cold beer and we stayed about half an hour before our pilgrimage to the beach. The island looks like a lost world of gnarled trees and bushes and is a protected eco system. There are a few signs which ask that you please leave nothing but your footprints.


When we got to the beach it was quite busy and almost every inch of limited shade was taken although we did find a little enclave under some trees. 

I checked out the beach and the sea which was crystal clear but the sand is quite gritty, consisting of tiny broken shells and course sand. There are many pebbles and rocks to navigate until you are able to swim. The easier part of the beach was so crowded we stayed away. I wish I had brought my aqua shoes so I suggest if you go they would be very useful. 

We stayed for a while but decided to go back to the beach near to where we arrived. It was less crowded and we were able to get loungers and umbrellas for €5 each to shield us from the baking sun.

After a few hours on the island we returned the same way we had come. Another wonderful day to remember.

Back at the hotel again, we went to the pool bar and had their gorgeous Pina Coladas for our last night at the Royal Marmin Bay. As I mentioned in my previous post, our final dinner was a return visit to the Samurai Sushi Bar. I had tempura soft shell crab with a salad - if you like seafood this is a must for you.

Day 7 arrived and we had all day free until our flight home that evening. We took full advantage of the pool, had lunch at the pool bar and of course I had to have one last Pina Colada which became my favourite of the trip. It's not usually a drink I would choose but they make the best here and it's so refreshing. A bit like a fruit smoothy!


7pm and time to leave, our transfer coach arrived and off we went. We had an interesting ride back to Heraklion and saw some beautiful places and more amazing views. But the piece de resistance was an amazing sunset as we neared the airport. A fabulous colourful farewell from the island of Crete and a holiday to remember.

It's my second visit to Crete and there's so much more to this island, it's ancient past and it's beauty. Without a doubt I'll be back again soon.

ευχαριστώ - efcharistó - thank you Crete for your generous warmth and hospitality.

Crete Part 3 - Plaka Village

Half way through our wonderful week in Crete called for another little excursion around the area. This time we took a walk north along the main road to the village of Plaka. It was about 25 minutes in total but such a scenic walk with a surprisingly charming village at the end. There are tiny churches everywhere on the Greek islands and this one pictured on the right is clearly part of the Domes of Elounda hotel complex judging by the colour of the render, the dome and the newness of the structure. You can see the island of Spinalonga in the distance.

The first thing you notice as you turn into Plaka is the myriad shades of greens and blues everywhere. Not only the buildings but the clothing, jewellery and pottery and of course the sea and sky. The feel of this village was entirely different to Elounda town. It felt like somewhere a little bit special to me, like somewhere I could actually live. It was busy in a small way but quietly getting on with it. We wandered past tastefully laid out souvenir shops and stopped for an iced espresso on the main street running parallel to the sea.

We browsed some of the shops on the waterfront and found the restaurant we were looking for The Carob Tree or Charoupia in Greek. It's a gorgeous restaurant with outdoor seating across the road set around a Carob Tree. It's not on the seafront but this is definitely a plus when there is a cool breeze at this time of year. The decor is an eclectic mix and we sat in a cool shaded area for lunch. The choice of food was so fab and delicious we decided to reserve a table for dinner that same night.

After an afternoon at the beach we returned as planned later that evening and started with drinks on the seafront before heading to the restaurant. Once again we had a delicious meal with local wine and the value for money here has to be mentioned too. Good food at a very reasonable price, great atmosphere and super friendly staff. I definitely recommend this to anyone visiting this area.

Day 5 was a 'rest day' lazing by the pool and generally doing absolutely nothing in true holiday style. 

As the evening fell we decided to go back to Plaka and find somewhere to eat on the seafront. We chose Captain Nikolas Fish Tavern where just the night before a wedding was being celebrated. We shared a freshly caught seabass baked in packed salt which they filleted for us thankfully. It's the best seabass I've ever tasted. A melt in the mouth taste sensation, it was absolutely delicious. 

Along with the gorgeous evening light and view of Spinalonga island, it was the perfect choice for us. I think we all fell a little bit in love with Plaka.

Next up .. Crete Part 4 - Chrissi Island

Crete Part 2 - Spinalonga and Elounda town

Our holiday underway and drifting into the slower pace of the Mediterranean, we came across the private boat tours offered via our hotel. We decided to take a two hour cruise later that day around the bay and the island of Spinalonga. Skipper Giannis tailors the trip to suit his clients and charges by the hour so you can go as a couple or a small group and decide how you want your trip to be. 

We met Giannis down at the jetty at the hotel beach. We were welcomed on board the 45ft motor yacht and set off on our journey towards Elounda town. We skirted past the town and back around the far side of the bay towards Spinalonga. There were a couple of larger boats docked there with tourists visiting the island, which has a long history dating back centuries and once served as a fortress occupied by the Venetians and Ottomans. In the early 20th century the island became a leper colony. It is now unoccupied apart from the visitors it gets on a daily basis. 

We did not stop there but instead sailed around the island getting some good views of the old fort. As we came back into the bay, the wind calmed and we anchored in some relatively shallow waters for a swim and some drinks and fruit offered as part of our trip.

We casually cruised back towards the mooring past the village of Plaka, Blue Palace and the Domes of Elounda hotels and had a late lunch at the beach bar.

What started as a slightly overcast windy day morphed into a beautiful sunny afternoon - perfect for being on the water followed by a refreshing glass of wine and a Greek salad on dry land.

Dinner that night was at the other restaurant at our hotel the Samurai Sushi Bar. They employ a qualified Japanese sushi chef and the food was delicious. It's not all sushi but a mixture of Asian foods which should appeal to all tastes. The restaurant staff were very welcoming and helpful with choices of dishes and wines. It's also so lovely to watch the changing light of evening over the bay. We loved it and chose to eat there again on our last night.

After breakfast on Day 3, we caught the local bus into Alounda town to see what was on offer there. It's a small fishing town with restaurants, souvenir and artisan shops and little beaches - not particularly bustling but neither overly quiet. 

We found a place to have lunch of the traditional kleftico and afterwards walked along the waterfront past many more places to eat and drink and taking in the beautiful view before heading back to the hotel.


As we'd had a substantial lunch we passed on dinner and went for drinks instead, which worked out quiet well as there was a tasting of olives, and other Cretan products in the bar that night.

So far the week was everything we wanted and more. The pace of life here is something to aspire to not to mention good company, gorgeous weather, tasty food and views to die for.

Next up .. Crete Part 3 - Plaka

Crete Part 1 - finding Elounda

The warmth of Crete is not just about the weather. The people are known for their welcoming nature and hospitality and even arriving at our hotel at the late hour of 2am was no exception.

Our annual girls holiday started with a late lunch at the airport and everything seemingly running to plan. The flight was due to arrive in Heraklion around 10.30 that night and we hoped to be in our beds by around midnight. However, a glitch involving a luggage discrepancy before our departure meant we lost our slot and left 2 hours later than planned. Something to know about hand carry luggage is that if you asked to check it at the gate and are given a luggage tag, do not remove it and try to get away with carrying it onboard. It will invariably throw the bag tally out and cause a disruption which creates all sorts of issues with the handlers, not to mention the passengers and crew who are also subjected to the delay. Thankfully, the person who did this owned up but the damage had been done.

Arriving so late we at least got through the border control relatively quickly and met with our friendly transfer driver who drove us to Royal Marmin Bay, Elounda about an hour away from Heraklion. We were dropped off around 1.30am and met at the bottom of a steep hill by a night porter with a buggy which took us up to reception. He was very welcoming and presented us with fresh lemonade while we wearily filled in our details. Needless to say all we wanted to do was sleep and to wake up to sunshine and a great view.

It was amazing to throw open the curtains and look out over the bay that first morning. Even though it was looking a little cloudy it was beautiful and pleasantly warm. To the south we could see the town of Elounda, about a 25 minute walk or a 10 minute bus ride away. Luckily the clouds disappeared as the day progressed. It could only get better and it did. 


The breakfast area was situated right by the pool and the staff couldn't do enough for us. Although it was a buffet of every type of food you desire, they were on hand to serve coffee, juice and anything else we wanted. I chose a plate of fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt and chopped pistachio nuts, which I then had almost every day afterwards. Definitely my kind of breakfast.

We gravitated towards the pool after breakfast. A lovely quiet haven with ambient background music and again the staff were super friendly and helpful refusing to let us lift a finger. If you wanted an umbrella up or down they were there. A drink from the pool bar? Don't get up we'll bring it to you. Nothing was ever too much trouble. 



We had a light lunch at the pool bar and booked a table for dinner at one of the restaurants on site, Poseidon. We were given a table which maximised the view of the beautiful bay as the sun went down. The service and food was fantastic. They have a good wine selection with some great locally produced ones on offer. One that we all really liked was a Greek Rose, Nautilus, created by growing imported vines from France. It has a blush appearance and the taste is similar to any that you would get in Provence and very reasonably priced too.

Day 1 all but over we looked forward to gently slipping into proper relaxation mode and of course getting out and about doing a bit of exploring at our leisure.

Next up .. Crete Part 2 - Spinalonga

My Milan

I have been going to Milan - usually late summer - since the year 2000 when a friend invited me for a girls' shopping weekend. That first trip was so exciting and an eye opener. There were so many individual boutiques with names I'd never heard of and of course the major brands all enclosed in a relatively small area in the city with prices way cheaper than any in London. As you can imagine we went crazy buying our new winter wardrobe and I still have my ankle boots from Miu Miu plus a few other items from that time. Quality and design is timeless. As each year passed, my haul got smaller with Italian brands becoming more global and prices evening out. We still continued to go as an annual ritual becoming more discerning with our buying and instead enjoying each other's company with an espresso or prosecco and watching the world go by.

2018 was the first time we missed going and went to Berlin instead. This year we decided to reignite our affair with Milan and go back in late spring, this past weekend as it happens, for a completely different experience and it worked out very well.

Apart from the fact that it rained for most of the weekend we had a fab time. We stayed at the Park Hyatt Hotel right in the centre of Milan, a few steps from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. We got a great rate deal which enabled us to stay there and it was such a pleasure. Everything you would expect from a 5 star hotel, our bathroom was large enough to swing more than the proverbial cat.

Friday evening we had a cocktail and snacks at the Mio Lab bar in the hotel, and met up with my nephew who is in Milan for 3 months with a model agency. We had dinner at Ravello 18 a few minutes walk away which has a small menu of reasonably priced seasonal local dishes. 

Saturday was spent shopping in and out of the rain, mostly at our favourite brands for clothes, Marella, Max & Co and Penny Black and Sephora and Kiko Milano for make up. We had lunch at Granaio Caffe and Cucina, a delicious asparagus risotto with a glass of prosecco.


After more shopping we sauntered back to the hotel late afternoon to put our feet up for an hour before venturing down for pre dinner drinks at Mio Lab bar again with it's beautiful glass blown ceiling lights looking like space ships hovering overhead. We tried the Red Ginger martini. A mix of vodka, lime, ginger and raspberry it was sublime. Drinks are always accompanied with a small slate of pintxos, olives and nuts included in the price.

We had been recommended to go for dinner at Langosteria known for it's fabulous seafood dishes. I had Linguine con aragosta, pomodoro confit e basilico which is simply fresh ribbon pasta and lobster with a tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious! This restaurant is very popular so reserving a table is essential.


Strolling back to the hotel after dinner we went past the Duomo looking stunning in the evening light and the shop fronts with their beautiful windows more elegant and stylish than they appear in daylight.

Back at the hotel for the last night of our weekend, we watched the end of the Eurovision final in all it's camp glory place Great Britain undeservedly at the bottom of the pile. 

In our usual fashion, we spent Sunday morning at the Rinascente department store searching out last minute finds before our journey home. We had lunch with an obligatory glass of prosecco at God Save the Food Piano -1 (Lower Ground Floor) Design Supermarket.

Our love of Milano restored after more than a year away, I'm certain we'll be back again very soon.

Weekend break in Palma Mallorca

Weekend breaks away are definitely something I want to do more of. It's a great way to add a bit of variety to every day life where it's mostly occupied by work and time off is for catching up on chores, friends and relaxing. This year has already gone by so quickly and life is too short to let it just pass by.

I love island life and the ability to get to a beach that's never too far away is a huge plus. I imagine I could live in Palma. A former Moorish Casbah, it's an easy city to walk around. Meandering down narrow side streets you can find courtyards tucked behind a big wrought iron gate or come across a beautiful old church on a square.

We stayed in a lovely Airbnb apartment right next to the famous Catalan gothic style Cathedral, Basilica de Santa Maria de Mallorca also referred to as La Seu, which was built over a mosque which was built over an original Christian church. It is a surprisingly quiet location and a perfect base within easy walking distance from everywhere. Despite the maze like street layout, it didn't take long to get our bearings, but thank goodness for Google Maps!

For our Friday night we had booked a Tapas tour through Mallorcan Urban Adventures. At £58 per person it wasn't cheap but definitely worth it as it included everything. We met our guide at Plaza de Sant Francesc, a gothic style church right in the heart of the old town. We tried to have a look inside but the doors were blocked with construction materials which was a shame as I'm sure it would have been beautiful. 

Once everyone had arrived we headed off to our first stop Bar Espana. Fortunately we had a table reserved as there were lines out the door of people waiting to go in. We chose a couple of pintxos each and had a glass of wine before heading to our next venue La Tortilleria. Here we had tortillas and home made vermouth which was superb. Next stop Ca La Seu for more fab food and the tastiest sangria I've ever had. Our penultimate stop was at Molta Barra for yet more appetising pintxos. We opted for a dessert at our last bar Quina Creu, as we were more than satisfied with the amount of food we had already consumed. This is a really great way to sample the local cuisine and get some history thrown in.

Saturday started by having breakfast al fresco enjoying the spring sunshine in the old town followed by a visit to Mercado del Olivar. Here you will find food in abundance. Fresh vegetables and fruit, sobrasado, chorizo, cheese, ceramics - the list goes on. We spent some time here deciding what food we could take home. Wandering back to the centre we perused some fab little shops and our new favourite store find Realto Living. They have everything including fashion, interiors, gifts and art. Their current exhibition on the first floor is by Frank af Petersens a volunteer photographer documenting the poaching of elephants and rhinos. The proceeds from sales of the photographs finances his work in helping various conservation trusts.

We walked up towards Santa Catalina in the early evening and stopped at the Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. We went on to the roof and had great views towards the sea and the cathedral. There were throngs of people sitting out in the open air at the bar/restaurant below enjoying the gorgeous weather.

We headed back to our apartment as the light faded and had an hour's rest before venturing out again for dinner at Ca'n Toni. They serve traditional cuisine in a lively atmosphere. We sat outside although it was a little cold and they kindly offer blankets if you need them.

Sunday morning we went back to Santa Catalina for breakfast. Unfortunately most of the shops were closed but nearly everywhere offering food was open. We chose the popular Café Santina. I went there on my last visit and loved it so it was only right we go back again. I had my favourite poached eggs on avocado toast and my friend had a fruit platter. The coffee is very good too!

After breakfast we checked out of our apartment. We had another 5 hours to kill before going to the airport and were able to store our bags at Call and Ride. At €5 per day its a bargain if you need a safe place to leave your luggage either before or after check in. It left us hands free to do what we wanted.

We watched some traditional dancing in the square and decided to head down to the harbour to find somewhere to sit and relax in the warm sunshine. We found a bar/restaurant right on the marina and stayed there for a couple of hours reminiscing about our weekend.


Feeling peckish and wanting a bite to eat before our flight, we dined at El Pilon for a last tapas meal of fried baby crabs, padron peppers and meatballs in tomato sauce washed down with a glass of Estrella.

All that was left to do was collect our luggage and head to the airport and a smooth flight home. 

Thanks again Palma for a wonderful weekend!