Chania in Crete

Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands and we chose to stay in the romantic city of Chania on the north/west coast. You could spend hours getting lost in the cobbled streets of the Old Town which are full of traditional Greek restaurants and boutique shops. The lighthouse sits at the end of the Venetian Harbour which was full of charm and wonderful places to eat.

We made the brave decision to hike 16km along the Samaria Gorge which was one of the most naturally beautiful places we've ever been to. It was amazing to watch the sunrise in the mountains and the sunset on the beach but be warned, it was a full day of adventure and my legs hurt for days!

We also spent a lot of time relaxing on the breathtaking beaches that Crete had to offer. Our Chevy Matiz (topless edition - which meant it had a broken sunroof) made it along the precarious cliff path to Balos Lagoon but it was well worth the trip as the photo below shows! Risking the drive meant we had a few hours to relax on the white sand before the hoards descended from ferries.

Elafonissi Nature Reserve was significantly easier to get to and felt like we had arrived on our own private island. We walked along the sand dunes and found our own lagoon next to the pink sand and crystal clear waters; it was heavenly.