Crete tourist guide

The best Polish website dedicated to the Greek island Crete and to a small extent of continental Greece. You will find useful information related to visiting Crete that goes beyond the offer of optional tours. On the website you will also find descriptions of the most interesting places that we visited by visiting this largest Greek island. The content complements the current news, photographs and recipes of Greek cuisine.

Gramvousa Fortress

We do not know how it happened that in our described places, which are worth seeing in Crete, so far there is no description of the Gramvousa fortress. So we are catching up and publishing a historical outline and some other information.

View of Gramvousa Island Imeri Gramvousa Island from the side of the Balos Lagoon

The island of Gramvousa, or in fact Imeri Gramvousa ( Ήμερη Γραμβούσ α), is an inseparable point of a trip that combines a stay in the Balos Lagoon with visiting the remains of a fortress located on the top of the island of Imeri Gramovousa. This is one of the most popular tourist trips in Crete. And unlike the Balos Lagoon, there is no room for dilemmas such as "better by car or by boat". Imeri Gramovusa is an island, so outside of the boat you won't get here otherwise.


It is also one of the most stunning places in Crete. The views from the old Venetian fortress compensate for the hardships of climbing steep steps. The delightful color of the water, shimmering with various shades of blue, azure and turquoise, contrasts beautifully with the orange shade of the rocks and the walls of the fortress. In the distance, you can see the Balos lagoon located at the foot of the 715-meter peak Geroskinos crowning the Gramvousa peninsula belonging to Crete.

Geroskinos Peak on the Gramovousa Peninsula Geroskinos peak as seen from the fortress

North of Imeri Gramovusa is another island called Agria Gramvousa. This name came about for a reason, Agria, meaning wild. Access to it is difficult due to high rocks. This hostile island is protected under the Natura program.

Gramvousa and other islands

Imeri Gramovysa's landscape is reminiscent of African landscapes. This region, together with the Balos Lagoon, is one of the most important protected areas in the Eastern Mediterranean. There are over 100 species of birds and 400 species of plants. These areas are visited by the Mediterranean monk seal (a species of seal), which is threatened with extinction. Currently, its number is estimated at no more than 500 individuals. There are also individuals of the endangered Caretta caretta turtle species.

Gramvousa area Imeri Gramvousa area

The main and, in fact, the only destination for excursions to Imeri Gramvousa is the Venetian fortress erected about 137 meters above the water surface, to which access is blocked by 365 steep steps. Overcoming them in 30-degree heat in the rays of the scorching sun is quite a challenge.


Dimitrios P.

Until recently, the attention of visitors was also attracted by the rusty wreckage of the Dimitrios P ship, lying here on the shoal of the bay, but time and salty sea water slowly "worked it out". The ship was carrying a cargo of cement in 1967 when bad weather forced the captain to seek shelter. Misfortunes like to go in pairs, and in this case the anchor turned out to be the second negative event. During the stop, the chain of the left anchor broke, and the ship ran aground and remained there.



Ship condition in the 2020 film

Long long time ago...

In ancient times, the island of Imeri Gramovousa was called Korykos. Some associate this island with the mythical Ajaja ( Αιαία ), but of course this is just one of the hypotheses, because some of Ajaja's location is on the Apennine peninsula, others in Croatia or other Greek islands. On Ajaja lived the fairy Circe, who lured the companions of Odysseus returning from Troy with her beautiful singing. They wanted to get off the ship for a while, so they seized the opportunity. However, under Murphy's Law, if anything can go wrong, it will. As a result, after a great feast, Odysseus' companions were transformed by Circe into various animals. Odysseus missed it, but he fell under the charm of the sorceress and stayed with her for a year on the island, begetting a descendant. These are all ancient myths and fantasies, of course. The subsequent history of Gramvous is much better known and documented.

View from the fortress View from the fortress

Venetians are building a fortress

In the years 1579-1584, the Venetians who ruled over Crete at that time, built an impressive fortress on this small island. The choice was not accidental because its strategic location made it possible to protect north-eastern Crete and the area between western Crete and the Peloponnese. Even today, when little is left of the fortress's glory days, its majestic size is impressive. The fortress has a triangular shape, and the walls, built of limestone, are nearly 600 meters long. It should be noted that from the west side of the access to the fortress there are steep rocks, and the fortress covers an area of 3 hectares. This fortress was able to accommodate 3,000 people, but interestingly, at a time when it was under the Venetian jurisdiction, its potential was not used in larger battles.



The entrance gate and the characteristic corner bastions have survived to our times. Inside the fortress there are two cisterns to collect rainwater, the remains of the Church of the Annunciation, which was converted into a mosque in Turkish times, and a gunpowder warehouse. The imagination of visitors can be fueled by a legend about a great treasure buried here.

Entrance to the fortress Entrance to the fortress

The Turks take control of Crete

In 1645, the Turks, expanding their sphere of influence, became interested in Crete, who transferred their army of 60,000 here. In three years, the Ottoman army systematically took control of the largest cities of the island. The resistance of each of them lasted about 2 months on average. The exception was Candia, today's Heraklion, which defended itself for 22 years. In 1669, the commander of the Venetian army, Francesco Morosini, signed a capitulation agreement, which finally sealed the fate of Crete, which from then on was entirely subordinated to Turkish rule.

One of the points of the act of capitulation was, however, leaving the Venetians in the hands of three fortresses located in Souda, Spinalonga and the island of Imeri Gramvousa. Thanks to this, the Venetians hoped to regain control over Crete.


In this way Gramvousa became the base of the Venetians, who took action from there to recover the island from the Ottoman hands. This situation, however, did not last long, because in 1692 one of the Venetian commanders, Luca Della Rocca, a Neapolitan, was bribed by the Turks and simply handed over the fortress to them. Even the ironic nickname "Captain Gramvous", given to him by the Turks, clung to him. The Turks began to fortify the fortress. They transported 66 guns here, transferred strong troops and made the fortress unavailable for many years.

In 1821, another uprising broke out, which was to give Greece the longed-for independence and allow it to throw off the hated Turkish yoke. In 1825, Greek and Cretan revolutionaries recaptured the Gramovous Fortress from Turkish hands, using an old-fashioned trick of disguising themselves as the enemy. For three years, the fortress became a "nest" of several thousand Cretan revolutionaries and a base for armed actions against the Ottoman occupiers. Both sides waged a devastating battle against each other, and in the meantime, the current residents of Gramvous increasingly adapted the fortress to their needs and organized daily life on the island. A school and a church appeared on the island.

In the fortress

Pirate nest

At that time, many people sought refuge in this place from the increasingly devastating revolutionary turmoil. If you have been to this island, you know that it is not a fertile agricultural area that would be able to feed thousands of inhabitants of the fortress. Notorious food supply problems caused revolutionaries to attack ships passing nearby. Other countries whose ships fell victim to the pirates of Gramvousa could not turn a blind eye to such "arbitrariness".

In 1828, pressure from France and Great Britain forced the Greek government to take action, which put an end to piracy, and the island's inhabitants once again had to change their place of residence. After these events, the islet temporarily came under British rule, but in 1830 the island was again handed over to the Turkish authorities under the London Protocol as a sign of international "solidarity" and remained in Turkish hands until independence was regained by Crete.

The island has been uninhabited since then, and the last decades of organized tourism development have attracted considerable interest. And so Gramvousa from the seat of revolutionaries turned into one of the main tourist attractions of people vacationing in Crete.

View of the marina from the fortress View of the marina from the fortress

Visiting Gramvous

If you are going to visit Gramvousa it is best to bring more comfortable shoes and put them on before entering. Of course, we know that there are powerful people who will run up to Kazbek in socks, but twisting your leg on the approach to this fortress is no fun. Like climbing that rocky climb in thin-soled sandals. Of course it is possible, but no comfort.

In addition, it is also worth taking something with you that will protect your head and skin from the scorching sun and a supply of water. After 20 minutes of ascent, you will definitely need it. Those who cannot climb the mountain for some reason can of course stay at the bottom of the island, near the marina. Then sunbathing accessories will come in handy.

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Interesting places on Crete

↤ click the appropriate part of the island to change the bottom map

Falasarna
Falasarna

Falasarna

W 2002 roku Falasarna zdobyła tytuł najlepszej plaży w Grecji. Wyróżnienie to nie jest bynajmniej przypadkowe, gdyż miejsce to jak na standardy Krety jest naprawdę unikalne.

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Elafonisi
Elafonisi

Elafonisi

Elafonisi is a small island located at the end of the southwestern edge of Crete. A characteristic feature of Elafonisi is the shallow lagoon connecting it with Crete.

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Elafonisi
Elafonisi

Elafonisi

Elafonisi is a small island located at the end of the southwestern edge of Crete. A characteristic feature of Elafonisi is the shallow lagoon connecting it with Crete.

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Chania Airport
Chania Airport

Chania Airport

This is the second largest airport (IATA code: CHQ) in Crete. In 2010, the airport in Chania served a total of over 1.65 million passengers.

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Chania - Xania
Chania - Xania

Chania - Xania

Chania (Χανιά) is the second largest (after Heraklion) city of Crete. The biggest advantage of Chania is the area of the Old Town and the beautiful Venetian Harbor.

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Aptera
Aptera

Aptera

Aptera is a city whose history dates back to at least a thousand years before our era. In the peak period, about 20,000 lived in it. people, of which only 1/5 were free people.

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Chania - Xania
Chania - Xania

Chania - Xania

Chania (Χανιά) is the second largest (after Heraklion) city of Crete. The biggest advantage of Chania is the area of ​​the Old Town and the beautiful Venetian Harbor.

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Sfakia
Sfakia

Sfakia

The genesis of the name of this poviat will not surprise anybody who will break the road from the Imbros gorge to Hora Sfakion.

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Frangokastello
Frangokastello

Frangokastello

Frangokastello is a small fortress that was built by the Venetians over four years from 1371. Initially, the castle was named after Saint Nikitas.

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Hrisoskalitissas
Hrisoskalitissas

Hrisoskalitissas

(Χρυσοσκαλίτισσα) The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Golden Step from the 17th century is the westernmost church building of this type.

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Hrisoskalitissas
Hrisoskalitissas

Hrisoskalitissas

(Χρυσοσκαλίτισσα) The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Golden Step from the 17th century is the westernmost church building of this type.

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The Omalos plateau
The Omalos plateau

The Omalos plateau

Omalos is a perfect starting point for exploring the Samaria Gorge. Located over 1,100 m above sea level extends over an area of 25 km2. Its size corresponds more or less to the size of the Lasithi Plateau.

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Kournas
Kournas

Kournas

Located 47 km from the city of Chania, it is the only freshwater lake in Crete. Its area is about 580 thousand. sqm. and the maximum depth is about 45 meters

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The Omalos plateau
The Omalos plateau

The Omalos plateau

Omalos is a perfect starting point for exploring the Samaria Gorge. Located over 1,100 m above sea level extends over an area of 25 km2. Its size corresponds more or less to the size of the Lasithi Plateau.

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Aradena
Aradena

Aradena

The steel crossing, which in the central part is separated from the ground by nearly 150 m, is at the leading position of the places where the longest bungee jumps are made.

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Chania - Xania
Chania - Xania

Chania - Xania

Chania (Χανιά) is the second largest (after Heraklion) city of Crete. The biggest advantage of Chania is the area of the Old Town and the beautiful Venetian Harbor.

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more
Sfakia
Sfakia

Sfakia

The genesis of the name of this poviat will not surprise anybody who will break the road from the Imbros gorge to Hora Sfakion. Word

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Chania Airport
Chania Airport

Chania Airport

This is the second largest airport (IATA code: CHQ) in Crete. In 2010, the airport in Chania served a total of over 1.65 million passengers.

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Chora Sfakion
Chora Sfakion

Chora Sfakion

Chora Sfakion is an extremely picturesque mountain village of the mountainous and wild Sfakia region

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Loutro
Loutro

Loutro

Loutro is famous for the fact that you can get to it only from the sea or walk on the mountain trail, because there is no other road here.

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Stavros
Stavros

Stavros

Stavros used to be a small fishing village. Today, it is primarily a tourist destination, but in a positive sense.

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Bear's Cave
Bear's Cave

Bear's Cave

The cave is less than 1 km from Moni Gouvernetou Monastery. You will reach it using the pedestrian trail that has been marked out along the slope of the Avlaki Gorge.

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Balos Lagoon
Balos Lagoon

Balos Lagoon

Balos is one of Crete's flagship beaches if not all of Greece. We can assure you that the landscapes you see during your trip to Balos will remain with you for a very long time.

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Moni Katholiko
Moni Katholiko

Moni Katholiko

Moni Katholiko is probably the oldest and most spectacular monastery in Crete. It is located 20 km north-east of Chania.

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Agia Triada Monastery
Agia Triada Monastery

Agia Triada Monastery

The Orthodox monastery of Agia Triada, located on the northern part of the Akrotiri peninsula, is one of the most beautiful and richest monasteries in Crete.

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Agia Triada Monastery
Agia Triada Monastery

Agia Triada Monastery

The Orthodox monastery of Agia Triada, located on the northern part of the Akrotiri peninsula, is one of the most beautiful and richest monasteries in Crete.

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Gouverneto Monastery
Gouverneto Monastery

Gouverneto Monastery

Gouverneto Monastery is probably the oldest active Greek Catholic monastery located on the Akrotiri peninsula near Chania.

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Imbros
Imbros

Imbros

The length of the trail leading through this place is about 8 kilometers and the difference in altitude is about 600m.

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Agia Roumeli
Agia Roumeli

Agia Roumeli

Agia Roumeli znajduje się na południowym wybrzeżu Prefektury Chania, pomiędzy miejscowościami Chora Sfakion i Paleochora.

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Souda
Souda

Souda

Until the early nineties, this place was known only to few tourists and local residents.

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Paleochora
Paleochora

Paleochora

Paleochora is a quite well-organized tourist town, with a beautiful large sandy beach

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Lissos
Lissos

Lissos

Ruiny starożytnego miasta Lissos znajdują się około 3,5 km od miejscowości Sougia na południowym wybrzeżu Krety.

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Samaria
Samaria

Samaria

Samaria is one of the most important tourist attractions located in the western part of Crete.

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Glyka Nera
Glyka Nera

Glyka Nera

Glyka Nera is one of the most spectacular beaches in Crete.

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Sougia
Sougia

Sougia

Sougia is a small town located in the southwest of Crete.

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Falasarna (excavations)
Falasarna (excavations)

Falasarna (excavations)

On the north-western coast of Crete, at the foot of the Gramovous peninsula, there are ruins of the ancient port of Korikos, later known as Falassarna.

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Krios
Krios

Krios

Krios Beach is located about 9 km west of Paleochora and it is also the last beach on this stretch of the southern coast

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Agia Sofia
Agia Sofia

Agia Sofia

Between the villages of Topolia and Koutsamatados there is an interesting cave known as Agia Sofia

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Milia
Milia

Milia

Milia is an authentic mountain settlement, which most probably dates from about the seventeenth century.

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Potamida
Potamida

Potamida

On the edge of the village of Potamida grows a complex of clay mounds called Komolithi (Komolithoi)

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Grammeno
Grammeno

Grammeno

Grammeno (Γραμμένο) is a beach that can be counted among one of the best and most beautiful beaches in this part of Crete.

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Platanias
German tunnels
Platanias<br/> German tunnels

Platanias
German tunnels

Platanias is a popular tourist destination. It is here that there are very interesting tunnels from World War II.

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Polirynia
Polirynia

Polirynia

Polyrinia was one of the most important city-states of western Crete during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It was built amphitheater on a steep hill, rising to a height of 481 meters above sea level

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Agia Irini
Agia Irini

Agia Irini

The Agia Irini gorge, just a short distance from the village of Sougia, is one of the most popular hiking destinations.

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Gramvous
Gramvous

Gramvous

The island of Gramvousa, or in fact Imeri Gramvousa (Ήμερη Γραμβούσα), is an inseparable point of a trip that combines a stay in the Balos Lagoon with visiting the remains of a fortress located on the top of the island of Imeri Gramovousa.

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Fortress
Fortress

Fortress

Agia Roumeli is located on the south coast of Chania Prefecture, between Chora Sfakion and Paleochora.

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Ag. Pavlos
Ag. Pavlos

Ag. Pavlos

The Byzantine church of Agios Pavlos was erected on the remote Selouda Beach in the south of Crete.

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Kedrodasos
Kedrodasos

Kedrodasos

Even in the high season, Kedrodasos still remains wild and unobstructed by crowds

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Seitan Limania
Seitan Limania

Seitan Limania

There is a beach in Crete that literally makes some people shiver. This place is Seitan Limania which can be translated as Satan's Ports or Cursed Ports.

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Aspri Limni
Aspri Limni

Aspri Limni

Aspri Limni means White Lake, although the lake is just a conventional name. Under this term there is a small bay.

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Komentarze

2021-06-22 18:05:12

Byliśmy, zwiedziliśmy

1
2021-06-22 18:07:09

Warto zobaczyć, widoki przednie

1
2021-06-22 18:09:06

Tydzień temu

4
2021-06-22 18:22:31

Miałem okazję zwiedzać, super

1
2021-06-22 18:25:44

1
2021-06-22 18:27:48

Naprawdę warto Polecam

2
2021-06-22 18:31:04

Przepiękne miejsce , byłam i polecam widoki mega ❤

2
2021-06-22 18:42:59

Piękne wspomnienia !

3
2021-06-22 18:45:43

2
2021-06-22 19:44:35

To jedno z tych miejsc, do których chce się wrócić

2
2021-06-22 20:37:05

Niezapomniane widoki z Gramvousy godne polecenia!

3
2021-06-22 21:26:44

Coś wspaniałego

1
2021-06-23 10:23:49

Byłam, widoki przepiękne!

1
2021-06-23 17:52:09

Polecam

1

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Koules Fortress in Heraklion

Koules Fortress in Heraklion

Koules is a great example of Crete's multiculturalism. Located today in Greek hands, it was built by the Venetians, but is called a name taken from the Turkish language. Koules is derived from the words of Su Kulesi, which signify the Water Tower. Through the Venetians, this building was called the sea fortress - CastelloMare or RoccaMare.

Turkish fortress on Agia Roumeli

Turkish fortress on Agia Roumeli

Agia Roumeli is the end point of the Samaria National Park route. Most people, after several kilometers of walking through the gorge, only dream of reaching the white buildings of the village, regenerating their strength and jumping into the sea. However, if, after passing Samaria, someone still has a lot of energy and enough time before the ferry leaves, we suggest entering the Turkish fortress located just above the village. To see its massive walls, just look up as you stroll through the streets of this village.

Frangokastello - the castle of dew people

Frangokastello - the castle of dew people

Frangokastello is a small fortress that was built by the Venetians over four years from 1371. Initially, the castle was named after Saint Nikitas, but the local population, who did not like the Venetians, renamed the castle at Frangokastello, or the Franks Castle (a Catholic foreigner). The name was so good that in time the Venetians also treated it as officially in force.

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Najnowsze komentarze:

Καλή Σαρακοστή ☺
Warto zobaczyć, byliśmy jest pieknie
Piękne miejsce.
Prace wykonane przez Evansa, tak bardzo kontrowersyjne, doprowadziły jednak do tego, że Pałac w Knossos jest najchętniej odwiedzanym zabytkiem na Krecie. Pałac w Zakros czy nawet Fajstos, tak bardzo autentyczne, nie mogą się poszczycić taką popularnością. (...)
Niezapomniane wrażenia
Byłam, widziałam, poczułam moc tego miejsca
Warto zwiedzić.
Nádherná památka byla jsem tam 2x ❤️
gość PiotrWie : Już i na południu jest sporo ludzi - pamiętam puste plaże za Asterousią a w 2019 i w Tris Ekklisies i w Lentas a nawet na plażach Tripiti i Trachoulas było sporo ludzi.A na Serifos czy Kimolos byliśmy sami ewentualnie z jakąś drugą dwójką.
Zostaje mniej oblegane południe , ja pamiętam Kretę z przed 2 dekad i Balos gdzie prawie nie było ludzi :)
Taknpomyślałam, że pewnie trochę zatrzęsło... A wówczas nawet wykonane prace zabezpieczające nie dadzą 100% bezpieczeństwa. Dobrze, że nikt nie ucierpiał
gość PiotrWie : My wybieramy się w maju na Ikarię. Tam czegoś takiego nie będzie jeszcze jakiś czas. Polecam wyspy na którym nie ma lotnisk międzynarodowych - chętni na takie resorty nie uznają podróży z przesiadkami. Np Serifos, Sifnos czy Astipaleę.  
Dobrze, że są miejsca gdzie udało się odsunąć te plany. Typu Plakias , Falassarna
To już nie będzie Kreta dzika i swojska. Będą tłumy i komercja.
Masakra
Pamiętam lekki chłód w porównaniu z upałem sierpniowym poza wąwozem i taką duszącą wilgoć
Ciekawe miejsce. Idąc tam , próbowaliśmy cofnąć czas, wyobrażając sobie wioskę w pełnym rozkwicie…
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