Departing from the port of Piraeus on 22/11/2024, we enjoyed a beautiful and fulfilling seven-day journey around the Great Island of Crete! We visited Agios Nikolaos and admired the Mirabello Bay. Through our imagination, we became exiles, besieged souls, and participants in the drama that unfolded over the centuries on the islet of Spinalonga. We marveled at the enclosed Lake Voulismeni and the town of Agios Nikolaos.
We admired the impressive Venetian architecture of the Churches of Saint Titus and Saint Minas, as well as the Basilica of Saint Mark, the Venetian Shipyards (Neoria), and the Koules Fortress that adorn the city of Heraklion. We were guided through the archaeological treasures of exceptional importance housed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, and enriched with knowledge, we visited the archaeological site of Knossos, with the reconstructions/restorations of the Minoan Palaces by Arthur Evans. Τhe Stylianou family welcomed us warmly at their winery. Τhey enthusiastically guided us through the facilities of their family-run boutique winery and led us step by step on a flavorful journey of wine tasting and wine pairing! Elements of Natural History were also part of our excursion, with a generous dose offered at the impressive Heraklion Aquarium “Thalassokosmos.” We enjoyed coffee and raki at the café of Lefkothea in Krasi, a village of many springs and a huge plane tree under which Nikos Kazantzakis once rested. We then reverently visited the Holy Pilgrimage Site of the Monastery of Panagia Kardiotissa in Kera and climbed up to the Lasithi Plateau, where we admired the impressive wind-powered pumping windmills of the vegetable gardens.
We visited the Sfentoni Cave in Zoniana and made cheese with Father Andreas at the Shepherd’s House in Livadia. Nikos Xylouris’ café was opened to us by his nephew, Lampis. We wandered through the narrow streets of the village of Margarites, where we met Giorgis, a permanent resident and successor of the traditional art of pottery and ceramics. He explained how a handmade ceramic piece is created, from the earth to the firing, and we saw all kinds of imaginative yet functional objects. We visited the important Museum of Ancient Eleutherna, with its constantly evolving collection from ongoing excavations, and paid our respects at the Historic Monastery of Arkadi, rich in memorable and significant history. We strolled through the Historic Center of Rethymno and were impressed by the Fortezza Fortress, which stands imposingly, protecting the city. We visited for pilgrimage the Holy Monastery of Agia Triada Tzagarolon and then the Tombs of the Venizelos family, before visiting the “House of Eleftherios Venizelos” in Halepa. A walking tour in the Old Town of Chania introduced us to its hidden beauties and its great, complex history. We admired the natural beauty of the only freshwater lake in Crete, Lake Kournas, where we playfully took on the roles of captains and pirates of fresh water!
We visited Maleme and the German Military Cemetery and paid our respects at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Odigitria in Gonia. At every stop, we had the joy and privilege of tasting the gastronomic creations of this blessed land!
