Crete

Κρήτη

4 days

14.3 hours flown

1,786 photos taken

SFO ✈ FRA ✈ ATH ✈ HER

I flew through Frankfurt and Athens to get to Crete. I had a few hours in Frankfurt — my first time in Germany — and decided to take some shots of the airport.

I finally arrived in Crete.

Ηράκλειο

I stayed at my uncle's house in Heraklion. The first day I ventured to downtown with my sister. We started at the Venetian harbor to see the Venetian Arsenals, shipyards and the Koules Fortress.

We wandered through the city center (κέντρο), visiting shops and Άγιος Τίτος church before stopping for a φραπές (frappé) and a popular Cretan pastry with custard and cheese called μπουγάτσα near the fountain in Πλατεία Λεόντων (Lions Square).

Then we made the obligatory stop for some gyros and Mythos lager on this hot day before heading back.

Γάζι

The next day we drove about 45 minutes to Gazi. I spent many summers growing up around here, with my grandparents and cousins in the area.

Καμαριώτης

The next day we visited the village where my mother and uncle grew up, about an hour outside Heraklion.

As we arrived the only καφενειο (coffee shop) had closed for the afternoon so we went for a hike to pick figs down a trail nearby.

Anywhere you wander outdoors in the summer in Greece is likely to be accompanied by the sound of τζίτζικας (cicadas).

Before driving back we stopped to get some limonada and frappés.

Fodele beach

We spent one evening having dinner at a beach resort owned by some family friends. As midnight approached I wandered around to take some long exposure shots.

Κνωσός

On our last full day in Crete we drove to Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site in Crete and capital of Crete in the Minoan era. Homer spoke of the great city of Knossos in the Odyssey. The city fell around 1450 BCE due to invading Mycenaeans and an earthquake.