The drive from Chania to Elounda was beautiful. Part of the drive was through the woods, which reminded me a lot of Lake Arrowhead, and part of the drive (at the edge of the island) was bright blue and green ocean everywhere! We stopped at Piato for lunch in Agiou Nikolaou and ordered a delicious mezze platter before driving 20 minutes to our hotel in Elounda /Placka.

The drive from Chania to Elounda
The drive from Chania to Elounda

"<yoastmark

The mezze plannter at Piato in Agiou Nikolaou
The mezze plannter at Piato in Agiou Nikolaou
Daniel putting together one of his 20-minute process photos
Daniel putting together one of his 20-minute process photos
The water in Agiou Nikolaou
The water in Agiou Nikolaou

We arrived at the Blue Palace Resort, on the hillside overlooking Spinalonga—the former leper colony—and checked into our room before taking the gondola down to the beach. The beach had no sand, but rather massive rocks all over the ground. The hotel had a a floating dock for easy water entrance. We jumped in the water about thirty minutes after we got there— it seemed to be warmer than it was up in Chania.

Our room at Blue Palace Resort
Our room at Blue Palace Resort

We got an umbrella and chairs next to a couple around our age from somewhere in London. She was topless and at a volume level of 11. Her significant other kept telling her she was shouting, but I’m pretty sure his volume level was at a 14. It made for some fabulous entertainment. After a few hours we went up to our room to shower and change and walked over to Placka (10 minutes up the road).

Views of Spinalonga from the Blue Palace Beach
Views of Spinalonga from the Blue Palace Beach
Daniel enjoying the beach
Daniel enjoying the beach and taking feet photos
Elounda Crete Greece
Our first day in Elounda

We walked  through the village of Plaka, which took about 37 seconds before sitting down at a restaurant called Captain Nicolas, on the water. After ordering wine we sat down and enjoyed the sunset and the moon rise before heading back to the hotel to have dinner at the Greek restaurant, Blue Door. The food was kind of a modern take on Greek food. I thought it was great, Daniel didn’t seem to love it. We ordered tzatziki with avocado, pita and dolmadas. After dinner we passed out.

Sunset
Sunset in Plaka at Captain Nicolas
Wine with a view
Wine with a view
Just after sunset looking at Spinalonga
Just after sunset over Spinalonga
Moon rise over Spinalonga
Moon rise over Spinalonga
Our dinner at Blue Door
Our dinner at Blue Door
I sort of passed out at dinner
I sort of passed out at dinner

I was awoken by Daniel’s not so silent attempt to watch the sunrise on our balcony, so I decided I might as well join him. It was obviously beautiful.

Sunrise from our balcony
Sunrise from our balcony

We went upstairs for the most elaborate breakfast spread I’ve ever seen and then when we were completely stuffed we rolled down to the beach. After we found chairs, our ‘quiet’ friends from the UK found us and decided to sit directly behind us. Score! Entertainment two days in a row! We spent he morning in and out of the water with our floats that we purchased in Elafonisi. Everyone else in the water seemed quite jealous of our water toys.

The most elaborate breakfast spread
The most elaborate breakfast spread
Rock beach, no sand in site
Beach set up
Rocky Beach
Rocky Beach

 

We walked back to Plaka for lunch and ate at the cutest restaurant called Thalassa. Obviously, we ordered the mezze platter and it was delicious. Eventually, we realized we’d rather be lying down in the sun than sitting on the outdoor patio, so we headed back to the hotel.

img_1638

Lunch at Thalassa
Lunch at Thalassa —complete with a boat in the window

Thalassa in Plaka

Our table at Thalassa
Our table at Thalassa
Lunch at Thalassa
Lunch at Thalassa

Daniel arranged for us to take a boat around the small island in front of us (driven by yours truly). We stopped in a few beach coves to swim and came back to the hotel about two hours later. It was mucho fun! Possibly my favorite beach activity.

Anchoring — Daniel's favorite activity
Anchoring — Daniel’s favorite activity
Boating into different coves around Elounda
Boating into different coves around Elounda

That night, we walked to the furthest end of Plaka (49 seconds from the start of the town) for dinner. We ate at a restaurant called Ostria on the water. The food was good. The service was hilarious. The bill came in Greek (obviously) so we had no idea why the bill looked like more than normal. Daniel asked the waitor a question about one line item and the guy told us it was for bread… when he remembered we didn’t order bread, he changed his mind and told us it was for tax. It was quite funny. After dinner we walked back to the hotel, packed and passed out.

Dinner at Ostria in Plaka
Dinner at Ostria in Plaka

"<yoastmark

"<yoastmark

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *