On arrival, we will rent a car at the airport (if you want to see something of Crete, it is almost a must) and then stay in beautiful apartments with a sea view, right in the center of the most beautiful town on the island - Chania.

Car rental

Remember that to drive in Greece you must present a valid driving license from your country. And if you are not from the EU, you will also need an international driving licence.

After renting a car, head to the Notus Chania accommodation. Parking is free, right on the street outside the hotel.

Practicalities

On the third day of this holiday, you'll take a trip to Balos beach, also known as the Cretan Caribbean. As this is one of the biggest attractions in Crete, I recommend booking your boarding pass today. For example, you can use Cretan Daily Cruises  or Blue Daily Cruises . Cruises take place every year during the season from May to October and cost around 35 Euros per adult. 

On the fifth day, a visit to the Loupakis Winery is on the agenda. The tour should be arranged in advance with the owner, Mr. Militiades, by calling +306945266287. 

Today, on the first day of our holiday, we will go sightseeing on the Akrotiri peninsula. 

We'll start at Stavros beach, also called Zorbas beach because the iconic sirtaki dance scene for the movie Zorba the Greek was filmed here. I recommend bringing your own sun lounger or umbrella to the beach, as prices for sun loungers here are ridiculously high in high season. But otherwise, you can swim in the wonderfully clear and calm sea on the beach with its pinkish sand and beautiful views of Mount Vardia in front of you.

Lunch is available at the excellent local restaurant Almyriki. If you want to diversify your afternoon, you can then head to Mount Vardia, at the top of which is the famous Lera Cave. Although the climb is quite challenging and takes about 45 minutes, at the end you are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the entire Stavros beach and Chania Bay. According to archaeological excavations, the Lera cave was used in ancient times to worship the gods. 

The last point of today's trip may be the nearby monastery of Agia Triada. I've visited several monasteries in Crete, but this one is definitely my favorite. The majestic 17th century structure can be found about 8 kilometers from Stavros. The monastery is still inhabited by monks, and in addition to a beautiful garden, it also includes a museum and a shop selling olive oil and other products (soaps, ointments...), much of which is made in the monastery. The building is then surrounded by orange orchards and vineyards, with mountains rising in the distance. 

If you haven't had your fill of beautiful views and romance for the day, you can end the day in style at the Carte Postale restaurant, which you'll meet on the way back to Chania. 

Today we will take a day trip by boat to the most beautiful beach of Crete and also to the island with the fortress of Gramvousa. 

We depart from Chania for the port of Kissamos. The journey takes us about 40 minutes and it's good to be there 30 minutes before the boat leaves. You will find the departure time on the boarding pass you purchased on the first day of your holiday. The boats usually leave between 10:30 and 11:00 am. You should therefore leave Chania sometime after 9:00.

Whether you visit Balos or Gramvousa first depends on the shipping company. If you're traveling with Blue Daily Cruises, for example, you'll leave Kissamos at 10:50 a.m. (I recommend taking a good look at the ship you're on so you know where to board at Gramvousa or Balos). At 12pm you are on Gramvousa Island, where you will climb the local fortress, which was built in the 16th century to defend the island from the Ottoman Turks. The climb takes about 20 minutes and is quite steep, but the views across the bay are breathtaking and definitely worth it. If you don't want to climb the hill, you can swim at the local beautiful beach. Nearby is the wreck of a shipwreck. 

Next stop will be Balos beach (you can find out the exact time of departure from Gramvoussa on the boat, there is a man standing at the exit with the time written on a paper). You arrive at Balos at 14:45 and have about an hour and a half to enjoy the beautiful, crystal clear sea. From Balos you return to Kissamos at 16:20.