Every time I traveled to Crete it was only to the north coast. I never traveled inland or south of the island mostly because I had no money and no car. This time I got lucky enough to have both and I was so happy to explore more of this fascinating place. Like this, I came to discover the real Crete and what a gem it is. Let me take you on this full day of travel from Moires to Hora Sfakion.
Crete is a rich, abundant, and self-sufficient island with lots to explore and enjoy. Having a car is the best option for traveling in Crete. You can’t rely too much on public transport because it doesn’t reach all the places on the island. Regular buses connect the main big cities such as Heraklion, Rethimno, and Chania and some villages around them. Below I’m going to mention all the nice places that we visited and the tavernas that we enjoyed.
Moires
I came to love this town after having lived here for 3 months. What I liked about Moires is that it has everything you need, doctors for quick analyses, hairdressers, shops, restaurants, fresh vegetable shops, a farmer’s market every Saturday, a gym, accountants, etc. You can easily live here without feeling isolated. The town is 1h from Heraklion and 1.5h from Rethimno. Around the town, there are many locations to visit, such as this amazing place. Moires is also conveniently located in the middle of the island and you can go in a maximum of 3h to either side of the island.
Matala
This small sea village will delight you with caves carved into the cliffs, the soft sanded beach, and the cute colorful town. The entrance to the caves is around 2.5 Euros. There are many restaurants, bars, tourist shops, and accommodations to rent in Matala. Since it’s a seasonal tourist destination, during winter nothing is open but you can go to see the beach and walk around to get a feel of the place.
Agia Galini
Maybe slightly bigger than Matala and also located by the sea, this village offers a striking view from above and from the ground level. During the winter months, the restaurants are not open, maybe just a bakery and 1 or 2 coffee shops. Nevertheless, it is buzzing during summer and is quite a big attraction in the south of Crete. Watch the reel below to see what the village looks like.
As lunchtime was approaching and we were getting hungry we quickly searched for a taverna in the area that we were passing through. It happened to be near Kentrochori where we found Taverna Agamemnon. This was the first day of Christmas, it was a beautiful sunny day and we were in the mood for a quiet and relaxing time. This taverna is run by a lovely couple and has the best view you could ask for. The food was fresh and delicious. In the quietness of the village, you can hear the river coming down from the mountain. In the reel below you can see some shots of the views that we came across.
Agios Pavlos
This area is not a properly formed village as there are just some houses scattered around. However, the beach is gorgeous and during winter you will not find anyone there. It’s a great place to spend a romantic time with your partner, relax, and get lost in endless thoughts. Definitely, in the upcoming years, the area is going to develop. The whole island is in great expansion and many people are investing in Crete, either buying land or a house.
Hora Sfakion
Getting to our end destination Hora Sfakion felt like forever because we stopped so many times along the way to take pictures and videos. From Moires to Hora Sfakion the journey is 2h without stopping. This town is a cozy and touristy one when the season begins in April/May. If you come here you must try the Sfakion pie with goat cheese and honey. It is a staple of the area and probably you cannot find it anywhere else on the island. There are a few restaurants by the sea where you can try the pie, then you can go for a walk on the beach and in the port area. From here you can take a boat trip to the neighboring island Gavdos.
Doing a road trip like this is the best way to discover the island. Crete is truly a spectacular and special place that will remain with you forever. I’ll leave here at the end some pictures from this trip that I took along the way. Enjoy and see you in C R E T E!
