Our Greek Odyssey!

Greece | Nov 6 - Nov 20, 2023

The 11 Enteka Acropolis gets high marks for location, cleanliness. It was also quiet. The room was basic, but modern and clean. Their website advertised breakfast which was not accurate. Although it appears they did update their site, there remained an entry near the bottom that said, “Breakfast 8-11”

This was a tough one to review. The views were absolutely amazing, as was the morning breakfast served right outside your door. Our room (101), was loated next to a room with a common wall that was “paper-thin.” On the night of a major storm, they appeared to use this room as a secondary office to allow people whose flight was severely delayed to check-in. This went on to 23:00 hours, and we know this could you could literally hear every word. My wife had an unfortunate fall on the wet stairs leading away from the common area in front of our room. Fortunately she only sustained a very nasty bruise. But I have to acknowledge the staff being very courteous and approachable. Very helpful. We did not tell the staff about the fall however.

If you desire a stay in Heraklion, this is a good option. It’s with walking distance of dozens of restaurants and bars, and dozens of dessert and coffee options. Also an easy walk to the waterfront.

A beautiful day dawned on us as we walked amongst the birthplace of democracy. To walk among ruins thousands of years old, and with a knowledgeable guide, makes the day worth waking up to.

Wow! So many wonderful dishes, locations, and people. It’s always great to meet and interact with locals. Haris seemed to have a magical touch of picking all the right locations.

The Monasteries were truly amazing, breathtaking and memorable. The drivers and guides was knowledgeable and engaging. The “downer” on this trip involved Mother Nature intervening, causing a change in plans from a train ride to a bus ride. For us, the return bus ride was not something to behold, and probably something we won’t likely forget. We had to ladies in front of us. As we began to pull out and head “home”, one rudely reclined her seat all the way back into my wife’s lap, and when asked politely to consider moving it back up halfway, rudely declined. On top of that, my wife woke up the next morning with some rash on the back of her left leg, that we can only assume was picked up on the ride home.

It always helps when the weather is good for a trip like this, and it was. Add in a beautiful setting, a glass of wine, the wind in your face, friendly, outgoing crew members, and you have the ingredients for a memorable experience. And that it was.

Again, it helps that this experiences was not during the high season, Anytime you can walk the street in a small, local village, and see little to no people, is huge. I think we saw my Cats that people! Our guide was very outgoing and knowledgeable.

My only complaint on this trip was the closure of the Monastery and the inability to actually take a boat ride out to Spinalonga Island. There appeared to be no real reason why. But overall, the trip was a wonderful experience. I’m a history nut, so walking among the ruins of the ancient Minoan civilization, was an experience worth remembering. Our guide, Alexander, knows all the “nooks and crannies” of Crete, so we knew we were in good hands. Oh, and also, it was very cool to see a 4000 year old Olive tree.

So not only did we get the experience of a very knowledgeable local guide, but we also got the experience of a local expert regarding Knossos Palace. And how amazing it was to descend into the Cave of Zeus. As with the day before, having someone like Alexander at our disposal makes all the difference. I also can’t complete this review without adding the lunch at Taverna Kourites. A small village, a great restaurant, an extraordinary host, added to the grand experience.

With the completion of this experience, we had been from one side of Crete, to the other. We went from the Minoans to the Venetians in the history books. As with other excursions, small towns, very few people, and with a knowledgeable guide, simply makes for a better experience.