First, let’s determine when winter begins and ends in Crete.
Plouti, central CretePloutiChania to MiliaTabakaria, Chania
According to the calendar, one could say that it begins on 22 December, but that is not entirely true. Winter begins when the crowds of tourists stop coming, that’s all. In Crete, this means the beginning or, at the latest, the middle of November. By the same token, spring begins in early March, although here the calendar loses out to the logic of the nature of the Mediterranean climate.
Hiking trail near MiliaOld town, ChaniaApproaching Thimari GardensFrangokastelloNot far from Xerokampos
Winter, or the low season, is a time of calm, peace and respite for the people on the island, but also a time of rushing clouds interspersed with the dazzling blue of the sky; turquoise sea by the calm coves, but also waves crashing onto pavements and piers. On the one hand, nature loses its exuberant riot of colours, becomes quieter, turns grey in places, and sepia and smoky shades appear. But on the other hand, winter rains also bring the long-awaited moisture, and where in August there were burnt herbs and brushwood underfoot, now there are green carpets. We also encounter flowers, not as spectacular or lush as in summer, but perhaps all the more sought after and appreciated.
Some trees also bear fruit in winter. From November to January, olives are harvested, bitter oranges, saturated with rain and juices, bend delicate branches to the ground, and you can taste the sensually red berries from the wild strawberry tree.
Fresh olives, some ripe but inedible. Must be cured.Strawberry treeStrawberry treeBitter orange tree, viewed from Thimari Gardens
This is another attraction available in the city, aimed at young and old, beginners and certified divers alike.
I have experience with one company, but I assume that others with good reviews operate similarly. My 11-and-a-half-year-old daughter had the opportunity to try diving with Blue Adventures Diving Centre, whose centre is located 300 metres from Thimari Gardens. The option we chose involved entering the water from the beach, not a boat.
First, everyone taking a dip on that day underwent a short theoretical training session. I must admit that the information was conveyed efficiently and clearly, and my daughter had no difficulty understanding it, even though English is not her first language.
Then, with wetsuits, boots, fins and tanks selected, everyone headed to the 150-metre-away Koum Kapi beach under the supervision of an instructor.The weather was beautiful and sunny that day, with not too much wind, which guaranteed a smooth descent into the water and wonderful views.
My daughter had a personal dive master who guided her through all the stages until she dived with a tank quite far from the shore.
After an hour, she came out of the water happy, excited and ready for more!
Milia is a secret known only to those in the know, but I will share it with you.
To reach this magical place, nestled between mountains and gorges, you have to drive for over an hour from Chania, and the road winds like a snake, eventually turning into a dirt track.
At the end of the journey, a unique place awaits us, beautiful in its simplicity and fidelity to tradition. Milia is now a tourist resort, but it is housed in beautifully restored cottages that were once part of a mountain settlement. The owners have put a lot of work into creating such an atmospheric and authentic place from the remains of medieval buildings.
Milia is not only an eco-friendly retreat, but it also boasts one of the best restaurants in Crete. Word of honour!
In line with the philosophy of the place, the dishes are prepared with local products, some of which come from their own garden, and although the recipies are essentially Cretan, they often feature an innovative approach.
If you want to eat there, I recommend booking a table in advance, especially during the holiday season.
Milia offers more than acommodation or dining experience, though. Several walking trails start there, ranging from leisurely walks to long, demanding trails in the surrounding mountains and gorges (e.g.Topolia Gorge Circuit, Sirikari Gorge).
The Snake Goddess is one of the most recognisable artefacts of the Minoan civilisation, dating back to around 1600 BC. The statuette, excavated at the Palace of Knossos by Sir Arthur Evans in 1903, was considered enigmatic and shrouded in mystery from the outset, and the explorer’s actions further confused the matter.
Sir Evans, known for his rather free but creative approach to interpreting finds, actually excavated two figurines, not one. The better known one was incomplete, missing one arm and the head. The archaeologist decided that it would be reconstructed from other elements found at the excavation site. In his reconstruction, he was strongly influenced by the appearance of the second statue excavated.
photo credit Wkipedia
The result was a 30-centimetre faience figurine (the fired faience was painted and its surface shone) depicting a woman dressed in an ornate Minoan dress, with exposed breasts, two snakes in her raised hands and a cat or panther on her head. It is worth mentioning that the individual parts of the statuette were fired separately and then joined together with wire.
photo credit Wikipedia
The fun began when researchers attempted to interpret the meaning of this find. Sir Evans arbitrarily called her a goddess, but is that really what she represents? It is believed that she could also have been a priestess or even a wealthy woman.
The animals surrounding her led some scientists to conclude that she was the Lady of the Animals, but if we assume that Evans incorrectly added the cat to her head and that the snakes are actually strings or twigs (as claimed by scientist Emily Bonney), this interpretation loses its meaning. If we assume that they are indeed snakes, there are also different ways of interpreting them. On the one hand, as in Mesopotamia and ancient India, they were a symbol of rebirth and renewal. On the other hand, there are voices interpreting them as a sign of death and the afterlife.
photo credit Wikipedia
Even the abundant, exposed breasts are ambiguous. In Greek religion, they are a symbol of fertility, but in ancient Egypt they symbolised mourning, and we find such a reference in Homer’s Iliad.
Interestingly, the mystery hidden in the statue and its attractive, sensual appearance caused such a sensation and desire that there was a proliferation of ‘miraculous’ discoveries of other Snake Goddesses, which were, of course, fakes. Two fakes are particularly well known because they can still be found in the collections of respected museums today! One is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and is an ivory figurine purchased in 1914. The second masterful forgery is a steatite statue of a naked woman with snakes adorning her head, purchased from a dealer in Paris by Henry Walters in 1929 and brought to the Baltimore Museum in 1931.
The authentic figurine, dating back over 3,500 years, can be viewed in the excellent Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, Crete.
I first set foot in Crete in 1995. We had so little money at the time that the small amount we had saved allowed us to escape from an uninteresting town near Heraklion for only two trips. One day by car, to the southern tip of the island, through the mountains, to Vai beach, and one day by scooter (oh my God!) to the caves carved into the rocks in Matala. Although we came back from the scooter trip soaked, because somehow it was raining in the summer, I also came back stunned by the beauty of this island.
It was love.
Since then, I have visited Crete many times. And basically every time, whether we were as a couple, with a child, or I was travelling alone, I went to the nearest accessible gorge. Because hiking in gorges is my thing, my passion, my beloved activity.
And in Crete, mainly in the west, there are over 400 of them!!! From pleasant walks with children, through more technically demanding ones with ropes and ladders, to the famous Samaria (not recommended in summer), the longest dry gorge in Europe.
So… there’s plenty to do!
From Chania, where we invite you to our Thimari Gardens, you can easily reach several interesting gorges within two hours, and private buses will also take you to Samaria.
It doesn’t take long to get there, just half an hour by car from Chania. The road itself is a feast for the eyes, with valleys and mountains and picturesque twists and turns in the asphalt. Eventually you arrive at an oasis, a place that offers respite, especially in summer – the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete, located 20 kilometres south of the city.
Twenty hectares of park and gardens are spectacularly spread out on the slopes and, even from a distance, encourage visitors to come and explore. We park, pay a few euros for admission, and the park is open to us. And there is plenty to see along the 2.5-kilometre loop that leads through all its corners. You will find themed gardens (e.g. Mediterranean, aromatic herbs, citrus or tropical), encounter a variety of animals (from peacocks and donkeys to a multitude of butterflies), and take a stroll along the lake.
The flora is diverse and interesting. It is impressive that the park was established just over 20 years ago and has achieved such results. In 2003, a terrible fire ravaged the area, burning 100,000 ancient olive trees and leaving only ashes. Thanks to the inspiration and hard work of founder Petros Marinakis, the area has been beautifully restored, to the benefit of all.
After a walk, which takes about 2 hours, you leave the park at a very nice restaurant, ideal for lunch or early dinner in beautiful surroundings.
There is also a shop on site, selling mainly famous Cretan herbs and typical locally produced spirits: raki, or as they call it in Crete – tsikoudia.
Ancient Aptera, a 30-minute drive east of Chania, stretches across a plateau near the hill of Paliokastro, which dominates the south-eastern part of Souda Bay. Recent archaeological research suggests that settlement in this area began in the 11th-12th century BC.
The 3,480-metre-long defensive wall surrounding the main settlement was built before the mid-4th century BC. The city enjoyed an era of prosperity during the Roman period, but after a terrible earthquake in the 7th century, it was so badly damaged that it was not until the 12th century that it became a significant urban centre again and played an important role until the Venetian period (16th and 17th centuries).
In today’s Aptera, visitors can admire the remains of ancient fortifications, three cemeteries from different periods, Roman cisterns and baths, as well as an ancient theatre, which has recently been partially restored, with comfortable steps leading to the stage, called skene.
I found Aptera charming, atmospheric and simply beautiful. Perhaps it was its beautiful location between the sea and the mountains, perhaps the vastness of the settlement, or perhaps the fact that there were so few other people there during my visit, but it made a greater impression on me than Knossos.
On the practical side, tickets cost €10 and there is convenient parking for visitors.
As the site is largely unsheltered, you should bring water, sunscreen and a hat.
You can also, and this is what I would suggest, visit this place during the golden hour, both for the temperature and the magnificent views.
It is a place of reference in Chania when it comes to fresh fish and seafood. The restaurant is located very near Splantzia square, offers outside and inside tables spread on two floors. It is always bustling with the sounds of conversation, laughter, the clatter of cutlery and plates, and waiters rushing about.
It takes a lifetime for someone to discover Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her – Henry Miller.
About
My name is Marta, a Pole with Greece in heart. I am also a living proof that longlife dreams can come true. I always dreamt of having my place in beloved Greece and now here it is! And not just anywhere, but in the most wonderful city, steeped in the culture of ancient Greece, the Venetian Republic and the Ottoman Empire, my dream city of Chania, Crete.
This blog aims at promoting Crete, Chania but also our home there- Thimari Gardens - which is seasonally rented out. More information about the apartment is available when you press the tab above named Thimari Gardens.
If you wish to ask about our rental offer, send an email at thimarigardens@gmail.com
