On the trail of gods and heroes in Crete
With mountain landscapes and archaeological heritage, Crete is a jewel among the Mediterranean islands
With its glorious mountain landscapes and distinctive archaeological heritage, Crete is a jewel among Mediterranean islands – but it gets crowded in summer. If you go in early spring, however, says Alec Russell in the FT, you’ll find something approaching solitude in these wondrous places; the wildflowers will be out, and the weather should be good for walking. Start your tour in the port of Heraklion – the island’s capital – where the archaeological museum is a good historical primer, with fabulous exhibits (including an “exquisite” golden frog) from the Minoan civilisation, the Bronze Age power that flourished here more than a millennium before the heyday of classical Greece. You might stay nearby at Olive Green, a “delightful boutique eco-hotel”.
Twenty minutes inland lies the “fabled” Minoan city of Knossos, from which some later Greek myths, including the minotaur story, probably derived. In spring, it’s wonderfully quiet, with nothing to disturb the peace along the “royal road” (the oldest known paved road in Europe) but “the occasional squawk of peacocks”. Also revelatory is Eleutherna, 26 miles west, where in the 1980s archaeologists uncovered a settlement from Greece’s “dark ages” – between the Minoans and the preclassical era – which cast light on the little-known civilisation in which the Homeric epics have their roots.
Nearby is Kapsaliana, an abandoned village that has become a charming hotel. It lies within easy reach of the old monastery of Arkadi; in 1866, rebels seeking independence blew themselves up here, rather than surrender to an Ottoman siege. The monastery’s “stunning” Venetian baroque church survived the explosion. Kapsaliana is also a good base from which to strike out on walks in the island’s mountains, after which you might move on to a beach hotel such as Domes Zeen, in Chania, to round off your stay.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Original Travel has an eight-night trip from £3,850pp, incl. flights and private guides; originaltravel.co.uk
Sign up for the Travel newsletter for destination inspiration and the latest news and trends
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health researchThe explainer There is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women
-
Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
Magazine printables - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
6 trailside homes for hikersFeature Featuring a roof deck with skyline views in California and a home with access to private trails in Montana
-
Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thrillerThe Week Recommends Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin play father-and-son psychiatrists in this ‘precision-engineered’ crime drama
-
The Rose Field: a ‘nail-biting’ end to The Book of Dust seriesThe Week Recommends Philip Pullman’s superb new novel brings the trilogy to a ‘fitting’ conclusion
-
Nigerian Modernism: an ‘entrancing, enlightening exhibition’The Week Recommends Tate Modern’s ‘revelatory’ show includes 250 works examining Nigerian art pre- and post independence
-
The Mastermind: Josh O’Connor stars in unconventional art heist movieThe Week Recommends Kelly Reichardt cements her status as the ‘queen of slow cinema’ with her latest film
-
Critics’ choice: Watering holes for gourmandsFeature An endless selection of Mexican spirits, a Dublin-inspired bar, and an upscale Baltimore pub
-
Film reviews: Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Frankenstein, and Blue MoonFeature A rock star on the rise turns inward, a stressed mother begins to unravel, and more
-
Beth Macy’s 6 favorite books about living in a divided nationFeature The journalist recommends works by Nicholas Buccola, Matthew Desmond, and more