"Five days in Crete with family" Crete Island by ramot418

I went with my wife and 3 teenage children to Crete in July 2000. We bought a package deal from Israel which included the flight (1.5 hours) and hotel just west of Heraklion (Iraklio) in Amoudara (Apollonia - 4*).

The advantage of staying in the Heraklion area is that it is in the centre of the island, and no place is more than a 2 hour drive from it. The disadvantage is that there is really nothing to see and do in the city and its environs.

Since I had only a very short time to travel, I rented a car for 3 days and concentrated on the western and southern parts of the island.

The vegetation on the eastern half of the island is more like in the Middle East, whereas the western half is more European (greener).

The northern coastal road is the one good road on the island. All others are secondary and tertiary ones - including some very beautiful winding, mountain roads, mainly in the central part of the island.