Crete - Hersonosiss

thomasdunne21

Anyone been to this place?

Might be heading there with my girlfriend in June. Probably staying in the Marni Village apartments.

I heard Crete is expensive - is this true? How much for beer and food?

Is there much to do over there like day excursions?

Thanks - any comments about the place appreciated.

Lafortezza

Originally posted by thomasdunne21
Anyone been to this place?

I was there last August, best holiday evar!!11

Originally posted by thomasdunne21
I heard Crete is expensive - is this true? How much for beer and food?

Its not that expensive compared to Ireland but where is. Taxis are usually a fiver if you're going anywhere around the town itself.
Beer is cheap, especially if you go to supermarket or offlicence. The cheapest we found was €1.30 for pint bottles of Heineken, about €1.50-€2.00 for cans of everything else. Greek beer can be cheaper again but its an acquired taste.
Wine and spirits are fairly cheap as well, have a wander through the main strip (clubs/bars/restaurants) and you'll find loads of shops selling booze and cigarettes.

Food is not too bad either. A Steak dinner with a few beers will set you back around €15-€20, there's a place called Piscopiano (sp) up the hill away from the town that has load of nice restaurants. There's the usual McDonalds and stuff.

Originally posted by thomasdunne21
Is there much to do over there like day excursions?

If you have a holiday rep then you can sign up for day excursions, like scuba diving, sight seeing trips, historical excursions, most people don't really go for these as they leave early (8am) in the morning and back in the evening.

Most of the nightlife is geared towards young free and single types, all the clubs have drinks promotions, 2 cocktails for €7.50, free shots at the door. Everyone in the clubs is trying to score.

Do not get a moped.Can't stress this enough, the roads over there are mental, everyone I met seemed to have a moped horror story. If you do insist on getting a moped or a quad, then make sure you read all of the insurance stuff, they will catch you out with a load of technicalities when you return the bike.

L.

Sangre

Was there last summer Aug/Sept with the lads, food and drink is quite cheap, especially if you go to the stores and not restaurants. Cant remember about the accomdation.
The taxis are very expensive though, they have fixed prices to all the towns, there is no chance of haggling unless its during the day, or very quiet

Lafortezza

Originally posted by Sangre
Was there last summer Aug/Sept

What apartments were you in?

Originally posted by Sangre
The taxis are very expensive though, they have fixed prices to all the towns, there is no chance of haggling unless its during the day, or very quiet

It was a fiver for 4 people from the strip to the Bellos Apartments, 20 minute walk otherwise.
Star Beach was 16 euro for 4 people, cheap if you ask me and definitely cheap by Irish standards.

Imposter

I was in Gouve a few years ago (it's near hersonnissos on the Heraklion side).

There are some really good day trips to be done there. As lafortezza said they do start early and you'll have ot book them in advance so a plan will be needed especially if late nights are also to be planned.

When I was there I went to the Palace at Knossos. This was really interesting and is definitely worth a trip. This can be done using public transport as it's not far from Heraklion. This cuts down the costs and gets you among the real cretians. I also took a day trip to Spinalonga which used to be a leper colony. This was very relaxing but not overly interesting.

The one trip I would advise you to do is the Samaria Gorge. The bus drops you off at the top of the gorge and then you walk the 18km to the sea. It's a long walk but it's downhill. The first 2km are basically straight down, as in very steep steps. There is some fantastic views along this hike. At one stage you walk between 2 cliffs which are just 2 or 3 meters apart. It really is an unbelievable sight. Then you arrive down at the sea and a ferry takes you back ot your bus. You don't have to be overly fit todo this but a little fitness would be good. Plan it towards the end of your trip as your legs might need a couple of days to recover depending on your fitness levels.

I agree with above comments about mopeds. All drivers are also crazy, even by Irish standards. Also book any trips with travel agents there as opposed to your travel agent (budget or whoever). It'll work out much cheaper and they generally have a lot more to offer. There's loads of them on the main street in Hersonnisos.

There's also an interesting little museum thingee on the way out of Hersonnisos (away from Heraklion). Worth a walk down to it for a few hours.

Lafortezza

And make sure you go to
1) Star Beach, go karting, bungee rocket, water slides, and a pool bar and lazy river.
And don't forget the Foam Party

2) The Water Park, can't remember the name but its a big water park on the top of one of the nearby mountains in the middle of no where. Slides, swimming pools, wave machine, feckin great craic. Don't get burnt though

I am MAN

From what I know of Crete it's more of a place to go with the lad's in search of one night stand's.

Imposter

Originally posted by I am MAN
From what I know of Crete it's more of a place to go with the lad's in search of one night stand's.

It is if that's the holiday you want but it doesn't have to be. As I outlined above there's loads to do other than bars and water parks.

I am MAN

Thats fair enough

Tazz T

Originally posted by Imposter
It is if that's the holiday you want but it doesn't have to be. As I outlined above there's loads to do other than bars and water parks.

In the Crete the mad bits are confined to Malia, Hersonnisos and Ag Nikolas. Not my scene at all - all sport bars and English breakfasts if you ask me. Just about everywhere else is gorgeous - and a lot cheaper. Try hiring a vehicle and travelling round. Accomodation is dirt cheap most places. Knossos is cool. I tried the leper colony trip (Spinalonga) and thought it was a great day out. Heraklion has plenty of good places to eat in the harbour although nitelife seems expensive. Chania is probably better. In the less visited region, the people are fantastic, really friendly and hospitable - and feircely proud.

Have fun.

slave1

As regards trips, you should really try and go to Santorini for a day, about 3 hours or so to reach but Jazus it's fantastic

Spinalonga was alright, stopped off for a lovely swim

query

I went a couple of years ago and stayed in Stalis, much preferred it to the resorts either side as you could actually sleep when you wanted to. It's easy to get a bus or taxi into Hersonnissos, but it looked manic in there at nighttime - great for a night out but not all the time. Malia is very Little England.

I'd echo the comment about Santorini - six years later (God is it that long) and several more expensive 'better' holidays later, I still have a holiday photo of Santorini as the place I want to go back to.

Actually two years ago I had my best Greek island holiday ever in Rhodes Town - I'd recommend that over Crete

JCDenton

Has anyone ever heard of a place called the Blue Sky apartments?
A big group of us have just booked a weeks stay there in August but we get the impression that it's.......crap.
To be honest we'll be out all day and night anyway but has anyone stayed there or know anyone who has?

Lafortezza

Never heard of the place!
But in fairness all you need is a bed and somewhere half decent to wash and store your bags, the rest of the time should be spent misbehaving!

smellawant

hey anyone know anything about the papadakis apartments? me and 8 friends are heading there for a week on the 17th july. oh and are there safes in the apartment???

LolaDub

I was in Gouves a few years ago with 3 years ago and i thought it was awful. To be honest that could be more with the company than with the place as the other girls weren't too interested in doing anything. Also we were there for 2 weeks which was way too long. Knossos is really great to see and the water park is good fun but i thought the trips to other islands were pretty pricey at the time and the island wasn't the cheapest. Enjoy!

IrishHomer

Yes my adviceis to bring lots of anti mossy sprays/repellants! Make sure you have them on at evenings and night.

Heading here next week with 8 other lads!....

Wondering would you need going out clothes to get into the clubs or for the general nightlife or would shorts/sleeveless-tops/jersies be ok?

funk-you

You'll be fine. Great place for a holiday. What apts are you staying in? Had the most memorable one of my life there. Wear pants at night. Not much hope of picking up a chick if you are rockin about with pasty legs.

-Funk

life_is_music

Got back on saturday.....

Stayed in Mika Villa's in Piskopiano (few mins uphill of Hersonissos)

Drink is really cheap! €15 for a litre of smirnoff

pubs give free shots and all the usual ****!

BEST ADVICE:

Go to Malia!!!!!! Hersonissos is class but it's all Irish people and the drink is more expensive!!

Malia is an english resort 20 minutes away and its way better!
€5 gets you 5 shots!

don't get a quad or mophead...... you will end up getting hurt.

any other questions let me know!