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Although Crete is not a large island it has a tremendously varied landscape comprising four mountain ranges, olive groves, vineyards and of course the holiday resorts along the coast.

The main holiday season finishes at the end of October so we decided to visit during the October half term. Although we arrived in a torrential rainstorm the weather cleared within a day or so leaving clear blue skies and temperatures of about 23 degrees. We stayed at The St Nicolas Bay Hotel between Aghios Nikolaos and Elounda. This small hotel is set around a private beach overlooking the Gulf of Mirabello. It has a spa, a choice of pools and water sports available from its private beach. The hotel is ideal for families with small children due to the small safe, sandy beach and children's club. It's also a great location for anyone wanting a relaxing holiday with good food and peaceful surroundings. The accommodation consists of sea view rooms, junior suites and suites with private pool.

It is a short walk into Aghios Nikolaos which has a great atmosphere with lots of good restaurants and interesting shops. We hired a car for a few days and visited the island of Spinalonga. Originally fortified by the Venetians in the 16th century it became a leper colony in the early 20th century and recently inspired a book, "The Island" by Victoria Hislop. Spinalonga is reached by a local fisherman's boat from Plaka and is well worth a visit. Although the island was evacuated in 1957 many houses and the church are still standing.
We also drove up into the mountains and visited some of the small villages and the Dorian city of Lato which is really interesting and very much quieter than Knosos. The Minoan palace at Knosos is incredibly busy with visitors not only from Crete but also from visiting cruise ships. It is something I did not want to miss but I must admit I was slightly disappointed in the way the site was presented.

We had a great week in Crete and would definitely recommend the St Nicolas Bay Hotel for a very relaxing holiday.