Crete - The Greek Island That Keeps On Giving!

When I hear people say they've 'done' a particular place, it makes me smile whilst also a little sad. After all, changes in personal circumstances, time of year or just the company you keep can make a return visit to any destination a fresh experience.

And so it is with Crete. I`ve visited Crete, the largest of the Greek islands a number of times over the last 30 years - as a child on a family holiday, at the start of my travel career in the early 90's, as an adult for a summer sun week away and most recently as a port of call on a winter cruise. With so much to offer, Crete remains the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks to its location in the Southern part of the Aegean, Crete has the longest summer in Greece and is now emerging as a winter resort too.

Blazing sunshine in December? Absolutely. Biking through deserted resorts one Christmas Day, face bathed in warm mellow light lingers in the mind as a stand out memory.

I first visited Greece as a child almost 40 years ago on one of our first overseas family holidays, I revisited Crete at the start of my travel career in the early 90's on a 'Grecian Holidays' familiarisation trip. Back then the main resort of Rethymnon on the north coast was a compact, pretty, renaissance port town crammed with well-preserved ancient buildings, the charming tavern-lined harbour overlooked by a star-shaped, 16th-century citadel. If you want somewhere that offers a snapshot some of the historical riches the island can offer this is a place to visit. Though given that Crete has been occupied by invaders such as the Romans, Ottomans and Venetians you'll find vestiges of the past everywhere.

Of course you can spend lazy days on one of the island's sun-drenched beaches. What's more, rich Cretan agriculture offers fresh food in abundance – golden olive oil harvested from local groves, aromatic herbs, juicy tomatoes the size of footballs and salty cheeses used in my favourite dish, Sarikopitakia – crispy deep fried triangular cheese pies.

For the restless traveller there are so many options...

One favourite is Chania a city on the northwest coast. Known for its 14th-century Venetian harbour and 16th century lighthouse, I love ambling through narrow streets, watching the world go by from waterfront restaurants and tavernas. Or visit Knossos, a sprawling Bronze Age archaeological site the size of a couple of football fields. In the still air, you can feel the past lingering around you.

Meanwhile, fans of Victoria Hislop’s bestselling historical novel The Island must head to Spinalonga (10 minutes by boat from the village of Plaka), which was famously a leper colony for much of the 20th Century. Walking those ghostly streets is a sad but strangely serene experience.

Otherwise, go trekking, biking or just explore the island by car – I particularly love to drive through stunning Therisso Gorge where mountain goats have even less road sense than tourists in their hire cars.

And of course, there are wonderful places to stay – not least, the St Nicolas Bay, a five star hotel with the authentic feel of an unspoiled stone-built Cretan village. I would also recommend the five star family friendly Daios Cove Luxury Resort in Aghios Nikolaos or the four star adult only Elounda Blu Hotel.

So even if you have already 'done' Crete, it's definitely worth a revisit and I can promise you, you`ll never be completely done!