Roadtrip Crete Day 1 Heraklion to Koutsounari
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 12-02-2021
Route Summary Motorcycling in Crete is a real pleasure, this island has many beautiful winding roads with thousands of bends, idyllic villages, beautiful views of the sea, bays, beautiful passes and ravines.
The locals are very hospitable. The roads are decent, but it is recommended to rent an All- or Off Road motorcycle, as there are also many bad roads with potholes and unpaved areas.
On the very tourist island there are many hotels, especially along the coast, there are also B&B and a number of campsites. In this tour we will assume camping accommodation.
The routes can be driven by motorcycle, car or quads and there are several rental companies in Crete where you can rent All Road, Custom, Quads, Buggies, scooters and cars. Prices for the rental of a motorcycle for a week are between 280 and 900 euros, depending on the model.
Renting from Eurodriver has the advantage that they can deliver your motorcycle anywhere so you can already get on your motorcycle at the airport and start the journey.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
4h 2m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
142.88 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review We drive along the coast with beautiful views of the Cretan Sea, the southern part of the Aegean Sea, located north of Crete and south of the Cyclades. To the west, the sea borders the island of Kythira and to the east, the Dodecanese archipelago. Along the route are a number of small parking lots where you can stop to enjoy the panorama and take a photo.
We pass a number of seaside resorts along the coast, you can choose to deviate from the route and visit one of the beautiful beaches.
The first possible stop is at RP5 where dinosaur lovers can take a look at Dinosauria Park which started as an idea in 2013 and was first housed in the former US base. There were 30 different dinosaur species from all periods of the Mesozoic and other prehistoric animals. In 2014 the exhibitions were transferred to a private space. New species were added and new sections, such as a dinosaur hospital, where you can see the birth of a dinosaur. In the creative activity room, everyone becomes a child again, try to find as many dinosaurs as possible in the tidal area and play various “dinosaur games.” For visitors there is the possibility to watch themed movies released in 5D and 7D Cinema.
Another fun stop is at RP7 Aquaworld, Crete's first aquarium, in Hersonissos. Aquaworld shows the local marine life and reptiles from everywhere! Hands-on interaction with many of the animals is possible and at Aquaworld you can take beautiful animal photos. Most animals have been rescued or injured and now have a loving home at Aquaworld.
We continue the drive along the coast with a view of the beautiful Bay of Malia, with its beautiful beaches. At RP9 you can visit the archaeological site of Malia “Malia Archaeological Site”, this is a small site with some ruins and excavations. The entrance costs € 6. There are no toilets or shops and a tour lasts about an hour.
Now we drive out of the inhabited area and the mountains. The roads are now getting serious with wonderful (hairpin) curves and beautiful panoramas, where possible stop to enjoy and take a photo.
At RP13 you can visit the Cave of Milatos, which is best known for the events that took place during the Greek War of Independence. To quell an impending rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, an Egyptian-Turkish army led by Hassan Pasha was sent to Crete in 1822. When Hassan came to the city of Neapoli in 1823, many residents fled to the cave of Milatos. The cave is said to have contained 2,000 to 3,600 people. Among them were about 300 armed men, the rest were women and children.
On February 3, 1823, Hassan Pasha had the exits of the valley in which the cave is located blocked, and then the army had the entrance to the cave bombarded. The siege lasted until February 15. Then the refugees had to surrender in order not to die of thirst. The men were either killed or taken to Spinalonga, where they were later executed. The older women were also killed. The younger women and children were sold as slaves.
An inscription at the entrance to the cave recalls the events of 1823. A chapel has been built in the cave in honor of the Apostle Thomas. The accompanying ossuary contains some of the victims' bones. Every year on the Sunday after Easter, a feast in Thomas's honor is held here and the dead are commemorated.
We continue the drive on a beautiful narrow and winding road that marks the border of the Latsidiani Kefala protected nature reserve. A mountain landscape consisting of dry rocks, heather and trees. The road winds down again through this beautiful landscape.
At RP18 you can stop at the Amazon Park, a small zoo / park with beautiful birds and monkey like. After this we drive through a beautiful valley on a narrow winding road that occasionally leads through a small village. Enjoy the beautiful nature and drive along the winding road to the east, then drive the beautiful coastal road along the Gulf of Mirabello south to the fishing village of Elounda (RP23), where we will stop for lunch and possibly a walk through the village with a visit to the bazaar. Please note at RP21 just before Elounda there are differences in the routes between Tom Tom and Here due to the one way traffic in the village. So follow the signage to visit the village.
After lunch we drive further along the Gulf of Mirabello with beautiful panoramas, there are some viewpoints to enjoy the beautiful views like at RP23. Just before the small town of Kalo Chorio we leave the coastal road to drive further south through the interior. From here the roads wind through a beautiful mountainous area again, generally the roads here are of good quality, but narrow, so watch out for oncoming traffic. We follow this road to Daidalou on the Mediterranean.
From Daidalou we follow the coast road to our final destination in Koutsounari, where we will stay for two days. This first day is already a nice start of the Road trip in Crete with beautiful winding roads, beautiful panoramas and a number of possible sights to visit, so I rate this route with 5 ***** Stars.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Crete
About this region
Crete (Greek: Κρήτη, Modern: Kríti, Ancient: Krḗtē, [krέːtεː]) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete rests approximately 160 km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland. It has an area of 8,336 km2 (3,219 sq mi) and a coastline of 1,046 km (650 mi). It bounds the southern border of the Aegean Sea, with the Sea of Crete (or North Cretan Sea) to the north and the Libyan Sea (or South Cretan Sea) to the south.
Crete and a number of islands and islets that surround it constitute the Region of Crete (Greek: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης), which is the southernmost of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece, and the fifth most populous of Greece's regions. Its capital and largest city is Heraklion, located on the north shore of the island. As of 2020, the region had a population of 636,504. The Dodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete, while the Cyclades are situated to the north, separated by the Sea of Crete. The Peloponnese is to the region's northwest.
Humans have inhabited the island since at least 130,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic age. Crete was the centre of Europe's first advanced civilization, the Minoans, from 2700 to 1420 BC. The Minoan civilization was overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. Crete was later ruled by Rome, then successively by the Byzantine Empire, Andalusian Arabs, the Venetian Republic, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1898 Crete, whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state, achieved independence from the Ottomans, formally becoming the Cretan State. Crete became part of Greece in December 1913.
The island is mostly mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. It includes Crete's highest point, Mount Ida, and the range of the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) with 30 summits above 2000 metres in altitude and the Samaria Gorge, a World Biosphere Reserve. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry and music). The Nikos Kazantzakis airport at Heraklion and the Daskalogiannis airport at Chania serve international travelers. The palace of Knossos, a Bronze Age settlement and ancient Minoan city, is also located in Heraklion.
Read more on Wikipedia
Crete and a number of islands and islets that surround it constitute the Region of Crete (Greek: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης), which is the southernmost of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece, and the fifth most populous of Greece's regions. Its capital and largest city is Heraklion, located on the north shore of the island. As of 2020, the region had a population of 636,504. The Dodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete, while the Cyclades are situated to the north, separated by the Sea of Crete. The Peloponnese is to the region's northwest.
Humans have inhabited the island since at least 130,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic age. Crete was the centre of Europe's first advanced civilization, the Minoans, from 2700 to 1420 BC. The Minoan civilization was overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. Crete was later ruled by Rome, then successively by the Byzantine Empire, Andalusian Arabs, the Venetian Republic, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1898 Crete, whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state, achieved independence from the Ottomans, formally becoming the Cretan State. Crete became part of Greece in December 1913.
The island is mostly mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. It includes Crete's highest point, Mount Ida, and the range of the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) with 30 summits above 2000 metres in altitude and the Samaria Gorge, a World Biosphere Reserve. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry and music). The Nikos Kazantzakis airport at Heraklion and the Daskalogiannis airport at Chania serve international travelers. The palace of Knossos, a Bronze Age settlement and ancient Minoan city, is also located in Heraklion.
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Route Collections in this region Eight beautiful routes in Crete Greece
This is a collection of 8 routes for an 8-day tour on the Greek island of Crete.
Motorcycling in Crete is a real pleasure, this island has many beautiful winding roads with thousands of bends, idyllic villages, beautiful views of the sea, bays, beautiful passes and ravines.
The locals are very hospitable. The roads are decent, but it is advisable to rent an All or Off Road motorcycle, as there are also many bad roads with potholes and unpaved areas.
On the very tourist island there are many hotels, especially along the coast, there are also B&B and a number of campsites. In these routes we assume camping accommodation.
The routes can be driven by motorcycle, car or quads and there are several rental companies in Crete where you can rent All Road, Custom, Quads, Buggies, scooters and cars.
Motorcycling in Crete is a real pleasure, this island has many beautiful winding roads with thousands of bends, idyllic villages, beautiful views of the sea, bays, beautiful passes and ravines.
The locals are very hospitable. The roads are decent, but it is advisable to rent an All or Off Road motorcycle, as there are also many bad roads with potholes and unpaved areas.
On the very tourist island there are many hotels, especially along the coast, there are also B&B and a number of campsites. In these routes we assume camping accommodation.
The routes can be driven by motorcycle, car or quads and there are several rental companies in Crete where you can rent All Road, Custom, Quads, Buggies, scooters and cars.
View Route Collection