Eastern Crete – a Greek Easter

SUMMARY

Dates: Tuesday 27th April  to Tuesday 4th May  2027   – 7 nights with 5 days hiking and time to explore this unspoilt part of Crete.

Guide: Angela and Lisa – 2 Guides to offer a mix of Goat 1 and 2 walks and Greek Easter cultural experiences.

Walking Grade: 2 Goats with some Goat 1 options. You may want to bring a partner/family/ friend who doesn’t want to walk so much. This is a great holiday as there will be Goat 1 choices.

Max elevation: 500m on one day on Goat 2 walks.

Terrain: Good paths – some rocky

Max distance: on Goat 2 walks 15km/10 miles 

Base: We have changed accommodation to be in a hotel with a swimming pool. Our new Mirtos home Villa Kastro  Breakfasts our served in the hotel each morning.

Arrivals: The nearest airport is Heraklion and we will provide two group transfers  in the afternoon around 16.00 and early evening around 18.00. We will gather arrival times and put women together at the most appropriate time. We would like to have everyone in Mirtos for a briefing and evening meal together .

The transfer is approx 1 hour 20 minutes.

Guests will be flying in from various different airports and we know arrival times are very varied. We can arrange additional transfers for an extra cost of approx 105 euros for the taxi (up to 4 people) for a one way transfer.

Departures: The transfer will leave after breakfast so book afternoon flights, leaving after 14:00.

Price: £COMING SOON per person for a solo occupancy room inclusive of :

• Ensuite solo occupancy room
• Access to the hotel swimming pool
• Breakfast provided for you each morning
• Evening meals in local restaurants on 6 nights to give you the true flavour of Crete (one evening you have free time)
• Expert local walking guides
• Airport transfer to and from Heraklion
• All local transport required for walks

Not included:

• Lunches can be bought from the local shops or cafes
• Additional drinks
• Airport transfer outside the time & location stated
• Any excursions not on the itinerary

DETAILS

Our guide Angela speaks German, Greek, Dutch and English and is a highly experienced mountain guide.

We base ourselves in Mirtos, a friendly rural village on the Libyan sea in Eastern Crete. It is one of the sunniest places in Europe. It is full of Cretan traditions and customs and prides itself on remaining unspoilt and not being full of hectic crowds.

Mirtos attracts those interested in hiking with its impressive flora and fauna which we will certainly see the best of in Spring. We will walk through mountain villages and hike where we see ocean vistas. Being able to start and end your days with a dip in the sea is wonderful.

This is Greek Easter so you will be able to join in some of the village events with music and perhaps dancing!

ITINERARY

The itinerary may change depending on the weather and at the discretion of your guide. Rest assured you will be guided on your  hikes,and other options,  to show you the best that Eastern Crete has to offer. Your day’s activities will be discussed with you each day. There will be options of Goat 1 ( Angela ) and Goat 2 (Lisa)

Tuesday : Arrival and settle in

18.00 Welcome meeting with Angela and Lisa in Villa Kastro

19.30 Welcome dinner in a taverna in Mirtos

Wednesday:

08.00 Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos
09.15 Depature

Goat 1: Let’s Cook Together – a gentle local walk around Mirtos and a visit to Angela’s Garden. In the afternoon you will doing a cookery class

Goat 2: Mirsini – Mesa Mouliana – Villages

A beautiful circular walk on dirt tracks from village to village along an old vineyard hill with fantastic views of the north coast and the Cretan Sea. Ideal for to arrive on the island!

Walking time: approx. 3 h – Difference in altitude: approx. 250 m. Driving time to the start: 60 min. Path: easy dirt tracks along the abandoned vineyard hill

19.00 Dinner in a taverna in Mirtos

Thursday:

08.00 Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos
09.15 Depature

Goat 1: Cretan Wines – an ancient story with a walk around Pirgos, a real local farm village

Goat 2: Anatoli – Flowers and Views

This walk in the region of Anatoli, a mountain village above Mirtos, leads through a beautiful landscape with special rock formations and great views of both sides of the island. In spring we can find several rare species of wild orchids and other flowers.

Walking time: approx. 3 ½ h – Difference in altitude: approx. 300 m. Driving time to the start: 40 min

Path: dirt roads and in between about one hour to the peak of the Estavromenos an easy mountain path uphill

19.00 Dinner in a taverna in Mirtos

Friday:

08.00 Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos
09.15 Depature

Goat 1: Wild Herbs on the Northern Coast with a 3 hour walk to the village of Lastros.

Goat 2: Mithi – Circular Walk via the Minoan path

Only 5 km behind Mirtos is the village Mithi, located in a beautiful landscape. We start from there to ascend via an old foot path, named the Minoan path and continue later at a dirt track crossing the shepherd’s settlement Karidi and Agia Marina. After a rest we will descend back to Mithi on another foot path.

Walking time: approx. 5 h – Difference in altitude: approx. 500 m

Driving time to the start: 10 min

Path: the first 1 ½ hours an old mountainous foot path uphill, in between 2 hours dirt tracks and again downhill a mountainous foot path

19.00 Dinner in a taverna in Mirtos

Saturday: FREE DAY

Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos

Today it is your time to spend some time at the beach in Mirtos, just a few minutes on foot from the accommodation. Another option is to go to Ierapetra to visit the weekly farmers market and to explore a bit the southernmost town of Europe.

Dinner: a group dinner will be arranged for you in Mirtos

Sunday:

08.00 Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos
09.15 Depature

Goat 1: Making dough and a walk around Kalamafka, a picturesque mountain village – the largest greenhouse area of Crete.

Goat 2 :Selakano – In the forest

The circular walk starts in the valley of Selakano, a summer settlement in about 1000 m altitude. On old beautiful paths we cross the large forest region with impressive trees and a beautiful landscape, surrounded by more than 2000 m high peaks of the Dikti mountain range. There are moments where you feel like you are in a fairytale place.

Walking time: approx. 4 h – Difference in altitude: approx. 300 m
Driving time to the start: approx. 45 min
Path: a smooth forest path, sometimes little bit stony, several times up and down hill

15.00 – 16.00 Early dinner in taverna Agia Paraskevi between Christos and Malles

Monday:

08.00 Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos
09.15 Depature

Goat 1: We start in Anatoli and walk through the picturesque landscapes with fantastic views to North and South coasts. We visit a local man making products from natural honey, herbs and olive oil.

Goat 2: Kavousi – Ancient olive tree

On an old path along a steep gorge, we walk to a higher spot above the village Kavousi at the north coast. On of the oldest olive trees of Greece is settled in a beautiful location with great views to the Mirabello Bay.

Walking time: approx. 2 ½ hours – Difference of altitude: approx. 280 m. Driving time to the start: approx. 35 min. Path: at the start a steep cobbled path uphill (not recommended for people with problems of vertigo, there is an alternative) We hike along a beautiful gorge, then for half an hour along a dirt track and we end on an  ancient path back to Kavousi

19.00 Finale Dinner in a taverna in Mirtos

Tuesday: Departure

Breakfast in Hotel Mirtos – transfers leaving at 10am or early afternoon for later flights . We provide 2 return transfers and timings will be finalised once we know morning and afternoon flight times.