swmchallenge - For 91 Days

Knossos: The “Modern” Minoan Palace Near Heraklion

Just outside of Heraklion, the biggest city and capital of Crete, lie the ruins of Knossos: one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the Western world. Knossos was home to the palace of King Minos, and thought to be the center of the extinct Minoan kingdom. It's a place drenched in history so ancient, it's positively mythological. Heraklion is a three-hour bus ride from Chania, which we were astounded to discover. It's easy to think of…

The Coastal Hike from Loutro to Hora Sfakion

Our stay in Loutro was short but sweet. We had just a single day, not even twenty-four hours, to bask in the quiet beauty of this tiny village. There are only two ways to access Loutro: either by boat, or by foot. And since we had taken the ferry in, we decided to hoof it out. A brilliant coastal path of about two hours connects this town back to Chora Sfakion, where we'd be catching the bus…

Early Morning Hike From Loutro To Finikas Bay And Back

After waking up in Loutro, we went to the top of our guesthouse, just to make sure the town was as amazing as we remembered, and that yesterday hadn't been some vivid dream. Clutching mugs of coffee, we watched the morning sun pour in over the cliffs, bathing the bay in a soft, warm light. Yep, Loutro's beauty was an objective reality. This was a perfect beginning to the morning, but we couldn't linger too long: we…

The Villages of Loutro & Chora Sfakion

A splash of white at the bottom of the cliffs, the village of Loutro looks like someone spilled paint out of a bucket, then decided not to clean it up. "Nobody will see it anyway, all the way down there." It's not unreasonable, because without a boat, you never would see Loutro. This tiny, gorgeous village is totally inaccessible by car. Arriving at Loutro isn't the easiest, especially if the weather is bad. We had to scramble,…

Traditional Leather Processing Workshops Near Chania, Crete

Before tourism staked its claim, Chania was leather territory. For years, this had been the place to buy the famous tall, black leather boots of Crete, especially along Stivanandika Street. There's still plenty of leather being sold on this street, but the workshops are gone, replaced by an unbroken lineup of identical tourist shops. If you want to find something more traditional way, you have to leave the Old Quarter. Stivanandika, or Leather Street, was actually the…

A Road-Trip from Chania into the Mountains

Throughout the two months we'll be spending on Crete, our plan is to embark on a road-trip every week. The ultimate goal of our first excursion was the famous pink beach of Elafonissi, but we had plenty of time to make some other stops along the way. We didn't even make it to the beach on the first day, but saw more than enough to warrant a separate post. Minoan Tomb in Maleme Discovered only at the…

Beauty but no Gondolas: Chania’s Venetian Harbor

If you were hoping to see gondolas floating through the canals of Chania's Venetian Harbor, we're sorry to disappoint you. Although I'm sure any disenchantment you're feeling won't last, after you see the amazing promenade which rings the city's small port. Chania doesn't have any canals for gondolas to paddle, anyway, so they'd be pretty useless here. No, the Venetian Harbor wasn't named for its resemblance to the Floating City, but because of its creators. In the…

Three Spots In Chania Off The Beaten Path

One of the greatest things about slow travel is the discovery of spots you'd never run into, were you visiting for just a day or two. After having spent some time familiarizing ourselves with Chania, we discovered a few spots that are off the beaten path. Please keep in mind, a couple of these are technically closed off to visitors, but nobody seems to pay any attention to that. Still, I wouldn't suggest going after dark, and…

Two Months on Crete… and the Reason We Visit Greece Every Year

We're finally on the road again! After a long break of nearly six months, we packed our suitcases and left Valencia, to spend two months on Crete, in Greece. If you follow us on social media, you might have noticed that Greece is an annual destination for us. And there's a reason for that. As all frequent travelers know, flying can be a nightmare. But a few years ago, we learned about a great way to achieve…

Bannalp – An Insider’s Tip Near Lucerne + Alphorn

When thinking about Switzerland, the images which usually come to mind are the romantic scenes country life, beautiful old architecture, cheese and chocolate every where. But for me, the most exciting thing about the country is the sheer numbers of gondolas, funiculars, unique trains and cog railways. We love these unique forms of transportation, and always make sure to visit as many as we can. I'm being serious! Here are just some of the crazy transportation methods…