It doesn’t start well in Chania, Crete

We arrive in Crete at midnight after almost 24 hours of travel, from Toronto to Athens to Heraklion.  My daughter Alyx, her friend Rebecca, and I pile into a taxi and head for Chania. The driver, a local, isn’t able to find the address. Not a good start.

When we finally find it, things are not what I expected. My lovely Airbnb ‘elegant Cretan mansion’ is simply not going to cut it. While it looks close to the beach on a map, it is actually at least 20 minutes away in an industrial area, surrounded by a gravel pit and guarded by the most enormous and ferocious Rottweiler I have ever seen, straining at his leash.  This doesn’t feel safe, nor does it feel like what had been advertised.

We have no choice but to stay the first night due to jet lag, but the next morning I awaken early, find a car rental agency and hit the open road.

Falasarna’s white beaches beckon

An hour later, bundled in a ratchedy Jimmy all-terrain vehicle, I drive east, toward Kissismous and follow a winding road that took us far up into the mountains. I have no map, no idea where I was heading, but I know we will hit water at some point – this is an island, after all!

After about 90 minutes, olive groves appear, and then, in the distance, I spot the ocean, colourful umbrellas and a white sand beach. I have no idea where I am, but soon discover that the beach in front of us is Falasarna. Not only is it one of the most famous beaches in Crete, it is also ranked as one of the top 10 beaches in Europe. The girls are beside themselves and begin ripping bikinis out of their bags, ready to launch themselves into the turquoise water. However, I have to find a place to stay, too.

The road narrows and becomes a one-lane dirt road. It ends in a surprising way: at Sunset Villas, a family-owned boutique hotel with a beautiful view and outside terrace covered in vines and flowers. Within 10 minutes, Maria has given us two perfect rooms, overlooking the beach, for about 50 euros. I am in heaven!

Falasarma is the perfect place for us to feel the wind in our faces and celebrate freedom. Turquoise water, fine sand, and a choice of beaches – some with rocky shores and other, more intimate beaches. We spend the day in the water, jet skiing, reading, and enjoying the warm sunshine. Finally, I feel like I’m on vacation. That night, we enjoy a delicious homemade Greek dinner, serenaded by noisy and welcoming cicadas, at the taverna. It’s a moment I will never forget.

Santorini: Life in Cave House

Santorini is the next stop on our itinerary. I am surprised and impressed by the quality of the ferries: they are well run, generally on time and the interiors are just like an airplane, with assigned seating.

I am thrilled with our cave house, Casa Sigala, which I found on booking.com. It seems suspended over the ocean, overlooking the caldera. The food in Santorini is outstanding: my favourites included poka, with its stunning views of the sunset. Both Lotza and Strogili have beautiful views of the caldera and boats zipping by far beneath us.

Eager to get on the water, we spend the first morning on a catamaran and toured nearby islands, including the volcano hot springs. It’s easy to see how this is considered to be the lost city of Atlantis; it’s so stunning. Sunsets and romance are in the in the air in Santorini, and I wish I could stay longer. Alyx and Rebecca love the shopping and the views; I think Snapchat had a busy day.

Naxos and its famous Portara

The next island on my list is Naxos, known for its stunning beaches, including Plaka and Agia Ana. Naxos appeals for its laid-back style, quaint old town and busy port in Naxos Town. With its churches, monasteries and Venetian castles, it’s very lush, scenic and fairly undiscovered. It’s famous for the Portara or Great Door, which sits on a small island that you can walk up to. Built in 530 BC, myth has it that this is where Ariadne, the Minoan princess, was abandoned by her lover, Theseus, after he killed Minotaur on the island of Crete.

On my first night in Naxos, we stay at the boutique hotel Lagos Mare on Agios Prokopios beach. As I swim in the warm ocean, I decide to make another schedule change – to abandon the return trip to Athens via Rhodes. To get to Rhodes, I would have had to return to Santorini and take a 3 am ferry. This means an entire day of travel. Being on a beach is definitely more appealing. I take a bus into Naxos Town, cancel my hotel in Rhodes, and exchange my ferry and plane tickets.

Ios is calling!

Instead of Rhodes, I decide to visit a nearby island called Ios. I find a small, family-owned hotel called Psili Ammos, right on Mylopalatas Beach. This is a highlight of my trip, because of the family that owns this hotel and the Drakos Tavern underneath. Built over 60 years ago, this was the first hotel on the beach, which is now a top destination.

The owner, George, gives us a lovely white stuccoed room room with blue shutters that overlook the ocean, and his cousin serves us dinner at the family taverna downstairs. I eat octopus, fish and mussels caught that day in the ocean. On my last day, I take a bus to Maganari beach, a charming bay on the south side of Ios. It is so clear that I could see Santorini from my beach chairs. The return to Athens is on a fast-speed ferry, another change in my agenda, but much more enjoyable than flying.