HERAKLION!

Advantages: better than we expected, clean arrival facilities, wasnt too crowded on arrival, nice location, useful staff, shops, airconditioning
Disadvantages: departure lounge, toilets in departures, lack of seating during busy times

...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arrival ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After reading nothing but extremely negative reviews about Heraklion airport we were becoming increasingly anxious as our plane started to decent onto the Greek island of Crete! We had read about long delays, lack of or broken air-conditioning, cramped, dirty and overcrowded baggage claim areas and many other complaints. The airport is situated right by the sea and in the capital of Crete (Heraklion). As we landed I was surprised that the airport was actually of a reasonable size, there was nothing fancy about the outside of the building but at least it didn't look dilapidated!! As we got off the plane via a set of steps we were immediately guided into a bus, which fortunately wasn't too crowded as there were other passengers waiting for the next one. After just a minute...

ilusvm 29.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Crete Airport

Heraklion Airport

Advantages: Easily accessible to main town Heraklion. Good transport links to rest of island. Staff friendly
Disadvantages: Slow check in procedure with scanning bags after check in with tickets. Tour operator queues.

...My first visit to Heraklion was two years ago when I came on holiday with my daughter. We arrived in the early hours at 4 am and it was very quiet and streamline. The airport is small and you could almost walk to the planes on the tarmac, but you took a short bus ride to the terminal and collected the bags easily, then walking straight out to the front of the terminal. On leaving, as we were on a package tours we had to leave at 3 am again. You will find that most of the large tour operators have early morning flights departing from Heraklion. On arrival at the airport I was amazed at the number of people at such an hour! It was heaving! The large operators had queues outside the terminals waiting for their flights and each line had the flight number on the front, There are seats outside, but you basically have to stand in your...

Phweeter 28.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Crete Airport

WARNING NOT 5 STAR!

Advantages: All inclusive!
Disadvantages: Not 5 Star!

...Rinela Beach Hotel, 5 Stars, Crete. My mum and I decided that we wanted to spend some quality time together this year, so we booked or should I say my mum booked and paid for us to have a luxury weeks holiday at a 5 star all inclusive hotel, in Crete. As you can imagine we were very excited about this holiday. The Area: We flew out to Crete on Friday 25th August, our flight landed at 3am Crete time, we were met by a transfer coach and taken to our hotel, the hotel was only 30mins away from the airport which was good, because it meant we weren't stuck on the coach for hours. The Rinela Beach Hotel is situated in Kokkini Hani which is 15 km from Heraklion, and 13 km from the airport. The Rinela Beach Hotel is a Mitsis Hotel and has 438 rooms in the main hotel and 208 VIP rooms. Our Room: The hotel had an impressive...

LIZKEMPO 12.09.2006 (13.09.2006) · Read review
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Review of Rinela Beach, Heraklion

Bonking Bulls

Advantages: the cradle of European civilisation
Disadvantages: too full in summer

...destruction came when peoples from mainland Greece invaded the island. Filled to the brim with information we left the site not before using the (clean) loos at the exit and went to the bus-stop outside to go to the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion where the findings of Knossos are displayed, but that's another story . . ....

MALU 01.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Palace of Knossos, Heraklion, Crete

Excellent for a relaxing time

Advantages: Well run, value for money, good and plenitful food, all inclusive, family orientated
Disadvantages: Entertainment is amateur and you away from any other entertainment

...really made an effort to get to know everybody. The Europa Beach is opposite the Beach and is about a 20 minute walk away from the Village of Analipsi which has several restaurants and a few bars. The towns of hersonisos and heraklion are a taxi ride away and these have more clubs and bars. In Summary, I had a wonderful time at the Europa Beach. It was a quiet relaxing holiday, with good quality food and drink in vast supply. I would definatly go back for a family holiday, but would go somewhere different if I wanted a holiday with a more energetic nightlife....

sammi_kt 14.05.2006 (16.05.2006) · Read review
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Review of Europa Beach Hotel, Heraklion

A Palace Fit For A King!

Advantages: Good Value For Money, Educational
Disadvantages: Very Little Shade

......

micksheff 06.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Palace of Knossos, Heraklion, Crete

Knossos. Minoan Palace

Advantages: CAN'T THINK OF ONE
Disadvantages: To busy, spoilt by renovations and reconstruction

......

nigelcwm 30.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Palace of Knossos, Heraklion, Crete

flying bristol or east midlands to heraklion

Advantages: cheap and convenient
Disadvantages: the food

......

hans679 11.04.2006 · Read review
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Review of Excel Airways

Georgioupolis, Western Crete

Advantages: Long sandy beach, village feel, friendly locals, good base to explore
Disadvantages: Mosquitos can be a nuisance, maybe too quiet for teenagers

...play loud music late into the night. A small "road-train" runs daily excursions to nearby Lake Kournas (the only fresh water lake on Crete), and the pretty mountain village of Argiropolis. Local travel agencies offer a good choice of excursions further afield, and car and bike hire is inexpensive. A good choice for relaxing holidays and exploring the area - but don't expect wild nightlife. Flights are available through most major tour operators to Chania or Heraklion - a taxi from Chania is around 35 Euro - from Heraklion expect to pay around 50 Euro minimum. Overnight ferries operate from Piraeus to Chania (Souda Bay) and also to nearby Rethymnon. Outside of peak season there is a good selection of rent rooms available around the village....

Sandroulla 28.04.2006 · Read review
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Review of Crete (Greece)

The Gift of a Lifetime

Advantages: full explanations, recipes that work, straightforward ingredients
Disadvantages: none

...I bought the Good Housekeeping cookery book in 1975 from a book club at a reduced rate. It has seen me through thirty two years, two marriages, and child raising. I still use it and recommend it today. Back and front covers have come off, favourite pages have drops of cake mixture on them, but it has pride of place on my kitchen shelf and the recipes still work. When my son was little I found a recipe for cake, which we used for every birthday - it works (he's 21 this year, and I plan to use it again). I make stuffings every Christmas using the recipes in this book - sauseagemeat and chestnut are part of our family tradition. We even found a recipe for Greek Loukamades (fried doughnuts) which my second husband enjoyed in Heraklion. This recipe was not in any of the Greek books we bought; our Greek sister-in-law did not...

madderbat 24.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Good Housekeeping Cookery Book (The Cook's Classic Companion) - Good Housekeeping Institute