Crete June 2026
Our Annual Summer Holiday in Crete: Family, Food and a Few Surprises 🇬🇷
Well, here we are again, back from our annual summer holiday! This time, though, we had a few more people joining us. We brought both our daughters, our son (my stepson stayed behind in Norway because he doesn’t like hot weather, and we were going away for two weeks), and my mother-in-law. After the first week, my sister-in-law arrived with her husband and grandchild.
All in all, I’d say we had a lovely holiday… but, of course, there were a few disagreements along the way. After all, it was a family holiday! 😅
Staying in Kato Stalos Again
For the second time, we stayed at Achilles Plaza in Kato Stalos, right on the border of Agia Marina. It’s a pleasant, family-run apartment hotel close to the beach.
The first time we stayed there, we didn’t do much exploring because my mother-in-law was with us, and she doesn’t cope well with the heat. A little drink or a beer, on the other hand, seems to go down like a treat… LOL! So we mostly stayed around the hotel.
This time was fairly similar, but at least we managed to squeeze in a few excursions! We took the little tourist train, went on a boat trip to Balos and Gramvousa, hired a pedal boat at Lake Kournas, also known as the turtle lake, and visited the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete. All three are popular attractions on Crete.
The truth is, we almost always visit two of these places whenever we go to Crete: Lake Kournas and the botanical gardens. Our little man absolutely loves them! 🥰
My son and I had been to Balos before, when we travelled there by car with my brother and sister-in-law and their child. This time, however, we went by boat. I think I’d prefer to hire a private boat next time, if we decide to go back.
I usually manage to persuade everyone to make a trip to Elafonissi as well, but it wasn’t meant to be this time. So, no Elafonissi for us this year! 🥲
Coral Beach: A Big Disappointment
We spent quite a lot of time around the hotel again this year, but we did manage to visit Coral Beach. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a huge disappointment!
We’ve always loved swimming and relaxing there ever since we first discovered the place, and we’ve returned every time we’ve been in Crete. But this time, it was absolutely packed with people. There was also a new waiter who initially gave us the impression that he didn’t really want us there. As it turned out, he was quite a handful to deal with.
When we first visited, the restaurant was run by a woman from the Netherlands who was absolutely lovely. There was also a guy who had completely fallen in love with our son’s curls and was always really friendly. He was still there, but the rest of the waiting staff had changed. We believe the woman’s son has taken over the restaurant now, although we think she only mentioned that to us once, so we’re not entirely sure.
It’ll probably be a while before we return, which is a shame because the place used to be absolutely perfect for us.
Luckily, we’ve discovered a similar spot in Kato Stalos called Phaedra. It’s a lovely place with a swimming pool, access to the sea and a little bar. So, next time we’re in Crete, I can definitely see us spending more time there! 😉
Food, Glorious Food!
Now, let’s talk about the food!
We absolutely love Horiatiko, so naturally, we went there again. This time, there was a bit of grumbling from my mother-in-law, who would have preferred to stay within 150 metres of the hotel at all times!
As always, Horiatiko served fantastic food, so no complaints on that front. The only thing we noticed was that the staff seemed a little stressed. Given that the restaurant was completely full, that’s understandable. They usually take the time to stop for a little chat with us, but that didn’t happen this time.
Meraki: An Unexpected Favourite
We’ve walked past Meraki so many times without ever eating there. I’d suggested it a few times on previous trips, and this year we finally decided to give it a go. And boy, are we glad we did!
The spit-roasted lamb was absolutely incredible. Heavenly doesn’t even begin to describe it!
We went on the Wednesday of our first week, and the food was so good that we took my sister-in-law, her husband and their grandchild there when they arrived during the second week.
Meraki is also known for its authentic Greek food and generous portions, and after our visit, I can certainly understand why!
Maria’s and Mother’s Kitchen
Maria’s was perfectly fine, but nothing that will have us dreaming about the food long after our holiday.
Mother’s Kitchen, on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown. We experienced quite a few things going wrong during our visit, which was surprising considering how many positive reviews the place has received.
Sometimes, a restaurant just doesn’t live up to expectations. It happens, even on holiday!
Where We Stayed and Other Useful Links
Phaedra
Achilles Plaza
Visit the official Achilles Plaza website
All in all, we had a lovely couple of weeks in Crete, with plenty of sunshine, family time, good food and a few unexpected disappointments along the way. That’s family holidays for you! ❤️
And, of course, there’s always next year to look forward to. Who knows what adventures, restaurants and family disagreements will be waiting for us next time? 😂
