Crete Beach Life: Knossos, Chania & the Pink Sands of Elafonissi

Our first day in Crete begins with a morning at the site of Knossos, one of the most important archaeological sites in Europe.

• In the city of King Minos: according to legend, this is where the labyrinth that imprisoned the Minotaur was located, and we walk right inside the books of literature, among the places of King Minos, Ariadne, Daedalus and Icarus.

• Free time in Heraklion: after lunch the rest of the day is ours, with no set agenda: we follow the flow through the old town of Heraklion, with its squares, cafes and picturesque markets.

A free day on the south coast, in the province of Heraklion, by the crystal-clear waters of the Libyan Sea.

• Exploring Matala: a picturesque, unspoiled village on Messara Bay, where a cliff dotted with prehistoric-era caves rises above the beach. What a sight!

We continue discovering the largest of the Greek islands and its heavenly beaches, heading to the eastern part of the island.

• First stop, Agios Nikolaos: a charming fishing village famous for its incredible beaches and its thousand-year history. Why not enjoy a good glass of red wine here?

• Cruising Mirabella Bay: later we move to Mirabella Bay, the largest gulf of the Greek islands and fifth largest in the Mediterranean, and embark on a relaxing cruise, letting the waves wash over us as the sun disappears behind the horizon.

This morning we set out along the northern coast from Heraklion to Rethymnon, where our hotel for the next few days awaits.

• Taking it slow: there's no rush, so we take our time to visit Rethymno and enjoy the sights along the way.

• Swim and lunch at Bali Beach: another refreshing dip and a well-deserved lunch break on Bali Beach (no, we haven't ended up in Indonesia, we're still in Crete!), with emerald-green, crystal-clear waters and sandy coves.

• Fancy another dip? Every beach or cove along the way is an excellent excuse to stop and dive into the waters of this part of the island.

The alarm has already rung: we head to Kissamos for yet another dip, welcomed by white sand, turquoise water, hidden coves and the shade of juniper trees. The morning is ours to plan:

• Fancy some snorkeling? We can spend the morning snorkeling to enjoy the sea life, swimming along the coast to a natural rock pool.

• In the mood to unwind? Or we can simply relax on the beach: the choice is ours.

• Snack break: after swimming back to shore and drying off, it's snack time.

• Afternoon in Chania: we slow down and take some free time to explore Chania, the Venice of the East and the second largest city on the island of Crete.

We wake up early: we want to reach the pink beach of Elafonissi well ahead of everyone else, so we can enjoy it in all its splendour.

It's a tongue of sand with a thousand shades of pink and also a protected area: caretta-caretta turtles come here to lay their eggs, so some areas of the beach are cordoned off to protect the hatchlings.

• Morning at Elafonissi: we enjoy the peace of the early morning (if we manage to get out of bed!), spread our towels and answer the call of the sea: the water is an otherworldly colour, impossible to resist.

• Stop at Falassarna: on the way back we stop at Falassarna Beach, another of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

• Sunset dinner or back to Rethymno? For our last evening we can stay here for dinner at sunset (did someone say pita gyros?) or return to Rethymno.