Crete is way more than beaches - and I didn’t see it coming

I just got back from 5day trip to Crete. I`m still thinking about this island non-stop.

I spent a day around Elafonissi Beach and the truth is photos don`t do Elafonissi Beach justice. Water there is really something! It has shallow turquoise lagoons that seem to go on forever and there are even some spots with pinkish sand. It gives you feeling you`re not really in EU anymore.

What surprised me the most about that place was a hiking trial that starts near Elafonissi Beach parking. If you go a bit off the beach areas and head inland through rocks you can find olive groves and tiny hidden coves with tiny beach and incredibly clear water. I ended up sitting in one of these for hours without seeing another person.

Crete is one of those places that feels like several world stitched together - harsh moutains, endless olives groves, chaotic towns and then suddenly these unreal turquoise beaches just minutes apart. You can base yourself in one area and still feel like you`re constantly discovering something new.

It feels like you could spend weeks in Crete and still can`t get enough of this island.