city is closed to automobile traffic. Our adventure will next take us to the beautiful island of Crete. Our first stop in Crete will be the city of Chania. Though Chania is a modern city the interior is a labyrynth of old Venetian houses that you can wander around with only an occasional reminder of the twentieth century. The port is actually in Souda Bay, but there are buses and taxis available to take you right into the city. The bus will leave you at the market place near the old town. We will be staying in a lovely hotel overlooking the harbor and here the nightlife below can get a little noisy. In Chania it's a case of passing the day until the sun goes down and the lights of the cafes, restaurants and bars around the harbor come on and life begins. Like most harbor towns the expensive cafes have taken the best spots on the waterfront and the cheaper and more traditional restaurants are on the fringes and the back streets. Most of the bars, discos and nightclubs are located in the inner harbor. For traditional Greek music in a traditional Greek setting try the Caf Kriti at 22 Kalergon, the next street up parallel to the inner harbor. The beaches are to the west and being close to the city they are usually if not crowded, well populated. Since this city has so many woderful sites to be seen, we will be taking a 4 hour bus tour. If you would rather lay out on the beach and watch people you should be at Elounda beach or Ag Nik.Another city we will be seeing is the city of Rethymnon which is a mixture of high end tourist resorts and a traditional inner harbor of old buildings. Most of the tourist activity and nightlife is located on the road behind the town beach. There are long stretches of sand and you may find yourself alone, but be aware that there can be strong currents and there are no lifeguards.The Arkadiou Monastery between Rethymnon and Iraklion is a 5th century holy site that became a symbol of Cretan restistance...
