The weather was a balmy 23 degrees C, & after a couple of days enjoying the facilities at the villa, we decided to go out and about in Aptera… We wanted somewhere not too far from Longhouse Crete – a Day Trip!
The perfect place recommended by a friend was the ancient city of Aptera. This is an archaeological site a 30-minute drive away in the direction of Chania, easily accessible from the National Road. We turned off at the exit sign-posted Megala Horafia, and from there onwards it was an easy drive to Aptera. https://www.visitgreece.gr/experiences/culture/archaeological-sites-and-monuments/archaeological-site-of-aptera/
We arrived at the entrance and a wonderful sight greeted us. Wild flowers of every colour, yellow, red, and purple covered the surrounding grounds like a vast carpet. May in Crete is the best time for catching wild flowers in bloom. We paid a small fee and in great anticipation we set off exploring. One of the most impressive features were the cisterns. The Romans built these cisterns to collect water to supply the whole of Aptera. We clambered down some rocky steps and ended up in these vast underground caverns. We marveled at what a feat it must have been to have built such enormous structures.
Just on the outskirts of the ruins, we stumbled upon a recently excavated amphitheatre. This was located in a dip surrounded by woods creating a tranquil setting. As we looked down the slope, we could see the different levels leading to the stage and naturally wandered down to explore.
Located on the north of the hill is the Ottoman fort from where you can view the whole of Souda Bay. It took us over an hour to walk mainly the excavated enclosed area.
After a satisfactory wander, we all suddenly felt hungry and needed to find a taverna for a leisurely lunch. Driving the small back roads, we headed for the village of Fres https://greece.terrabook.com/chania/page/fres/
and arrived at a gorgeous looking taverna. The tables and chairs under the shady trees beckoned us invitingly. We could see diners enjoying their traditional Sunday lunch and we considered this to be a good sign. The charming taverna owner welcomed us warmly and showed us a table immediately. Eagerly, we studied the menu and chose traditional dishes. We spent the rest of the afternoon happily tucking into zucchini balls, cheese pies, greek salads, barbecued lamb chops, grilled Cretan sausages … need I say more? What a splendid end to an interesting day trip!