Day 9: Farewell to Santorini, Hello Again Crete

Today is our departure day from Santorini.

We began with a late, leisurely breakfast at our private space. The morning was cloudy, chilly, and windy, and we weren’t sure where to have breakfast. But as we stepped outside, we realized our terrace was well sheltered — it didn’t feel cold at all. So we enjoyed our last Santorini breakfast overlooking the sea, soaking in the view one last time.

Our ferry wasn’t until 16:00, so we had plenty of time. The original plan was to visit Skaros Rock in Imerovigli. But the gray weather made us lose our enthusiasm, so instead, we relaxed by the pool until late check-out. It was a calm and quiet morning — and perhaps exactly what we needed.

After checking out, we headed to the port and had a light lunch while waiting for the ferry.

Upon arriving at Heraklion, we checked into a hotel slightly outside of town — we had chosen it intentionally, hoping to spend our last night in Crete quietly by the sea.

At the airport, a driver arranged by the hotel came to pick us up. The ride took about 20 minutes, and as we pulled up to the building, we both paused... "Is this our hotel?" It didn’t match our style at all. But since we had confirmed the name before departure, I hesitated. Just to be sure, I checked again — and, as suspected, it was not our hotel!

The driver quickly apologized for the mix-up and drove us to the correct one. What a relief — this time, it was a stylish hotel, much more our taste and especially nice for this area. Lucky that I caught the mistake in time!

👉 Paralos Venus Suites Adults Only

After settling in, we took a walk along the coast near the town. Unfortunately, the place didn’t have much charm — perhaps the cold, cloudy weather didn’t help. We didn’t find a place we liked for a drink either, so we returned to the hotel and relaxed at the bar. We had hoped for a small snack, but unfortunately, they didn’t serve any food.

Later in the evening, we ventured back out to find dinner — just something light. Surprisingly, there were two sushi restaurants in this little town (which we, of course, skipped). We eventually picked another spot. I had a tuna tartare, and my husband tried the pork cooked for nine hours. It was decent, but not as memorable as the meals we had during our previous stay in Crete. Still, that’s often the case with restaurants near the beach.

Today wasn’t particularly eventful — no big sights, no spectacular sunset. But it had its own rhythm. Sometimes, travel isn’t about chasing experiences but about simply being in the moment. Our quiet day, despite the clouds and small missteps, reminded us of that. Tomorrow, we say goodbye to Greece — and we do so with full hearts and unforgettable memories.