Yiannis’ Chania Experience Tours
Intro
Meet Yiannis. Yiannis is the friendly-face and head of Chania Experience Tours, based in Chania. In the winter Yiannis acts as a Management Consultant in London for small emerging businesses. In the summer he’s back home running this unique excursion company. Here is the web address for his business:
Web: http://www.chaniaexperiencetours.com
Email: info@chaniaexperiencetours.com
The website contains all the information you need to offer you an unforgettable experience. You will have a day out with an expert guide who has a private vehicle (stocked with a fridge of cold drinks) and whose local knowledge and safe driving make for a secure and exhilarating excursion.
This blog just focuses on Yiannis’ knowledge of the island, but you can read about all the other places he took us to in separate blogs. For instance, there are articles on Elafonissi, the pink beach, Aspri Limnos (the peaceful retreat unseen by tourists), his favourite hideout, Voulolimnos (where he created his website), the Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa, the incredible Gorge of Topolia and the ‘Nazi Tunnel’ and also the beautiful coastline at Falasarna, where he does evening trips for you to catch the spectacular sunsets!
Contact Yiannis. You won’t regret it.
Wine, Goats, Fish, Weddings, Baptisms & Nuns
Here’s a summary of our itinerary - you can pick any tour you desire and customise it, even on the day as you go along! We chose the west coast tour, wild and rugged. Get up early and beat the other trips and crowds.
We started by visiting the famous pink sands of Elafonissi. Then it’s off to explore some small coves and beaches which few ever see, at Voulolimnos and Aspri Limnos. Close by is the grand Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa. There are spectacular views here and opportunities for great photos. Without a guide you could be lost here. Yiannis explained everything and even squeezed us into the church for a baptism as it was happening. The priests didn’t seem to mind our intrusion. Unreal.
Yiannis’ family know all about goats and wine. You will learn all about goat-rent (Rent-a-Goat it isn’t) and viniculture. He will stop at his uncle’s farm up in the hills and show you the process of wine-making. He’ll show you the videos on his phone of them all mucking in with the treading of the grape. At lunchtime (yep, you choose your stop for the real Cretan experience) you’ll get to sample his family’s wine.
Lunch is taken at a fish taverna. More relatives. More fun and great fresh food on the beach. You can see the images below. After lunch you can choose to go elsewhere - he will offer some options. It’s a fact-filled day, all right!
High in the mountains above Ano Sfinari we stop to take in the incredible views, while Yiannis explains how much rent the local goat-keeper pays his uncle for accessing the hostile environment.
As we drop down towards Kato Sfinari (Lower) there is another stop for a lesson in wine-making. Yiannis has relatives dotted all around this part of the island and he’s able to explain the process of making the local wine. He shows you videos on his phone of the whole family (including himself) mucking in during the harvest. He removes the lid from the storage container to reveal the fomentation process. Then it’s off to yet another relative’s Fish Taverna.
Captain Phidias’ Fish Taverna
In the morning Captain Phidias’s lads go out in the boats. They catch all sorts of fish. They never know exactly what’s going to be in the haul.
When the fish are brought in, they go straight into the chillers. Customers are invited to look at the fish and choose those they want. Yiannis will assist you. The fish are weighed for you and you can agree to the cost which suits you and your party. The lunchtime view is amazing. Tables right on the beach. Of course the food is exceptional. And…don’t rush!
The Fridge
Weighing & costing
The Catch of the day
Decisions……decisions! After making our choices (recommended of course), it’s just the simple matter of picking a table on the beach and tasting some of that wine! Yiannis makes sensible suggestions for accompaniments with the fish, then he leaves us to enjoy our ichthyan delights in privacy.
Where next, Yianni? No, you decide!
We opted for Falasarna, where he shows us enormous conservatories of cucumbers and other edible goodies and explains how they’re grown. A nice study in micro-economics! In this area are two main beaches, one huge and another smaller and more secluded (Little Beach is pictured). He took us to the Orange Blue bar for refreshing drinks, beers, milkshakes, etc.
Yiannis offers a separate trip in the evening where you can dine at a local taverna there and watch the world-famous sunset. Many companies offer similar tours around the west of Crete, but I would recommend a private one with expert local knowledge.
Finally, you get taken back to your apartment or hotel. All times are mutual. If there’s a problem with the weather, Yiannis will contact you. Why not arrange a local day-out at a different beach with him or a winery?
Get in!