Beneath the Lemon Trees by Emma Burstall is out now! Get your copy 🇬🇷🍋
Tucked away in a remote corner of southern Crete is a little village called Loutro, which you can only reach on foot or by boat. I first visited some six years ago on a hiking trip with eleven girlfriends. (Yes, our jaws had a good workout, too!)
We arrived by ferry and I was instantly enchanted by the small, semi-circular harbour, with its cluster of whitewashed buildings with blue shutters, and the imperious mountains rising up behind. The sparkling Libyan Sea was a beautiful blue-green colour and so clear you could spot the rocks at the bottom.
As we strolled towards our hotel along the main street, flanked by restaurants and tempting shops selling brightly coloured clothes, hats and jewellery, we were greeted by the friendly, smiling faces of locals, all of whom looked as if they had more than a few stories to tell. At that moment I knew this wouldn’t be my one and only visit; I was destined to come back.
Sure enough, I returned a year later with the same crowd and then again with my partner. He was equally captivated by Loutro, which went on to become the inspiration for my fictional village of Porto Liakáda in Beneath the Lemon Trees.
This part of Crete is perfect for a lovely, lazy beach holiday where you can lounge around, soak up the sun and enjoy delicious local food. Particular treats include freshly caught fish and Sfakian cheese pie, a pastry filled with sweet cheese and drizzled with golden honey, tasting of the aromatic herbs and wild flowers that grow all over the island.
But if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can hike to the one of the spectacular nearby gorges – Samaria, one of the longest and deepest in Europe – or the Aradena Gorge, where you’ll spot black vultures circling overhead and maybe even a Golden Eagle.
Alternatively, you can climb one of the rocky, zigzag mule tracks up the mountain, with grazing goats to keep you company. There are the ruins of a Venetian tower and Byzantine church to explore at the top.
Another of my favourite walks is to a local beach called Sweetwater, where spring water can be found bubbling just below the surface of the pebbles.
It’s a tough hike but well worth the effort for the stunning views.
The beach is relatively uncrowded, but happily there’s a restaurant, the Mermaid Island Taverna. Standing on rocks in the water, it serves delicious, freshly made food. What’s more, if you can’t be bothered to walk home, you can catch a taxi boat from the jetty and enjoy the coastline from a totally different perspective. The perfect end to a memorable day!
