Michaelis was a good guide, letting us know what to expect. The coach was comfortable and the transition to minibus went well. Rethimno was just worth a visit - the Fortezza was huge, but perhaps could do with a museum inside. Chania was good to visit, with.a fairly scenic harbour area, plenty of alleys and a lot of tourist shops. For me the best part was the Museum of Ancient Shipbuilding on the eastern side of the harbour in an old Venetian ship shed, which contained an interesting replica minoan ship. Finally, the short swim stop at Kournas - not everyone liked this, and would have preferred more time in Chania, but I enjoyed having a fresh water dip, with hot chocolate at a waterside taverna afterwards. I had googles, but did not see any of the terrapins or goldfish that it is stocked with. Overall a pleasant day,

The tour was great and all went to plan. Michael was a fabulous tour guide and very knowledgeable and interesting. He spoke 3 different languages on the bus which was very impressive. But then he told me he actually speaks 5 languages! Also our driver drove very safely and efficiently. It was a wonderful experience.

Great day out. Lots of time on the coach but you would expect that if you’re setting off from Heraklion. Having said that, the roads do go through some stunning scenery. Sit on the right side of the bus for the best coastal views as you go up into the hills. There was a 15 min stop on the way to Rethimno, then about 90 mins in the town itself. There was enough time for a walk round and then a sit for a drink in a place near the old harbour. Back in the coach for 1 hour to Chania (this was right around mid day for us). We then had around 2.5 hours at Chania plenty of time again for a wonder through the old town and some lunch in one of the taverna’s along the waterfront. Back on the bus to Kournas lake. Beware the bus parks at the top of the hill and it’s a bit steep down to the lake itself. I gave the swim a miss and sat in the taverna at the top with a stunning view and a cold beer. After around an hour it was time to head back. It was about 11 hours in total from Kato Gouves.