Mykonos In The Off-Season, What To Do And See

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When we decided to go to Greece, Cindy aspired to see a picturesque island she had seen in the movies. White buildings, colorful blue roofs, and doors that stood out with bright colors. Mykonos would be this island of wonder and awe. Even though this would be Mykonos in the off-season, what to do and see. We will highlight what we could do and see in the off-season in Mykonos. Then recommend to you if Mykonos is worth visiting in the off-season.

Beauty of Mykonos

Mykonos is nicknamed the “Party Island,” but there was no partying when we visited the island in the off-season. Actually, most restaurants were closed, and only a couple of grocery stores were open in the Old Town. Even though we were in Mykonos in the late fall, we could still see the beauty that attract so many people to visit the island. Mykonos is home to crystal clear turquoise water and many beaches.

Boats in Mykonos — Fishermen’s Boats in Bay

Gorgeous Colors

Mykonos showcases whitewashed buildings with colorful doors, bright flowers, and narrow labyrinth walkways that twist and turn, making navigating challenging. The reason for the whitewashed buildings goes back to 1938 when there was a Cholera outbreak, and Greece’s ruler ordered all houses to be painted with limestone as it was believed to be a disinfectant. The colorful doors and beautiful flowers against the white buildings only add to the beauty of Mykonos. Walking the streets was how we filled our days when we ventured to explore and see what draws people here. Mykonos and all its gorgeous colors are so appealing to the eyes.

Churches of Mykonos

It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t talk about the Churches of Mykonos. After all, there are over 60 churches in Old Town Mykonos alone. Our favorite was the little blue church right down at the waterfront by the fisherman’s boats. This little church is called Agios Nikolaos Orthodox Church. This church was built in honor of St. Nicholas, the protector of sailors and fishermen. Agios Nikolaos was said to have been built during the 4th century.

The other church of interest is called The Church of Panagia Paraportiani. It is not just one church but five small churches built next to or on top of one another. They were made at different times, with the first one dating back to the 14th century.

Walking around checking out all the different churches is another activity to do in Mykonos.

Iconic Windmills

The iconic windmills that are on the shore of Mykonos are worth mentioning. The Venetians built the windmills in the 16th century to harness the power of the strong Mykonos winds. Mykonos is also known as ‘the windy’ island. The windmills were used to mill flour and were used until the 20th century. Nowadays the windmills are used for housing or storage.

While we were in Mykonos, we had several of those windy days. One day the waves were crashing upon the Venetian waterfront making it impassable.

Mykonos Sunset

Mykonos has a few beaches that would be filled to the brim if the weather was warmer and many other beaches dotted around the island; the taxi driver recommended renting a car to see them as they are all unique. We didn’t rent a car to see the beaches around the island because it was too cold to sunbathe or swim in the sea. I love a good sunset, and Mykonos did not disappoint. We saw a couple of good sunsets even though we were there at the beginning of December.

We also enjoyed taking pictures of the bay at night, with the houses’ light reflecting into the water and mesmerizing us with its beauty.

Mykonos Archaeological Museum

Mykonos has a small Archaeological Museum that we recommend visiting; it is small but worth a visit cost of 2€. Open only Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am till 3:30 pm. Most exhibits come from Delos, the Archaeological site (greek ruin) not that far away, a Greek ruin that is a must-see if in Mykonos.

The killing of troy citizens described on a vase

Delos Mythical Birth-Place Of Greek Gods Apollo and Artemis

Near Mykonos, lies the island of Delos it is one of Greece’s most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites. That is why visiting this island is practically a trip back in time to Ancient Greece! The excavations on the island are among the most extensive in the Mediterranean. Many of the artifacts found are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Delos and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Ruins of Cleopatra house, Delos over looking sea

Temple-of-Isis-at-Archaeological-site-on-island-of-Delos-Greece

Greece-Delos-archaeological-site-the-circular-marble-Ex-Voto-in-the-Agora

Detail-of-a-decorated-stone-slab-on-the-island-of-Delos-depicting-a-cross-a-bird-and-a-fish.

No other island on Earth hosts so many monumental antiquities from the Archaic, the Classical, and the Hellenistic periods, i.e., the centuries of the great Greek art, on a territory used exclusively as an archaeological site. Delos is not a museum, Delos is not there to tell a story, Delos is history itself. Visitors coming to Delos embarked on a lifetime experience.

House ruins of the ancient Athenians Cleopatra and Dioscoride the island of Delos

Ancient greek water collection system on the island of Delos, Greece

Female statue at the ruins of a greek temple in Delos, Greece

House ruins of the ancient Athenians Cleopatra and Dioscoride and the remains of a monument to them Delos

Delos The Birth Place Of Apollo And Sister Artemis

Delos had a position as a holy sanctuary for a millennium before Olympian Greek mythology made it the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Investigation of ancient stone huts found on the island indicates that it has been inhabited since 3000 BC.

Ancient pottery wine amphora found in the ruins on the island of Delos

Ruins and ancient Greek artifacts preserved in the island of Delo

Statue of Gaius Billienus, praetor and governor of Asia in 105 BC on the island of Delos

The classical greek temple ruins in Delos

The Naxian Lions Terrace in the archaeological site of the island of Delos

In ancient times, the myth that Greek god Apollo and goddess Artemis had been born there rendered the island sacred: no mortal would ever be allowed to be born on its land. But, a cradle of gods as the island has been, no mortals would ever be allowed to die on it either.

Stairs leading up the slope of hill Kynthos, Delos, Greece

the house of Inopos stands out, a typical rich man's house with two entrances

The House of the Trident on the island of Delos, Greece orinimental lions heads

The House of the Trident on the island of Delos, Greece

As if by magic, the sacredness of the island lives on: the multitudes of people, who flock to share the island’s uniqueness, can do nothing but visit. Delos’s archaeological experience is the only activity on the island, and its enchanting landscape is home to nobody. History is thus repeating itself: in a place of such importance, no person is ever born or dies.

Making Our Visit To Delos A Reality

It is said that when you visit Mykonos, you have to visit the Greek ruins on Delos, said to be the birthplace of Apollo and his sister Artemis. Not as easy as one would think; remember that this is the Off-Season, and everything runs only when needed. The weather plays a factor in the sailings; too windy, and they don’t sail. Then there is the issue of paying passengers; there need to be enough tourists who want to visit Delos. All this is difficult to bring together; this is the downside to visiting during the Off-Season.

Let me explain how this worked for me trying to get over to Delos. I arrived at the dock just before 10:00 am to see if there would be a departure to Delos today. The weather is very promising sunny, and the seas are not rough, a couple of things in our favor. With my arrival, there were eight paying customers, two of which were children; the tourist agent told us the cost to hire the boat was 450 €, outrageous. Let me explain, generally during the regular season, the price of a ticket is 20 € each, and I believe half-price for children, but then during the regular season, you have thousands of tourists.

Now, this is where it gets interesting; out of the eight of us, six are leaving that day to other destinations. So if we don’t go today, we lose six people, and the weather is supposed to turn for the worse, rain and more wind. Taking all of this into consideration, we have an incentive to make this opportunity work to make it to Delos. With some negotiating skills and paying 50 € each, we came up with a compromise that works for everyone, a little costly, yes, but we were on our way.

Covid-19 Protocols

Here are some Covid-19 protocols that we have encountered in Mykonos and the rest of Greece. We needed to prove we were double vaccinated, and the last shot needs to be 14 days or longer from the current date. The proof will be requested when flying, entering some stores, restaurants, and Museums.

People must wear masks when entering any building, purchasing tickets at a wicket, entering restaurants, and in crowded locations.

Our Final Thoughts On Mykonos In The Off-Season, What To Do And See

We took a chance on visiting Mykonos in the off-season and it was not one of our better choices. The weather was cool, windy and raining, not ideal weather. I got lucky on our trip to Delos, the weather was nice and sunny, best part of our seven day stay. We do not recommend visiting Mykonos in the off-season and if visiting during peak season you will need to have a fat wallet.

Our Positives

Enjoyed my trip to Delos
Loved the sunsets and waundering the narrow streets
The small Archaeological museum in town we found to be interesting

Our Negatives

Expensive lodging, not much to do, weather
The Delos Archaeological Museum was closed for renovations, but this is just bad luck
Most resturaunts closed and other stores closed as well

Would have, Could have, Should have

We should have visited somewhere else as Mykonos was still expensive (lodging) in the off-season and not much to do.
Don’t book ferry passage to early as the weather my play a factor into sailing, we found this out the hard way, our sailing was canceled due to wind conditions, our accomadations non refundable. So we had to fly which was another expence added to a already expensive destination.

Next Stop

We are off to Tbilisi, Georgia (the country), and then we will venture out into other parts of the country. We intend to spend approximately two months in Georgia, a month in Tbilisi just relaxing and discovering the city. Then we will see where we go it see from there.

Support Our Blog And It’s Unique Travel Content

You can support our site by using the links through our travel Essential. If you purchase items using our links, we will receive a small commission. There are no extra or hidden costs to you. These commissions assist us in our travel, so we can provide unique content to you through each blog post. If you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and informative please share it with friends. Subscriber, so you never miss a new post. Thank you.

Recommended Travel Essential

Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic, so we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable with our lifestyle. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.

Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.

Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well

Travel Insurance

We always travel with some travel Insurance, just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember, don’t travel without coverage; the savings are not worth the possible costs.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a product using our link, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Disclaimer.

Photos of Unique, Beautiful, and Colorful Doors in Greece

By

Greg and Cindy Johnston

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As we walk around the cities of Greece, we have noticed the unique doors that stand out. Throughout our many walks, we observed unique, beautiful, and colorful doors in Greece, so we wanted to showcase them in photos. The entries range from old to new, and some refurbished. Our eyes are drawn to these unique, beautiful, and colorful doors every time we walk down a street in Greece, most prominent in the “Old Town” sections of the cities.

Once we decided to write about unique, beautiful, and colorful doors in Greece, we needed to research why the Greeks decided mainly on white houses & blue doors. Greece is full of rich history dating back to Ancient Greek Gods. So when did Greece start using the whitewash and typically blue doors? We were amazed to find out that in 1938 there was a Cholera outbreak in Greece. Greece’s ruler ordered all houses to be whitewashed with limestone, believed to be a disinfectant, to prevent the spread of Cholera. After the fishermen came home from painting their boats, they would use the leftover paint on the doors and shutters.

The Greeks later discovered the whitewash kept their houses colder in the scorching summer months. Meanwhile, in the 1960 – the 1970s, Mykonos became a trending hot spot for the rich and famous because of the white houses with blue doors and pleasant weather. Mykonos and Santorini are the most visited islands in Greece during the tourist season (beginning of April – end of September). So white and blue houses became Greece’s trademark.

Athens

We visited lots of ruins in Athens, many of the ruins had no doors, and our fascination with doors was just in the beginning stages. We did manage to take a few pictures of doors and what we find fascinating is no two doors are alike. The doors also show insight into the character of the house.

Heraklion

Some of the doors in Heraklion were elegant, and others were very weathered. The modern electric green door looked relatively new and grand, with iron designs amongst the windows. Brown and green entryways were popular colors.

Chania

Chania is where our idea to make a post dedicated just to the beautiful and colorful doors in the land of Greece came about. It seemed that every narrow and windy street had at least one old, bright or beautiful door that was begging us to take a picture of it. The vibrant green door is part of the building we stayed at while in Chania.

Rethymno

Our favorite door in Rethymno is an old weathered one in very much need of some tender loving care, but it has strong pillar columns and header to help it weather many more storms. The half-circle ironwork above the door states its grandeur of long ago. Also, the subtle greenery around it makes it pop! The picture makes you wonder what it looked like at the beginning of its time? Rethymno had many unique doors or door knockers like the featured one here.

Mykonos

In Old Town Mykonos, all the buildings are painted white. The doors are a variety of colors, and I had a difficult time choosing from all my photos. The majority of the entries were freshly painted, not weathered, and well cared for in Old Town. The beautiful and colorful doors, along with the fresh flowers against the white buildings, are so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It’s no wonder why people flock here during the tourist season and summer months. I could only imagine the sun beating down and the heat brightening up the whole city as it was primarily raining or windy in December.

“Where’s the Door”

We have showcased photos of unique, beautiful, and colorful doors in Greece from each city we visited. When you take a trip to Greece, you can try to spot the same doors we did! We call this “Where’s the Door,” similar to “Where’s Waldo.” If you have a favorite door, let us know. Also, if you have a picture of a door you would like to share, add it in the comments; we would love to see it!

Support Our Blog And It’s Unique Travel Content

You can support our site by using the links through our travel Essential. If you purchase items using our links, we will receive a small commission. There are no extra or hidden costs to you. These commissions assist us in our travel, so we can provide unique content to you through each blog post. If you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and informative please share it with friends. Subscriber, so you never miss a new post. Thank you.

Recommended Travel Essential

Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic, so with this lifestyle, we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.

Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.

Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well

Travel Insurance

We always travel with travel Insurance, just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember, don’t travel, and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a product using our link, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Disclaimer.

Amazing Crete, Discover It’s Cities In The Off-Season

By

Greg and Cindy Johnston

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We arrived in Heraklion, the capital of Crete, after spending ten unbelievable days in Athens discovering the Ancient ruins of Greece. We are here in amazing Crete, to discover Heraklion, Chania, and Rethymno in the off-season. Our intention is to enjoy this beautiful island full of history, amazing Cretan flavors, and home to some of Greece’s greatest myths.

Olympic Air sees that we arrive safely in Heraklion, a short one-hour flight from Athens. We left Athens after a ten-day stay that found us in wonder and awe of this magical city. Visiting historical ruins and standing next to incredible monuments that have been in existence for thousands of years is an amazing experience.

Searching the internet and joining several greek groups on Facebook, ALL ABOUT GREECE!! 🇬🇷 along with CRETE…!!! …A GREEK ISLAND…!!! …I WANT TO LIVE THERE…!!! the information is endless. Greeks are proud of their great and beautiful country and are willing to share all that makes it great. So if you are looking for unique adventures or the best place to eat, you can find this here.

So with excellent ideas of what to see and do in Crete, we are off. Did I forget to say that we are here in November, the off-season? The off-season is from November 1st through to March 31st.

Heraklion In The Off-Season

Heraklion in the off-season, yes, the weather is cooler, and swimming at the beach is for the brave and courageous. Even so, there is still plenty to do, but now you do not have the crowds. No line ups and time is a luxury that you do have so take as much time as you want and enjoy yourself here in Crete.

In addition, the off-season prices generally go down for accommodation and other items. Most attractions have reduced their entrance fees by 50% as well. So when you take all of these factors into consideration this is the perfect time to visit. So please join us and read on.

As an added bonus when taking pictures there are no crowds to get in the way of that perfect shot. This can happen all too often in congested locations but not as much in the off-season. I can go on and on but I think you get the picture.

A small figurine from Heraklion Archeological Museum

A Guide of What To See And Do In Heraklion

Don’t let Heraklion in the off-season scare you off, there is plenty to do in this historical city. Most activities are within the city limits, and we found Heraklion to be a very walkable city. If you need a break from the walking you will find many eateries, cafes to replenish yourself. Even enjoy a drink while you rest and watch the people go by.

Koules fortress

The Venetian Castle of Heraklion is called Koules, which means fortress in Turkish. This is an impressive fortress that sits on the harbor of Heraklion. Koules Castle is an extensive fortress, two stories tall that used to guard the entry to the port. The Castle was built by the Venetians in the early 13th century after they conquered the town. Its purpose was to protect the harbor and the city of Heraklion from invasion. It was also used as a prison, many lost their lives here in these dungeons.

We visited Koules fortress on a day that was very windy, a point I’ll explain in a little bit. The cost to enter the fortress was 2€, a very good deal to see such a remarkable piece of history. A must-see if you are interested at all in history. I find it amazing to see structures of any kind that were built hundreds or thousands of years ago. Just thinking of the manpower required to accomplish such a feat. The intelligence to design these structures that have survived these many years. Remember no computers.

Koules Fortress is set up to display what it may have looked like so many years ago. There are displays that have information to inform the visitor how the building was used or highlight its history. Highly recommend visiting, easy to get to, in town, and inexpensive.

Koules fortress canons complete with canon balls

Koules fortress containors founfd in shipwreck

Koules fortress stone pathway full of rounded stones

Continuing past the fortress is a paved road that is part of the sea wall, which extends 2km past the fort itself. On our visit, this water break pathway was being continually assaulted by waves. Water spray would break over the wall covering areas of the pathway with a shower of seawater. It was a challenge to try and stay dry while walking the roadway. Luckily we were successful, we did see a couple walking that were not so lucky. Visit the Fortress a great way to spend several hours and the walk was an added bonus.

Large wave chrashing onto roadway Koules fortress

Street art on waterbreak images in a bottle

Waves chrashing onto roadway Koules fortress

Heraklion Archaeological Museum

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is one of the most important museums in Greece. Among the most famous museums in Europe. Housing artifacts from all periods of Cretan prehistory and history. A chronological span of over 5,500 years from the Neolithic period to Roman times. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum has a unique collection on the Minoan civilization, which includes masterpieces of Minoan art.

Beautiful Minoan art three ladies from the bronze age Crete

Beautiful vase from the bronze age Crete

The Heraklion Archeological Museum is a must-visit it has a truly outstanding display of Cretan history. We were astounded by the artifacts from the bronze age that we’ve never seen before, the tools and cookware. The display of pottery is exquisite and some of the prettiest we’ve seen. All of this is produced with unbelievable craftsmanship and an eye for detail. Try and imagine that all these pieces of history used to be everyday items from a time that is very difficult to visualize. I’ve said this before many times, being from Canada we have a history that dates back maybe 600 years. This pales in comparison to other histories in the world, Minoan civilization dates back over 5500 years.

Hand crafted Caldron from Crete bronze age

As you can tell, an amazing experience for us and we highly recommend it. Adding to the pleasure of visiting this museum in the off-season was that the entrance price was reduced by 50% to 6€ from 12€. Off-season also translates into fewer visitors so you have all the time you need to read the informational plaques. Time to appreciate each piece, move around at your leisure, and take pictures. A great time to be a tourist.

Palace Of Knossos

After our visit to the Archaeological Museum, we had to go see the Palace Of Knossos, located about twenty minutes south of Heraklion. Not knowing the bus schedule we opted to take a taxi out to the Palace. Then catch a bus back into town after we complete our tour of the ruins. The taxi was 7€ and return back to town by bus was 3€. The bus was empty getting on but filled to overload by the time we reached downtown.

Knossos ruins 1 large vase surrounded by ruins

4 Columns painted red in lower room Knossos

Knossos the capital of Minoan Crete was inhabited for several thousand years, beginning with a neolithic settlement sometime in the seventh millennium BC. The first palace on the low hill beside the Krairatos river was built around 1900 BC. It was destroyed for the first time along with the other Protopalatial palaces around Crete in 1700 BC. Assumed by a large earthquake or foreign invaders. It was immediately rebuilt to an even more elaborate complex. Damaged several times by earthquakes, invasions, and in 1450 BC by the colossal volcanic eruption of Thera. Invaded by the Mycenaeans who used it as their capital they ruled the island of Crete until 1375 BC. Abandoned after its destruction in 1375 BC this marked the end of the Minoan civilization.

Columns painted red in the royal throne room Knossos

Columns painted red looking into lower room Knossos

Wall with 3 columns in front of picture of bull Knossos

The fee was 8€ each this was the off-season rate. The downside to the off-season is part of the grounds were closed off to visitors. Even though it was off-season there were still several tours from a cruise ship. These tours move as in a swarm and make it difficult to take pictures or see some of the exhibits. The best thing to do is pass on by and return after they have left. I guess I’m not much of a crowd person.

Column painted red Knossos holding up platform

Selfie Cindy and I at Column painted red Knossos holding up platform

Broken columns above building with countryside behind

The ruins themselves were magical, although at times hard to distinguish what you were looking at. The columns were painted red not sure if they knew this or just came up with the color. The red did bring some of the ruins to life and made for great pictures. Touring the Palace took several hours. This included going back over some of the ruins that we did not get a good look at earlier. If you find yourself on Crete these ruins are not to be missed.

Natural History Museum of Crete

The Natural Historical Museum of Crete presents a comprehensive view of Cretan history. Showcasing the cultural heritage of Crete from early Byzantine times to the modern era. The museum collects and preserves valuable archaeological, ethnographic, and historical material from the medieval and modern periods.

Religious painting of Christ being taken down from cross

Cloth with religious firgures embrodiered on them

We really enjoyed the exhibits, finding the displays to be well laid out and informative. It took us several hours to walk through the museum and all its exhibits. The cost 5 €, so If you find yourself with time on your hands we would recommend visiting.

Old molds to make to make pendants and other

Old Town Heraklion

Old Town is located next to the modern center of Heraklion. Tourists can experience the past and the present in a matter of several steps. The narrow, streets of the Old Town will carry you back to the centuries of Venetian and Ottoman rule.

Old town Heraklion has many single-lane streets, several were being upgraded when we visited. There is a real variety of specialty stores, ranging from sidewalk cafes to shoe stores and everything in between. Don’t miss out on the many restaurants that you will find here as well.

The Venetian Walls themselves in old town have been a prominent part of this past that can still be seen today. The Arabs were the first to fortify this city with walls. The Byzantines rebuilt the walls on top of the original walls. The Venetians then improved upon these walls and today they take the name Venetian Walls.

Once you are in the heart of the Old Town the streets become very walkable and pleasant. Hidden amongst the buildings, you will find museums, parks, a fountain, hotels, and old churches that are a must to peek inside and witness their beauty.

Chania In The Off-Season

Visiting Chania in the off-season was a great experience, mostly. After settling into our accommodations in Old Town we ventured out to discover our new surroundings and pick up some essentials for our stay. The first thing that you will notice about Old Town in Chania is the streets. They are very narrow and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the layout. Easy to get turned around, and if the area was larger you might even get lost.

Narrow street in Chania setup with restaurant

The harbor area in Old Town is a great area to spend time it is a welcoming location. Easy to walk around with many restaurants that offer many different food options. There are benches set around the harbor area for you to sit and relax or people watch. You may find locals trying their luck fishing from the harbor, not sure what they catch but a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work any day.

Chania harbour walkway with people enjoying

Firka Venetian Fortress on Chania harbour

Evening time is the best time to visit the harbor area as it gets more lively, plus the reflection of the lights on the water is a beautiful sight. More people visit in the evening and the area just feels more inviting. The Egyptian Lighthouse is lit up and adds to the splendor and atmosphere.

Chania Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum in Chania was closed and is in the process of being relocated to a new facility. I was disappointed by not being able to wander through another Archaeological Museum as I love seeing history up close. For future visitors, I’m sure it will be a beautiful facility with extraordinary displays.

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery

We had been in Chania for 7 days and we’re looking for something new to do. Heard about Agia Truada Tzagaroli Monastery advertised as a tour, so looked it up and thought that it would be a great place to visit. After some searching, we realized that there was no direct way to get to the Monastery. Checking in at the bus terminal we discovered we could catch a bus to the airport, and then walk to the Monastery. We were told that it was just 1.5 km away. The bus to the airport was 3 €. After leaving the airport we googled Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery. Found that the distance was in fact 4 km, not the 1.5 km we were told earlier. We don’t mind a good walk and we were not put off by the distance. It was a comfortable walk and we arrived at the Monastery an hour later.

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church dome cross

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church dome

outside looking at Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery

The Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery, the name means “Holy Trinity”, was built in the 17th century by two brothers of the Venetian Zangaroli family. The Church itself is a beautiful building, circular with gardens and fruit trees surrounding it. In fact, we were told to help ourselves to some the fruit from one on the trees. This particular tree bore 4 different kinds of fruit, it must have been grafted nearly 400 years ago. The fruits from this amazing tree were limes, sour orange, orange, and mandarin orange. The oranges that we picked were sweet and delicious.

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church back

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church back of building looking through branches

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery vieweing entrance

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church back garden with rose

We found this Monastery to be very interesting and the people on the premises very informative. Maybe being the off-season had something to do with that as there were us and another couple. The cost of the Monastery was 3 €. There is a museum and a library here that contain some rare books and a collection of icons plus a collection of the ancient manuscript text. The monks here also produce and sell wine and olive oil on the premises, unfortunately, this was closed, the off-season.

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church museum Crown

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church museum icons

Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery church museum painting

Catacombs Of Agia Triada Tzagaroli

A gentleman told us to make sure that we visited the last room at the end of the walkway. He tried to describe what was in the room, I understood it to be clay masks of some kind but really had no idea. Language barrier. As we enter the room we saw skulls placed in cases along with pelvic bones and shoulder blades. We were taken aback as we have never seen anything like this before in our travels. It was quite a display, the gentleman taking the tickets explained to us about these catacombs. I must confess that I can’t remember exactly what he said so I don’t want to pass on information that may be incorrect, sorry.

Catacombs case at Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery

Catacombs skull at Agia Triada Tzagaroli Monastery

Firka Venetian Fortress And The Maritime Museum of Crete

At the entrance of the port of Chania, you will find the Fortress “FIRKA”, which was constructed by the Venetians (1204-1669). Today, at the entrance of this Fortress is located the Maritime Museum of Crete, admission 3 €. The Maritime Museum was founded in order to house and recognize the Greek maritime traditions and those of Crete. Its collection includes models of ships, nautical instruments, paintings, historical photographs, and war relics. The material is classified chronologically, starting from the Bronze Age up to present times.

Firka Fortress Greece flag in background

We found the museum to have very good informative displays of the maritime history of Crete and would recommend visiting the museum and walking around the fortress. It took us about 1.5 hours to visit.

Walk Around Looking For Beaches and Enjoying Seaside Views

With so much time on our hands, we decided to go for a walk along the coast looking for beaches and whatever else caught our attention. Heading west we found Nea Chora beach and took a break, sat, and watched several elderly locals swimming in the water, and thought to ourselves must be cold but they looked like they were enjoying the swim. Continuing on we cut across town heading east to Koum Kapi Beach and continued all the way up to Kouloura Chalepa swimming hole.

Narrow yellow house on stree corner Chania

Tree on the sidewalk looks to have monkey climbing up it

A beautiful day for a walk with many different and amazing views, natural and otherwise. I think that we made close to 25000 steps that day. It was nice to see areas that most tourists don’t think to go to. If you find that you have time, go for a walk you never know what sights you might see.

Off To The Beach

Off to the Nea Chora Beach for a swim, not sure how smart this plan is. But visiting a gorgeous island that is known for its beaches and crystal clear water and not going for a swim is just not right. We had walked by this beach several days earlier and had noticed several people out in the water so it couldn’t be that bad, could it? Well let me say that yes the water was cool, we stayed in for about 1/2 hour, we can now say we swam in the Aegean Sea.

Nea Chora Beach Chania — Nea Chora Beach

Rethymno In The Off-Season

Rethymno in the off-season is a beautiful seaside city located halfway between Heraklion and Chania. We stayed in Old Town not far from the Fortezza fortress, having two full days to explore. Our first evening we walked the streets in Old Town just looking to see what was around, finding many restaurants, bakeries along with many other shops. We had decided earlier that we would go out for dinner the first night and found this very nice restaurant that was reasonably priced. I ordered Oxtail with Orzo pasta while Cindy ordered Rabbit in a lemon sauce. We enjoyed a glass of house wine, a great start to our stay in Rethymno.

The next morning we were up early to get to the local farmers market, we wanted to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables for the next couple of days of dinners. We find that you can experience the flavors of different locals through the markets as well as the restaurants. We enjoy cooking and we are good cooks so with fresh local ingredients it’s amazing what we can come up with. Besides being on the road for six months we just can’t afford to eat out every night, who wants to go out every night anyway. At the fish stall, we picked up some fresh prawns that we had that night with a greek salad that we made with the vegetables that we picked up earlier at the market. Additionally, by purchasing at the market we are supporting the local farmers.

The Fortezza Fortress

After finishing up at the local market we were off to discover the fortress of Fortezza. Just up the road from us, admission was the reduced rate of 2 € if I remember correctly. The fortress of Fortezza is massive and towers over the city of Rethymno. Constructed in the 16th century by the Venetians to protect the city from the Ottomans, took a decade to complete. The walls are 1.3 km in total length, just imagine being part of that construction crew.

Fortezza Fortress wall viewing out to sea

The Fortezza Fortress is probably the largest fortress we have seen. There is a lot of ground to cover. We decided to go along the walls first and then do the middle with the buildings. The views from the walls are incredible either looking out to sea or over the city. The craftsmanship displayed in the construction of walls is unbelievable. The walls curve here and there with angles that follow the hill that this fortress sits upon. Truly a feat of engineering of the time I’m sure. Walking along the wall took us about 1.5 hours. We stopped frequently to take pictures and admire the craftsmanship.

Fortezza Fortress over view of the city of Rethymno

Inside these walls, there are probably a dozen different structures from gun powder warehouses, a Mosque, a church, and residences. Some buildings are in good repair and worth the time to look at and enjoy while others are in disrepair. If you have a flashlight bring it as it would make viewing inside some of the buildings a lot more interesting. We enjoyed our visit here and would recommend that you take the time to explore this interesting fortress.

Fortezza Fortress cannon balls sitting on ground

Fortezza Fortress Mosque and church over view

Rethymno’s Archaeological Museum

Cindy and I visited the small Archaeological Museum of Rethymno and very much enjoyed the displays that they presented. The museum has pieces from the late Neolithic, Minoan, Arabic, Roman, and Greek. The displays are pottery, tools, jewelry to marble statues.

Walk Around Rethymno

We spent a lot of time just walking around town just enjoying the sites. The beaches are impressive and looked very inviting but they were practically empty. The downside to the Off-Season, water is a little too cool to enjoy. The city has started decorating for Christmas so we decided to enjoy the lights.

Foods Discovered And Enjoyed On The Island Of Crete

Experience Cretan food where you taste and experience the phrase “farm to fork”. Let me say that the food is fresh and delicious with ingredients that are as unique as Crete is. There is a food experience that fits every traveler’s budget. We like to dive into the authentic flavors of the countries that we visit. This can be from outrageous dishes like sampling bugs to a simple salad made from farm-fresh ingredients. If you are interested check out Authentic Food Quest, they did a blog on Chania food seen. Which we found useful, we even tracked down a couple of these restaurants. One, in particular, the Oasis a whole in the wall type location, but serves simple, cost-effective, and great tasting gyro’s.

Moussaka Greek Beef and Eggplant Lasagna

Cindy and I like to visit local markets and purchase fresh produce and meats to cook at home. Cooking at our accommodations helps to keep the costs down but still experience the quality and freshness. When not doing our own cooking we are enjoying restaurants that serve authentic local dishes. After your meal, the restaurant serves you a sample of a delicious dessert and a shot of Raki. A very nice treat.

Covid-19 Protocols

Here are some of the Covid-19 protocols that we have run across in our stay in Crete and for that matter in the rest of Greece as well. You need to prove that you have been double vaccinated and the last shot needs to be 14 days or longer from the current date. This proof will be requested when flying, entering some stores, restaurants, and Museums.

The requirement to wear masks when entering any building, purchasing tickets at a wicket, entering restaurants, and in crowded locations.

Our Final Thoughts On Amazing Crete, Discovering It’s Cities In The Off-Season

We loved visiting Crete, we spent three weeks here between Heraklio, Chania and Rethymno. Visited the Minoan ruins of Knossos, wondered around amazing Archaeological Museums in Heraklion and Rethymno. Unfortunitly the museum in Chania was relocating to a newer location and had not yet reopent. I’m sure it would have been fasinating. We experienced many authentic foods and of Crete that were very flavorful and unique. We would definity recommend a visit to this lovely Island of Crete, you will not regret it.

Our Positives

Heraklion we loved, stayed busy the whole time with lots to see and do espicaly the ancient history associated with the area
Friendly, safe city, and very walkable, we walked everywhere downtown putting on 15,000 – 20,000 steps on a daily basis
The weather for us in November was great, mid teens to low 20s and mostly sunning
there are many musueums to visit, all of them were fasinating with increible pieces on display
off-season from November 1 – March 31, some rates to attractions are reduced by half price, less crowds
the food was wonferful including the markets

Our Negatives

Probaly the biggest negative and this is on us is that this area would be a wonderful location to visit in the warmer months where you could enjoy the beaches and beautiful water.

Would have, Could have, Should have

We spent 3 weeks here on Crete, maybe rent a car and see some of the other parts of the island. Possibily visted some caves, even though we did look into this and found that some were closed. Would have been nice to be here in the warmer months, but you can not have everything.

Next Stop

We head to Mykonos next for one week, catching the ferry from Athens. Looking forward to the ferry and the scenery that I hope it will provide. Cindy is looking forward to Mykonos as her vision of Greece is beautiful white buildings with blue rooftops looking over the vast coast onto the Agean sea.

Support Our Blog And It’s Unique Travel Content

You can support our site by using the links through our travel Essential. If you purchase items using our links, we will receive a small commission. There are no extra or hidden costs to you. These commissions assist us in our travel, so we can provide unique content to you through each blog post. If you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and informative please share it with friends. Subscriber, so you never miss a new post. Thank you.

Recommended Travel Essential

Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic so with this lifestyle, we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.

Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.

Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well

Travel Insurance

We always travel with some sort of travel Insurance be it just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember don’t travel and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a product using our link, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Disclaimer.

Visiting Athens Experience Amazing Food, People, And Ancient Ruins

By

Greg and Cindy Johnston

-

Well, here we are visiting Athens, looking forward to experiencing the ancient ruins, amazing Greek food, and friendly people. We start our Adventure in Athens with a 10-day stay. Athens is credited as the birthplace of our western civilization. What better place to begin our discovery of Greece and the surrounding countries.

Hadrian's Gate Athens — Hadrian’s Gate with the Acropolis visible through the arch

Greece has been on Cindy’s wish list to visit since I’ve known her. I’m looking forward to seeing the ruins and experiencing the history here in Athens. Plus, as an added bonus, the amazing Greek foods in Greece will be a pleasure.

The history alone is remarkable, and I can’t wait to see these ancient historical icons of ruins such as the Acropolis. Athens has many other areas with greek ruins to see, such as the Ancient Agoda, Roman Agoda, and Kerameikos, a Cemetary of sorts.

The flavors of Greek food will be an experience that will tantalize our taste buds: tzatziki, souvlaki, and all other types of local foods. In addition, Greek people are known to be friendly and welcoming. This bodes well to have a great visit to Athens. Including other parts of Greece that we are looking forward to visiting.

Visiting Athens Experience The Ancient Ruins

While visiting Athens, it’s a must to experience the ancient ruins of Greece. The best place to start is at the Acropolis. The landmark hill in the center of Athens contains many ancient Greek ruins. Being 156 meters high, the Acropolis is considered the highest point in the spirit of ancient Greek culture.

Acropolis Hill viewed from Ancient Agora.

Acropolis Entrance Tickets

Purchase tickets to the Acropolis and Slopes can be done online or at the site. You can buy single-use tickets or combined tickets.

Single-use tickets are valid for one admission to this specific site and only for the selected date. 10€
Combined tickets are valid for one admission per site to Acropolis and Slopes, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Olympieion, Kerameikos, Aristotle’s School [Lykeion]. Tickets can be used for five days after the first entrance, which must have been realized within five days from the selected date. 30€

The Acropolis Experience The History

One of the best locations to find ancient ruins of Greece is the Acropolis. Dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena the Acropolis dominates the skyline of this modern-day city. Ancient ruins found here are the Temple of Athena Nike, Propylaea, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Parthenon, Pandroseion, Choragic Monument of Thrasyllos, The Porch of the Caryatids, Temple of Rome & Augustus, and the Sanctuary of Zeus.

Greek ancient ruins themselves are awe-inspiring as they are pieces of history. These ruins have been passed down through time. So that we may envision what it may have been like to live in those times. Many ancient ruins are in such bad repair that you can not distinguish what the stones represent. Are these buildings or a temple of some kind. But then other buildings stand proud. You can see and maybe visualize what they may have looked like in all of their glory. No matter, these ancient ruins tie us to our past. For that, I’m very grateful that I have experienced these astounding Greek ancient ruins.

Parthanon

Built-in the mid-5th century BCE and dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos. The Parthenon dominates the hill of the Acropolis. Construction on the Parthenon began in 447 BCE and was completed by 438. That year a significant gold and ivory statue of Athena was dedicated.

Craftsmans, know-how, and careful placement of cut stone ensured that the Parthenon remained intact for over two thousand years. Many sculptures were removed when the building was converted to a Byzantine church. During the building’s transformation into a Roman Catholic cathedral.

The Turks seized the Acropolis in 1458, and two years later, they adopted the Parthenon as a mosque. During the bombardment of the Acropolis in 1687 by Venetians fighting the Turks. A powder magazine located in the temple blew up, destroying the center of the building.

Pathenon looking at sculptures — Parthenon

Currently, restorations are ongoing, so a crane is working within the Parthenon. This ongoing work makes it challenging to appreciate the beauty and grandeur of this truly historic building. Even so, it is well worth experiencing the history of this magnificent building.

Temple of Athena Nike

The Temple of Athena Nike has been standing in this prominent spot on the Acropolis since 420 BC. Athena was the goddess of war and wisdom. Nike is the Greek word for victory.

Temple of Athena was the temple that the ancient Greeks prayed at for victory in a war against Sparta. The temple was destroyed in the 17th century during a battle between the Venetians and the Turks but was rebuilt.

Erechtheum

The Erechtheum is a temple located on the Acropolis, and it’s one of the legendary pieces of Greek architecture. Its construction dates back to c. 421 and 405 when the Persian invasion destroyed the earlier temple to Athena. The Erechtheum was once a sanctuary dedicated to Athena Polias, Erechtheus, and Poseidon.

The porch of the Caryatids can be found through the southern entrance. Six draped female figures can be found here that support the entablature, which is Erechtheum’s most defining feature.

Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum is located next to the Acropolis, the entrance fee was 5 € per person. We would recommend that you visit this Museum. It houses many artifacts from early greek life and that of the ancient residents of Athens. As well as unique sculptures of Greek Mythology. Downside is that in parts of this Museum you are not allowed to take pictures. I do not understand this. This is the only museum that we visited that had this restriction. I fail to see the reason behind this.

Acropolis Museum other — Acropolis Museum

The main stop on any Athens tour is the New Acropolis Museum, located near the base of the hill overlooking the city. It has the most extensive collection of Greek architecture and ancient sculptures, including statues of the goddess Athena and “Kritios Boy.”

Roman Agora

Roman Agora (map) was built in the 1st century BC during the reigns of Julius Ceasar and Ceasar Augustus. The Gate of Athena Archegetis was the entrance to the market. A large columned structure looks like the front of a temple and sits on the western edge of the archaeological site.

Gate of Athena Archegetis Roman Agoda — Gate of Athena Archegetis

After the invasion of the Herulae in 267, the city of Athens was restricted to the area within the late Roman fortification wall. Additionally, the commercial center of the town was transferred from the Ancient Agora to the Roman Agora and the Library of Hadrian.

Tower of the Winds is an octagonal clocktower in the Roman Agora used as a timepiece. Considered the world’s first meteorological station.

sculpture on one side of wind tower roman Agora

Unfortunately not that much to see here. The tower of the winds is the most impressive piece. The Gate of Athena is amazing but does look a little out of place.

Ancient Agora

Located to the northwest of the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora of Athens was once a marketplace and civic center. The people gathered here to browse all kinds of commodities. Ancient Greek democracy can be traced to this very spot. It’s a beautiful area to look at the cultural beginnings of Athens.

Overlooking the Ancient Agora (map) from the hill of Agoraios Kolonos is the Temple of Hephaistos, the god of craftsmen. This Temple, one of the best-preserved temples of ancient Greece, was constructed between 449 and 415 BC. Similar in style but smaller than the Parthenon. This temple consists of 34 columns that support a still partially intact roof. It is the best-preserved temple in all of Greece, thanks to its conversion into a church in the 7th century.

The ancient Agora is without a doubt one of the most important landmarks in the capital. Most of the buildings in the area have been damaged over the years. This site’s historic importance makes it a must-see for all visitors to Greece.

Church of Holy Apostles ceiling painting — Church of Holy Apostles, wall and ceiling painting

Church of Holy Apostles wall painting — Church of Holy Apostles, wall and ceiling painting

We enjoyed our visit to the Ancient Agora especially seeing the Temple of Hephaistos. An incredible building because it is in such good repair. There are lots of areas to walk around. The Museum here which is part of the admission, smaller than most but still enjoyable to visit. Another bit of information about this area is that there are a lot of open cafes to enjoy some downtime. After all the walking enjoy some delicious Greek food. Alternatively or a quiet drink watching people go by. Very relaxing.

Cindy and I at the Ancient Agora with the Acropolis behind us

Ancient Agora of Athens Museum

The Museum of the Ancient Agora is housed in the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos. Originally erected during the 2nd century BC as a gift of the king of Pergamon, Attalos II, to Athens.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Temple of Olympian Zeus is known as the largest temple in Greece. The massive ancient complex took nearly seven centuries to complete. Building originally began in 515 BC by order of Peisistratos, but work stopped on the temple as it was seen as oppressive as Peisistratos and his son were seen as tyrants by the Athenians.

Temple of Olympian columns under resturation

Under emperor Hadrian in 132 BC, the temple was finally completed and dedicated to Zeus Olympios. Work resumed in 175 BC but was halted 10 years later when the Roman architect Cossutius died. Today, the temple stands as a reminder of Greek history, but only 15 of 104 huge columns remain. The columns each rise 17 meters (57 feet) into the air and once surrounded a cella where two large statues were once standing.

I’ll be honest this site is not worth the money to visit as there really is not much to see What is standing most of it is hidden behind scaffolding and is not recognizable.

Panathenaic Stadium

Though built by the ancients, Panathenaic Stadium holds a special place in sports history. This original stadium, which dates to around 300 BC and was rebuilt in 144, has hosted several Olympics. More importantly, the stadium is where the Olympic flame starts on its journey to the nation hosting that year’s athletic contests.

In ancient times, the stadium hosted a religious festival dedicated to the goddess Athena every four years. The current structure was restored in the 19th century for the first modern Olympics Games after centuries of disuse. Panathenaic Stadium seats 50,000 spectators and is the largest stadium in the world made entirely of marble. The stadium is a major attraction in Athens.

Kerameikos Achaeological Site

Kerameikos Archaeological is one of the most important, and least visited archaeological sites in Athens. This is the ancient cemetery of Athens, which was in continuous use from the ninth century BC until Roman times. Over the years, archaeologists have unearthed temple columns, marble statues, and funeral offerings. Plus thousands of tombs and the remains of various public buildings.

Kerameikos is part of the Acropolis and Slopes combined ticket I talked about earlier which we purchased. We would unquestionably recommend visiting this very unusual locality. There are no large buildings or columns here but plenty of grounds to walk around. Having its own unique ancient ruins and the Museum has very nice pieces on display as well.

National Archaeological Museum

While visiting Athens the National Archaeological Museum is a must, having a large collection of artwork dating back to the Neolithic Age. The collections include small vases, working tools, clay vases, and other small artifacts. Including some of the oldest archaeological finds dating back to the 7th millennium. Over thirty rooms, sculptures from every century can be viewed, including ancient Kouroi Egyptian sculptures.

Fresco fragment with female figure, from Mycenae

The National Archaeological Museum is, without a doubt the best Museum to visit in Athens. In my option, it is far then the new Museum at the Acropolis. Here you will find more displays and I believe better displays than at the Acropolis museum. There are issues with taking pictures.

This is a must-visit, we would recommend in the range of 4hrs to see and appreciate it all. When we visited on a Sunday it was free also in the off-season.

National Historical Museum

The National Historical Museum houses the history of Modern Greece. The period of Ottoman and Latin rule, the Greek War of Independence (1821). Liberation struggles, the creation of an independent state, the political, social, and spiritual development of the Greeks up to the present day.

We actually went to this Museum by mistake. I wanted to go to the National Archaeological museum but we pinned the wrong location and ended up here. That being said we thoroughly enjoy our visit here. We went on a Sunday so there was no cost to visit, an added bonus. If you have the time I would suggest a visit. It only takes a couple of hours and is very informative and interesting.

Lycabettus Hill

The view from Lycabettus Hill is best enjoyed at sunset, waiting for the lights of the Acropolis, and others to come on. We walked up the hill, it’s about an 80-meter elevation hike. Not that bad as you can take as many breaks as you wish. The pathway is not very busy either. Unfortunately, we did this climb late afternoon so no lights, terrific views though. If you are looking for something to do we recommend the hike it’s nice and the view is gorgeous.

Cactus looking to flower on the route up to the top of the hill

Church of Agios Georgios a the top of Lycabettus hill

tree on the path up towards the top of the hill

Cindy and at the top of Lycabettus Hill selfie

At the top of the hill, you will find the Greek whitewashed church of Agios Georgios (St. George) and all are welcome to enter. The viewing platform in front of the church provides sprawling views of Athens, stretching out to the city’s coastline. A cafe is open for breakfast and lunch.

National Garden

In the heart of Athens, the National Garden provides a beautiful spot for a walk in the center of Athens. The National Garden has a private garden for the Royal Palace, which is now the Parliament Building. The Public Garden was established in 1923. This is a quiet and peaceful place away from the bustling city with gorgeous green walking paths.

Statues decorate the gardens as well as flowerbeds and small ruins of antiquity. The gardens of Zappeion can also be found here.

Monastiraki Square

Located in the heart of Athens, Monastiraki Square is unique, with cultures and eras, ever-changing and vibrant. It is definitely one of the most interesting areas within Athens. Generally a very lively location, even more so on the weekends.

If you were to stand at the center of Monastiraki Square and take a good look around you, you can see how unique this area is. This is a great place to spend some time if you are looking for something to do. You can people watch, get some great food, pick up souvenirs, have a drink with friends, or grab an authentic Greek meal and enjoy the tastes of Greece. Just come and enjoy.

The stunning diversity of the architecture of its buildings alone epitomizes the history of Athens.

Monastiraki Flea Market

Visitors to Athens need to visit Monastiraki Flea Market, a huge market and neighborhood in the historic district in Athens. On weekdays, there is a normal marketplace with shops selling everything from spices to souvenirs including clothing.

But on the weekends, this market transforms itself into a huge flea market, with vendors setting up tables to sell junk, antiques, and everything in-between. Monastiraki is a great place to purchase clothing, and souvenirs plus people watch from its many sidewalk cafes. Haggling over prices is expected here and part of the fun.

Central Municipal Athens Market

We love local markets and visit them whenever we have the chance. A market experience is like viewing the soul of the city. The Central Municipal Athens market was no different, many people kept to the old ways of shopping local for fresh foods. This place we found bustling with activity. Shop keepers are friendly and quick to offer their wares and if possible to sample the freshness of the product.

meat hanging in the local Athens market — Athens Municipal Central Market

Fish displayed in local Athens market — Athens Municipal Central Market

While visiting the market we sampled fresh cheeses, nuts, and dries fruits. Purchasing some fruit, vegetables, nuts, and some pork to enjoy later at our apartment. Nothing beats fresh for flavor. So if you find yourself in downtown Athens look this market up we highly recommend it even if you do not purchase. Sometimes it’s all about the experience.

Getting A Greek Sim Card

First thing is to get a sim card for Cindy’s cell phone so that we can use our computers, etc. You can indeed get a sim card at most small convenience stores. it’s another thing to find someone that knows that much about the card and even harder to find someone that can speak English. After some searching and local recommendations, we found a Wind store.

The lady at Wind who assisted us was incredibly helpful and spoke perfect English. We purchased a Q Kiu Star sim card, for 24 €. We received the following, 9 gigs of data and 200 minutes of calling. It Included Canada and the USA, which was a bonus, my parents are not tech-savvy, so we need to call them, just easier. Then, if you signed up to use their app, you received another 5 gigs. All in all, we ended up with 16 gigs of data. An excellent deal in my eyes, and with the app, you can see the status of your account. Even upload and pay for each month’s use. This card is supposed to be good for all of Europe so that will be great. As we will be visiting other countries in the southeast area (Balken), well let you know about the muti country use.

Greek Sim Card — Sim card that we purchased

Covid-19 Protocols

Here are some of the Covid-19 protocols that we have run across in our stay in Athens and for that matter I’m the rest of Greece as well. You need to prove that you have been double vaccinated and the last shot needs to be 14 days or longer from the current date. This proof will be requested when flying, entering some stores, restaurants, and Museums.

The requirement to wear masks when entering any building, purchasing tickets at a wicket, entering restaurants, and in crowded locations.

Our Final Thoughts On Visiting Athens Experienceing, Amazing Food, People, And Ancient Ruins

We Loved visiting Athens, the incredible ancient ruins that dot the center of the city are fasinating to see and experience. Greek food amazing flavors, there are cafes all over to sit outside and enjoy the people. Or good company with that special someone. We would definity recommend a Visit to this lovely city, you will not regret it.

Our Positives

Ancient ruins of Greece with just a bit of Romean mixed in
Friendly, safe city, and very walkable, we walked everywhere downtown putting on 15,000 – 25,000 steps on a daily basis
The weather for us in early November was terrific, low to mid 20s and sunning
there are many musueums to visit, all of them were fasinating with increible pieces on display
off season from November 1 – March 31, some rates to attractions are reduced by half price, less crowds

Our Negatives

We found the euro somewhat costly as we are from Canada and the exchange 1.5 X ( a small negative)

Would have, Could have, Should have

We spent 10 days here and would not change a thing, no regrets, loved it

Next Stop

We head to Heraklion in Crete the capital for 7 days, then off to Chania for another 7 days. With 7 days left we need to figure out, which will make a total of 21 days on the island of Crete, and looking forward to every minute. We hope to visit many more ruins as well as experience the Greek way of life on this fascinating Island and let’s not forget the food as this is sometimes the best part.

Support Our Blog And It’s Unique Travel Content

You can support our site by using the links through our travel Essential. If you purchase items using our links, we will receive a small commission. There are no extra or hidden costs to you. These commissions assist us in our travel, so we can provide unique content to you through each blog post. If you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and informative please share it with friends. Subscriber, so you never miss a new post. Thank you.

Recommended Travel Essential

Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic so with this lifestyle, we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.

Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.

Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well

Travel Insurance

We always travel with some sort of travel Insurance be it just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember don’t travel and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a product using our link, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Disclaimer.

Travel Budget Revealed 2020 – 2021 Wintering in Mexico

By

Greg and Cindy Johnston

-

3BTraveler would like to present our 2020 – 2021 winter travel budget. Travel didn’t happen for us during 2019 – 2020 winter because we were both having surgeries and needed time at home to heal. We feel that giving our readers the budget information is essential to our blog as we are calling ourselves budget travelers. People have asked us how are we able to travel for 5 – 6 months of the year. Our budget is the reason we can travel. We save when we work during the summer months and know how much we can spend.

Duration of Travel Abroad

We left Canada on November 13^th, 2020, and return to Canada on May 3^rd, 2021, a total of 167 days in all. Both Cindy and I started looking into this trip in June of 2020. As we all know Covid-19 was front and center but we planned on going to one spot for most of our time in a small Mexico town called Progreso, which is located 45 minutes north of Merida in the Yucatan. We had stayed there for six weeks in March 2019, and we felt it was a small enough town that we could spend the winter there safely.

Progreso, Mexico Location

Choosing Progreso as our main travel destination was easy because we had been there before, knew the layout, community, and even the place to stay. We went back to the same place we rented a year earlier as it was right on the beach and 2 km away from the main town. Also, our families were concerned about us being away during the pandemic but knowing the area we were able to reassure them about our travel.

Sunrise in Progreso taken from our patio!

Mexico Excursions

We wanted to do a few excursions before traveling home after staying put for 5 months so we took the last 3 weeks to travel around. Werented a car in Merida (map) and traveled to Valladolid, Izamal, (map) Rio Lagartos, Los Coloradas, (map) Chichen Itza, Ek Balam. We returned the car in Merida, bused to Cancun, and took the ferry to Isla Mujeres, and finally back to Cancun (map) before flying home to the Canadian quarantine chaos.

Travel Cost Budget Breakdown

We budgeted our spending on a monthly basis because we stayed in one location most of the time. As we were gone for 5 ½ months (167 days)

Our travel budget breaks down into the following:

Health insurance	$1050
Flights and seat upgrades	$ 778
Accommodation	$5317
The daily living expense (break down below)	$6146
Subtotal of Travel Expenditures	$13,291
Covid Quarantine (Montreal & Calgary)	$2723
Total Travel Expenditures	$16,014

Flight Itineraries

We flew from Grande Prairie to Calgary; we had two full days layover in Calgary due to flight changes because of Covid, before flying out to Denver and then onto Cancun. We took the ADO bus to Merida and the Progreso bus after that to Progreso. Flights home changed regularly and at one point we thought we were going to have to stay in Progreso longer. People were booking flights into the United States and walking across the border then hopping on a plane to their destination. We felt this didn’t seem to be a viable option for us, so we continued with our plans to fly home.

Aeroplan (taxes)	$416
Luggage	$158
Seat Upgrades	$204
Total Cost of Flights	$778

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is something we had to purchase and found this a little tricky because of Covid-19. We wanted to make sure we had some Covid-19 coverage just in case we had an issue with it. We ended up purchasing travel insurance through a new to our company called Hey Mondo. The cost of travel insurance was $1050 all in. The insurance included regular medical, luggage, cancelation, and Covid-19 coverage.

Daily Budget & Expenditures Breakdown

We had budgeted $6262.50 for the 167 days we were to be away. This budget works out to $37.50 a day for daily living expenses. Our expenditures came in at $6146.00 which works out to $36.80 a day. Amazing that we came in under the budgeted amount. In saying that, we track every expenditure daily. In doing this we can see when we are getting near our budget for the month and then we can change our habits according to our budget.

Groceries Expenditure

$1765

Homemade Enchiladas — Al Pastor purchased at a food stall

When staying at an Airbnb we generally cook our own meals. As the cost of eating out can drive up your daily expenses. We enjoy cooking, we get to experience all the fresh produce, meats, and seafood that the markets have to offer. We have no issues purchasing from the markets as everything is fresh and people are friendly.

Eating Out Expenditure

$1273

We do not go to high-end restaurants as they are just too expensive. Local flavors from off the streets or hidden places are truer to the tastes of what the locals enjoy and after all that is why we are there.

Liquor Expenditure

$585

We enjoy our beer or a tropical drink. Most times we would enjoy our drinks at home, again costs do play a factor. When we eat out & have a beer with dinner, we add the liquor to this column and food to Eating Out.

Transportation Expenditure

$584

This category consists of car rental, taxis, shuttles, ADO buses, and bike rental.

Miscellaneous Expenditure

$787

This category captures all other items that do not fall into the other categories, souvenirs, misc. clothing as well as any personal products. We also bought a few items for Airbnb so we could feel more comfortable.

Trips & Attractions Expenditure

$1152

This category captures attractions, entrance fees to Mayan ruins, museums, hikes, scuba diving, and anything else that we felt would fall into this category.

Extra Expenses Due to Covid-19

Covid-19 Expenditure

$2723

When we left Canada there were no travel restrictions in place but upon returning Covid-19 was front and center. We had to have a PCR test to even get on a plane to return, quarantine for 3 days at your port of entry (which for us was Montreal), and then finish the rest of our 11 days (14 in total) in a Calgary Airbnb because we couldn’t go directly home (our summer home is our travel trailer, and it was in storage. Also living in a trailer park using common facilities wasn’t allowed).

The Covid-19 quarantine added an extra $2723 onto our spending which we didn’t account for before we left. This consisted of the exorbitant cost of hotel, Airbnb, delivery of eating out, groceries, and extra transportation that we required.

PCR Test for 2 people	$370
Hotel in Montreal (3 nights)	$1410
Airbnb in Calgary (11 nights)	$525
Transportation (Taxi & Uber)	$68
Groceries (Calgary)	$255
Eating Out Delivered (Calgary & Airport)	$95
Total Covid-19 Expenses	$2723

Summary

We spent just over $16,000 for our 5 and a half months enjoying each other’s company, the sun, and not having to work! We don’t regret one minute of our travel. We would have spent way more living in Canada with the harsh cold winter paying for high Hydro & Natural Gas bills in a rental unit.

Support Our Blog And It’s Unique Travel Content

You can support our site by using the links through our travel Essential. If you purchase items using our links, we will receive a small commission. There are no extra or hidden costs to you. These commissions assist us in our travel, so we can provide unique content to you through each blog post. If you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and informative please share it with friends. Subscriber, so you never miss a new post. Thank you.

Recommended Travel Essential

Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic so with this lifestyle, we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.

Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
Living Essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.

Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well

Travel Insurance

We always travel with some sort of travel Insurance be it just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember don’t travel and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a product using our link, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Disclaimer.

Valladolid Colonial City What You Need To See and Do

By

Greg and Cindy Johnston

-

Downtown Valladolid looking toward Iglesia de San Servacio

Valladolid is a beautiful, colorful, and charming colonial city situated in the state of Yucatan. Most travelers don’t know that Valladolid exists. One’s that do, use it more of a stepping-off point to other destinations in the area such as Chichen Itza or heading north to Rio Lagartos. But this colonial city is one of the most vibrant, authentic places you’ll visit in Mexico. It reminds Cindy and me a little of Antigua in Guatemala.

What you need to see and do in Valladolid is immerse yourself in its character and beauty. The city of Valladolid offers a great opportunity to experience authentic Mayan culture and Colonial Spanish History. Take a walk in the center of town and experience Valladolids’ stunning beauty. Colorful buildings of a time long gone but not forgotten. Valladolid has been a designated Pueblo Magico, which means the Magical City. Due to its charming buildings, interesting local arts, craftsmanship, and surrounding natural beauty. Furthermore, Valladolid was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Before we came to Valladolid, we had spent about 4 1/2 months in Progreso enjoying this seaside community and getting away from Canada for the winter. Progreso was a good choice, but it was time to see and experience other parts of Mexico before heading back home to Canada.

Flight + Hotel Deals: Save on Mexico, the Caribbean & more!

History Of Valladolid

Valladolid was founded by the Spanish in 1543 by Don Francisco de Montejo “El Mozo”. Acquiring the title of a city in 1823. Valladolid is the setting of two of Mexico’s most significant events: the Caste War in 1847 and the “first spark of the Mexican Revolution” in 1910.

Getting To Valladolid

Getting to Valladolid is relatively easy. If you travel from the Mayan Rivera or Merida, buses or car rentals are available; the roads are excellent to travel. You may run across a toll on the road, which is best avoided as they are a cost easily avoided.

Cancun to Valladolid 2hrs 152km or 95 miles
Tulum to Valladolid 1.5hrs 102km or 64 miles
Playa del Carmen to Valladolid 1.75hrs 140km or 88 miles
Merida to Valladolid 2hrs 160km or 100 miles
Progreso to Valladolid 2.5hrs 197km or 123 miles

Valladolid What You Need To See And Do

What you need to see in Valladolid is the downtown center. This colonial city’s area holds many beautiful and interesting historical sites, such as Convento de San Bernardino. Iglesia de San Servacio is located just off the main square and offers a glimpse of the church’s importance. The beautiful Calzada de Los Frailes, a colonial street from the 16th century, carries you back to the Spanish of old. As you walk this street, you’ll feel the influence left behind by the Spanish that once ruled this lovely city. This street is an outstanding location to take unique, interesting, and beautiful pictures with magical backdrops and colors.

The central square and where everything is happening in Valladolid is the Parque Fransisco Canton Rosado! Here you can enjoy the most beautiful colonial buildings and, of course, the city’s symbol, the Cathedral de San Gervasio!

What you need to do in Valladolid is explore the unique mix of cultures and influences over this incredible city. The Spanish influence over architectural buildings from majestic and religious Convento de San Bernardino and churches such as Iglesia de San Servacio to the everyday structures of homes and shops. Now add in the Mayan culture with its amazing foods, art, and people you have all the ingredients to make this a wonderful place to visit.

Exploring Valladolid

Exploring Valladolid, there are many options. Stroll through its colorful streets and visit cafes or explore Zaci cenote located downtown and maybe sample Mayan food from some of the street vendors located around. Additionally, you can also enjoy walking tours; Valladolid offers a Free Walking Tour every day, where you will learn more about this city’s history. Another enjoyable option is to rent bikes, this not only makes touring the city easier and quicker, but it allows you to explore the surrounding outskirts, where you will find many Cenotes within a 30-minute ride.

Greg standing in front of Zaci cenote sign

Calzada de Los Frailes is a must-visit; this fully reconstructed colonial cobbled street leads from Plaza Principal down to Convento de San Bernadino. On each side of the street are brightly colored colonial buildings, restaurants, and shops with colorful, decorative facades. A must-visit shop is Fabrica de Chocolate Artesanal Maya Chocol Haa which sells traditional Mayan chocolate in many different flavors.

Located in the park, you can enjoy the real Mexican vibe where people of Valladolid meet, talk, and dance with each other! Every evening you can watch the traditional dance performance at Valladolid’s main square. Colorful Mayan dancers perform Jarana – a traditional dance in Yucatan. The show typically starts at 5:30 pm.

Iglesia de San Servicio

One of the most recognizable buildings of Valladolid is Iglesia de San Servicio, also known as the Cathedral of San Gervasio. The Cathedral is located just south of the main square. The Spaniards built this cathedral over a demolished Mayan pyramid, using some of the pyramid’s stones to build the cathedral.

The Story Behind Iglesia de San Servicio

Church of San Servacio replaced the church that was first constructed there in 1545. Bishop Don Pedro de Los Reyes Ríos, in 1705 demolished the original church. Due to being the site of the murder of the former mayor in 1703. The ruler at the time made sure to execute the newly elected mayor for his involvement in the assassination. Construction of the current church began in 1706. To facilitate having its primary access facing the central plaza, the church was given a new orientation, so the church now faces the north and not the west.

Convento de San Bernardino

Convent of San Bernardino de Siena was founded by the Franciscans who had recently arrived in Yucatán. This convent was the first headquarters of the Franciscans; it still houses some vestiges that served during the process of evangelization of the Mayans, the process of conversion to Catholicism began. The convent complex comprises the church, the chapel, the ex-convent, the atrium, and the garden. At the Convent’s main entrance is the Franciscan coat of arms and Roman numerals, whose construction was completed. Inside the church, there is an altarpiece carved in wood and painted in gold.

At the bottom, there is a waterwheel that provided them with water as it faces the entrance of a cenote; elsewhere, you can admire some hand-made murals in which you can see a procession of saints, which over time have gradually dissolved.

During the Caste War, the church was looted and damaged like other parts of the city; however, the Convent did not suffer as much damage compared to the rest.

Valladolid History Night Show San Bernadino Convent

The place to enjoy the night show in Valladolid is the beautiful stone building of San Bernadino at Parque Sisal! San Bernadino Convent, about a 15-minute walk from the city center and is located at the end of Calzada de los Frailes. The light show is projected onto the convent every evening at 8 pm showing the history of Valladolid. There are two sittings for the sound and light show, a Spanish version at 9 pm and an English version at 9:25 pm.

Where To Eat And Drink

One of the best spots to eat is in El Bazaar Municipal, an open-air food court on the corner of Plaza Principal. The food court has a good selection of inexpensive local foods, from traditional Mayan dishes to Chinese food. The most popular eatery, is Loncheria el Amigo Casiano. Loncheria’s mouthwatering menu includes many Mexican and Yucatan specialties, including tacos, salbutes, sopes, cochinita pibil, and poc chuuc. Menus are all in Spanish, but you can place a mouth water order with a little problem with pictures. You order and pay at the counter, then wait for your meal at one of the picnic tables nearby.

Some of the best food options in Valladolid are the restaurants located on the main square. Valladolid may be small, but there are some of the best places to enjoy the food of Yucatan. Don’t forget to sample some of the simple treats located in the main square, as they can be a delightful surprise. A walk down Calzada de Los Frailes offers many other food options as well, and don’t forget the Mercado area as there are lots of simple food choices here that are flavorful and inexpensive.

Visit the Numerous Cenotes In The Area

Probably the most beautiful cenotes of Yucatan are located near Valladolid. The easiest way to visit the cenotes in the region is by renting a car; many cenotes can be reached by Colectivo or an enjoyable bike ride (bicycle rental). A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. Cenote is specifically associated with the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, where cenotes were commonly used for water supplies by the ancient Maya and occasionally for sacrificial offerings.

There is a cenote located in Valladolid not far from downtown that we visited and would recommend, Zaci, as it is inexpensive and very nice with a restaurant on site. I believe the cost to visit this cenote was 30 pesos; this is a deal as others in the area can run 150 pesos or better.

We also visited several other cenotes in the area, Kaapeh, Suytun, and Xcanahaltun. Suytun and Kaapeh cenotes are located at the same location, so two cenotes for one price. The cost ticket to enter was 150 pesos (expensive, I think), on your way to Suytun you get a wristband and then a life jacket which you are required to wear at all times. We wanted to visit this site as it has a walkway to the center that is a platform that the sun shines down on you if you arrive around noon.

This, I thought, would lead to a nice picture; it might have if I would have used a real camera rather than our Go Pro. Pictures are just not the same; with pour lighting, I should have gone back to the car to grab it. There is a line up to walk out onto the platform, just saying it can take some time to get your turn. Nice spot, just the same, we always enjoy a cenote.

Xcanahaltun is a stunning cenote that is northwest of Valladolid. Visitors here will find almost empty but picturesque emerald-blue watered cenote rich with stalactites and stalagmites. Getting to Xcanahaltun requires driving 40 kilometers from Valladolid, but well worth the effort.

You will find a small restaurant here that I would recommend that you visit as the prices are fair, tasteful and authentic Mayan flavors. Stairs lead down into the cenote and a wooden platform at the edge of the colorful clear water. With the sunlight shining into the cave, the water takes on a wondrous color, while cave formations line much of the inside. The best part is that this cenote receives few visitors. There are no lifeguards here. Cenote Xcanahaltun is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is MX$100 per person. The water feels very cool compared to most centoes that we have experienced.

Side Excursions While Staying In Valladolid

An advantage of staying in Valladolid is that this city makes a great starting point to visit locations in the area. Such as Ek Balam or Chichen Itza are two Mayan ruins that are incredible sites and worth visiting. Another place to visit for a day or two is Ria Lagartos Biosphere. Here you will find the towns of Rio Larartos, Las Colorados (pink lake and flamingos), and San Felipe. In addition, these small fishing villages are all excellent destinations as they offer a glimpse into a life that is so very different from what we are used to, slow pace, relaxing vibe.

Ek Balam

Ek Balam is a great Mayan ruin to visit as it is not crowded and offers you an opportunity to experience a piece of fascinating Mayan history. Take a short 30-minute drive northeast of Valladolid by car (rental, no car rental in Valladolid or taxi), or you can join a tour group; another option that is priced inexpensive is the colectivo (local bus ish).

There is a cenote located at Ek Balam as well. So after touring the ruins, you can cool off before heading back to Valladolid. On your way home, you can stop in Temozón.

Temozón

Temozón is known for smoked meats that are offered in the local butcher shops. However, the origin of smoked meats is attributed to several locals. The marinating of the meats adds to the unique flavors; combine this with Mayan recipes, and cooking with charcoal; you have a taste that has to be savored. We stopped and enjoyed a platter of mixed smoked meats and ended up having enough leftovers for lunch the next day. If you enjoy smoked meat, this is a must-visit.

Furthermore, the local artisans’ woodworkings make this community unique. You can purchase unique furniture or appreciate the designs crafted by the local Mayans.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is the Mayan ruin that everyone has heard of; it’s one of the seven wonders of the world. The best reason to visit Chichen Itza from Vallodolid is to arrive early before the crowds and stay late. Affording you plenty of time to enjoy these ruins before it gets crowded, and it does get very, very crowded. Getting to Chichen Itza from Valladolid is a 45-minute drive; again, there are several options available. Car, be it rental or a taxi, you can join a tour group or catch the colectivo.

Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Yucatán, Mexico, that is over 60,000 ha in size. The reserve is located in the northern Yucatán Peninsula, with the Gulf of Mexico at its northern limit. The reserve features a variety of mangroves, estuaries, lagoons, marshes, and savannah. These are home to varied flora and fauna, plus numerous animal species, including nesting sites for many birds, including the beloved flamingo.

Rio Lagartos

Rio Lagartos is a small fishing and ecotourism village on the Gulf Coast of Mexico, untouched by today’s fast-paced world. A different kind of paradise, more wilderness than beaches. Rio Lagartos is a place to come and unwind. That said, it’s not for everyone. However, if you want to experience life up close, stay a while. Enjoy the lack of crowds, protected biosphere, and the opportunity of seeing thousands of flamingos. The pink waters of the nearby Las Coloradas make this a great travel destination. Life is easier here in Rio Lagartos, so enjoy.

Las Colorados

Las Coloradas is a small fishing village 20km to the east of Rio Lagartos. Flamingos can be seen here by the thousands during the breeding season. In Addition, Las Colorados is known for its pink-colored lakes; ocean water held in large settling ponds is evaporated by the sun, leaving the salt behind. Hence it is these salt ponds that display the beautiful pink colors that Las Coloradas is known for. The colors are reportedly best in July-August and March due to the 6-month evaporation process. Las Coloradas Pink Lake travel tip. Come when the sun is high in the sky as this shows the pink color of the lakes in all their glory.

San Felipe

To the west of Rio Lagartos, you will find San Felipe. A small fishing village that offers a glimpse into an easier-paced life. Here you will find amazing seafood restaurants; we found this restaurant called El Popular Vaselina, where we enjoyed a lovely seafood dinner of Shrimp.

El Cuyo

El Cuyo is a remote small fishing village on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is located in the National Park Ria Lagartos. Area is well known for flamingos, sea turtles, and other sea birds. Calling it paradise is not enough. Located 2.5 hrs northeast of Valladolid, it makes for a nice couple day trip. Situated, in the Ría Lagartas reserve, between Holbox and Las Coloradas. The beaches in El Cuyo are wide with few people; the town has 1,700 residents.

Visiting Izamal

Izamal is a beautiful golden city; a 1.5 hrs drive west of Valladolid. We stopped here on our way to Valladolid, definitely worth a visit. The Mayans settled here first and built many temples for their gods. Pyramid Kinich Kakmó, located in town that looks nothing like the restored temples of other Mayan ruins, has not been restored.

Little remains of what the Mayans built here. The Spanish built an impressive Franciscan monastery here. Robbing building stones to build the new monastery from the Mayan temples and buildings that were here first. Bishop Fray Diego de Landa burned Izamal’s Mayan libraries and writings in the 1500s. Temple remains can be seen as grass-covered mounds, reminders of what was a Mayan city.

A lovely way to see the town is by hiring a horse-drawn cart. You can be found in the center of town beside the IZAMAL sign. The carts are decorated with colorful flowers, along with hats and other accessories for the horses. A very nice way to see the downtown area, they stop at Kinich Kakmó, a pyramid so that you can walk up it. Most buildings in this town are painted a golden color, making for unique pictures.

Franciscan convent San Antonio de Padua back side B & W

Final Thoughts On Valladolid

We enjoyed our stay here, maybe too long but a great city to visit and to use as a home base to explore the many sites located around Valladolid. From Valladolid we made several side excursions. To see where we went and what we saw and experienced follow these links, Rio Largatos, Ek Balam, and Chichen Itza.

Our Positives

A beautiful colonial city, building colours and history
Friendly, safe city
Zaci cenote was a pleasent place to spend time
A great city to use a a home base to visit sites in the area

Our Negatives

We found the food to be expensive in the resturaunts

Would have, Could have, Should have

Should have spent a little less time as we stayed here 10 days

Next Stop

We head to Isla Mujeres next for a couple of days as our stay in Mexico is coming quickly to an end after 5 + months. Isla Mujeres is a location that Cindy wanted to visit, me not so much as I was thinking more along the line of a tourist trap (spoiler, I did enjoy our time here).

Support Our Blog And It’s Unique Travel Content

You can support our site by using the links through our travel Essential. If you purchase items using our links, we will receive a small commission. There are no extra or hidden costs to you. These commissions assist us in our travel, so we can provide unique content to you through each blog post. If you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and informative please share it with friends. Subscriber, so you never miss a new post. Thank you.

Recommended Travel Essential

Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic, so we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable with our lifestyle. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.

Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.

Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well

Travel Insurance

We always travel with some sort of travel Insurance be it just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember don’t travel and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a product using our link, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Disclaimer.