Destination: Crete | Vacation Keywords: Exhaustion & Ice Cream
Taking your second born abroad for the very first time is less of a “relaxing getaway” and more of an international test of human endurance. Our destination was Crete, and our mission was simple: loose our sanity as little as possible and survive to tell the story. We booked a full package deal—flights, transfers, and hotel all-in-one—because when traveling with small kids, having only one customer service rep to cry to when things go wrong is a major parenting win.
Pro Tip #1: Always aim for an afternoon arrival. Waiting around a hotel lobby for check-in with an overtired, screaming baby is a special level of hell. Don’t ask me how I know.
We stayed at the stunning Domes of Elounda, tucked between the mountains and surrounded by endless olive trees around Elounda Bay. The food was divine and the scenery was postcard-worthy, but did we actually get to enjoy the resort’s luxury amenities? Absolutely not. Kid #2 was the reason to that.
Thomas was officially one year old, fully mobile, and possessed a burning desire to touch everything in Southern Europe. To whichever hotel interior designer decided to place heavy glass decor items 50 centimeters off the ground: who hurt you, and why do you hate parents?
Dinner wasn’t a dining experience; it was a high-stakes Tag Team match where my husband and I took turns inhaling food while the other tackled Thomas before he scaled a pillar. We completely bypassed the resort’s fancy restaurants, Makris and Antonios—we simply lacked the audacity. Every trip to the pool required four eyes glued to the little guy at all times, as he has zero fear of water.
The hotel did have a kids’ club, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to drop him off—mostly out of deep sympathy for the staff.
Pro Tip #2: Use the kids’ club anyway. Better yet, drag the grandparents along with you. Thank me later.
Meanwhile, our eldest had the time of his life, existing on a steady cycle of unlimited pool time and endless ice cream (unlimited only until the toddler’s nap schedule dictated our lives).
Exploring Plaka & Spinalonga Viewpoint:
Despite the chaos—and hotel beds that were shockingly uncomfortable for a place this nice—we did venture out. We took a lovely 15-minute stroll to the super cute village of Plaka and caught the breathtaking Spinalonga viewpoint. Did we take the actual boat tour to Spinalonga? Absolutely not. Dragging two kids through historic ruins in the Greek heat is where we draw the line.
Visiting during the first week of October turned out to be a brilliant choice. The weather was lovely, the summer crowds had melted away, and even though we returned home needing a vacation from our vacation, we made it back in one piece!