Discovering Agia Galini: a relaxing retreat
With only 4 kg of carry-on luggage, I set out on a short trip to a small touristic fisherman village in the south of Crete: Agia Galini, which means Saint Serenity. A promise to relax.
No Mass Tourism
With only a few days and on a shoestring budget like the good old days, I browsed the web for a convenient place to stay. Convenient means food, a pool, and a quiet neighborhood. Though Crete is a popular destination, the south of Crete is less mass-touristic and an excellent starting point for those looking for authentic Greek country. So, I booked with The Maxine, a small hotel located on a hill, with rooms overlooking the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. The view, I learned long ago, makes up for half of the “rejuvenation.”
How to Pack for 4 kg Carry-on
Traveling with only carry-on luggage has a lot of perks: no checking in or losing luggage, no waiting at the conveyor belt, and no paying for extra weight. You travel light and fast. Although carry-on luggage has evolved into a new suitcase light, I am actually talking about traveling minimalistically. But you do need to prepare yourself a little bit to make the shift, as a lot is not allowed in carry-on. So, without further ado, here is the content of my bag:
Lens fluid in a 100ml container
Clothes (jumpsuit, underwear, bikini, socks)
Flip-flops
Sony RX100
Charger
E-book (Kobo)
Book (still on Game of Thrones)
Ear entertainment (headphones, earbuds, loops, Alpine, wired)
Empty water bottle
You’ll notice I did not pack any deodorant or soap. I rely on the fact that if I need something, I will find it at my destination. For souvenir shopping, obviously buying some Cretan olive oil is a no-go, though if I really want to, the shop owners are happy to ship it to your home.
As I am quite sensitive to noise, I packed several earpiece solutions, a bit overboard maybe.
The Accommodation
The Maxine is an hour’s drive from Heraklion Airport. Arriving at night with some delay, there was not much sightseeing of the country. Upon arrival, the hotel owner gave me a sandwich and a bottle of water and showed me my room down the corridor. Arrived at last, tired and ready for sleep.
The room is basic, clean, and provided with a small fridge and an ashtray (which I immediately put in the fridge). The red-tiled bathroom is provided with amenities, and there is a waste bin next to the toilet. To get hot water in the shower, you need to run the water for a few minutes. It was a bit difficult in my head to grasp, wasting water like that, so I mostly showered cold. Healthy as a horse.
Breakfast starts at 8:00, and with a terrace basking in the scenery, there was absolutely no need for other entertainment. Olives, cheese, bread, eggs, bacon, and of course, yogurt are neatly presented at the buffet. The included coffee is less to my liking, though they have a professional machine, but you need to pay extra. This breakfast will keep me filled until late afternoon, time to explore the environment.
It’s a seven-minute walk downhill to the shore, and after 9:00, the temperature already rises. It is quite warm for the time of year, around 30 degrees Celsius.
Adventures in Agia Galini
Walking down, the first stop and detour I make is visiting Camping “No Problem.” They have a small shop where I can buy drinking water and am seduced to buy sweets and souvenirs. The real treat is the campsite itself, with quotes and sayings spread out over the domain, raising positivity. The cherry on the pie is the bar and restaurant. A whole room is filled with Belgian beer bottles, and outside, huge posters fill the walls of pop stars, rock stars, and iconic concerts. I will spend every day here.
The bar is filled, like the hotel, with Germans, but also a few Belgians. The owners are there too, and the hostess kindly tells the story of the Belgian beer wall. They once started with a few bottles, and when Belgians saw that, they promised to come back and bring more different bottles. And so it grew from a small chest to the living room it is now. Her partner works in the kitchen and loves to cook food from all over the world. As we are sitting there, enjoying some raki and hospitality, they serve us Thai appetizers, and they are outstanding. It is perhaps the highlight of my trip, sitting there, talking to other travelers and Germans who now permanently live here, nibbling on extraordinary spring rolls.
The story of an older German is that she met her husband here a long time ago while traveling. In Germany, they built a life together and had a glorious career in the media. After retirement, they decided to come back to Agia Galini on a permanent basis.
A day before, I met two Belgian women who were into biodanza. We planned to see each other again for karaoke night in town, but I did not find them there. So I started talking to the bar owner, who is a farmer. He bought the café for his daughter to have something to do here. They just started the bar and will give it a few years to see if it sticks.
Relaxation
I would spend my mornings before breakfast at the beach, sitting there, meditating. There is hardly anyone there except for the occasional jogger or local walking his dog. It is a great start to the day, especially when the weather is that sweet.
I actually really wanted to do some diving or horse riding, but nothing was available. My eye fell on some advertising on the road for a massage. Downtown in the small town center, a man had been a pillar in the village. There is a new massage service now as well, but communication with the young girl was difficult. I do like to have a conversation about what is going to happen and how the massage therapist experienced my body.
The guy loves to do massages and practiced for a long time before going pro. He spent a lot of time participating in workshops in Thailand and pairs his knowledge with different disciplines. He mostly does relaxing Thai oil massages, but opens up to people who he senses need a deeper level. He shared with me that some of my chakra points were blocked. All in all, if you like massages, I really recommend booking a spot with him. He advises making time for this in the late afternoon, so you can go to sleep afterward.
Local Transportation and Getting Around
Getting around in Crete, and more specifically in Agia Galini, is challenging without a rental car. I was there only for a few days, so I had no need, but if I come back, a rental car will be on the list. Public transportation is limited to a bus an hour, and for some destinations, even only a bus a day. They still like cash here, so you will find ATMs at a lot of corners, or sometimes between the bushes. The tourist tax, for example, must be paid in cash. To not annoy the hotel management like I did, coming in cashless, ye be warned.
Feline Encounters
By the way, if you love cats, you will adore this place. Agia Galini, and Crete in general, is filled with sweet feline companions. They don’t belong to anyone, so they are wild, yet docile. When you go lie down at the hotel pool, they join you on the bed. For me, the best practice with these cats is to leave them alone and ignore them. Don’t pet or feed them. If anything, they will like you more for it and stay close.
How come there are so many cats here? For one, cats have always been quite important in this culture, mostly for rodent control. The mild climate might be a factor why they multiply so easily, and of course, in touristic places, the abundance of food and attention. Unlike other countries, like Belgium, there is no neuter program in place, so they continue to purr and procreate.
Conclusion
All in all, visiting Agia Galini is a great choice for travelers who like a chill atmosphere, love a hike, and good food. I am sure there are lots more Greek spots to explore that will steal our hearts. If you have questions or would like me to organize a retreat with yoga, horse riding, scuba diving, or photography, let me know!
