Maman Voyage

Venice with kids: our 10 essentials

How I longed to return to Italy! My second home! So I organized a stay in Venice as part of our holiday itinerary, after leaving Croatia. We had already been to Venice as a couple, a few years ago. I was delighted to discover Venice with my family: Ticoeur and Titpuce were really charmed and surprised by this city, so different, so atypical, with all its canals and the absence of cars. Magic ! A journey through time and history…

This summer, Venice was less crowded than usual… Effect of the current context, the new bans on large cruise ships and the non-resumption of international tourism. A chance to see this city without the crowds (except at the Rialto where everyone seems to meet). Several times in the morning, we even felt alone in St. Mark’s Square! Not to mention the Doge’s Palace which we had not managed to visit during our previous trip to Venice and in which this time we crossed vast, almost deserted rooms. We will not forget this Venetian break with the children! I would also like to point out that the city was extremely clean, with an impressive work by the garbage collectors who crisscross the streets and canals. No unpleasant smell either! In short, I hope you see Venice as we saw it this summer and of course, I will now detail our little, totally improvised program on site…

Venice for the family: our 10 essentials:

1: The Grand Canal: you might as well start with the Grand Canal as soon as you arrive because it gives an excellent first overview of the city. With our suitcases, we simply took the vaporetto from Piazzale Roma (point of arrival on the island) to get to our accommodation which was located a stone’s throw from St. Mark’s Square. This made us enjoy the whole canal! The journey is not cheap (7.50 euros) but it should be seen as an attraction in itself, like a riverboat ride :-). Free tickets for children under 6 years old. To remember these magnificent views from the water, we also took the vaporetto again at the end of our stay before leaving Venice. During our stay, we crossed the Grand Canal several times at the bridges and we never tire of the changing light… Venice is so beautiful at any time of the day!

Our 5 stops from Zadar to Split in Croatia

Here are the 5 stops between Zadar and Split that we chose during our family road trip in Croatia, along the Dalmatian coast. We had already taken other trips to Croatia, but we hadn’t yet explored this part of the coast – which is nonetheless probably the most famous!

It was in Zadar that our journey through Dalmatia began, along the Croatian coast, all the way to Split. On this 5-stop itinerary from Zadar to Split, our two favourites were Trogir and the island of Hvar. Yes, I’m giving away the suspense already :-).

Overall, what we enjoyed most on our trip to Croatia was the good balance between visiting beautiful towns with a rich cultural heritage and lovely swimming spots, on the coast or on the little islands. As for accommodation, we hadn’t booked anything in advance (except for Zadar). That’s quite a challenge in summer! But we always found something at the last minute.

Time of year: from mid-July to the very beginning of August 2021

Age of our children: 9 (Titpuce) and 11 (Ticoeur).

So here are the 5 stops on our Croatia itinerary…

1 – Zadar as a family

Zadar was the first stop on our Croatia itinerary.

We visited this town, which we found rather pleasant (mid-July). We spent our first night on land there after our week at sea. A stay of one day and one night seems to me the perfect length to visit the old town and walk along the sea at sunset, admiring the Adriatic. We liked the Bruschetta restaurant. The cuisine has certain similarities with Italian food, which Ticoeur and Titpuce certainly didn’t mind!

We climbed to the top of the cathedral bell tower, which you can see in the photo above. The views are pretty good:

In the evening, after wandering through the alleys of the old town, we walked along the seafront promenade like everyone else. At the end of the promenade is the Sea Organ, an installation that “sings” to the rhythm of the waves thanks to 35 pipes located under the water. We were lucky to visit Zadar in July when the town was still quite calm. Nonetheless, at sunset there were plenty of people listening to the Sea Organ and having fun with the lights of the installation! (So probably a spot to avoid in August.)

From Zadar, we hired a sailboat to discover the Kornati islands and other islets located off the coast of Zadar. After a week on the sailboat, we came back to Zadar.

Then we made a detour inland to visit the Plitvice Lakes. An absolute must! A wonder of nature! We spent a night there, then came back to sleep one more night in Zadar before starting our road trip south along the coast, all the way to Split.

For accommodation, I had booked an apartment for 6 because a friend and his son had joined us in Zadar to spend the week on the sailboat with us.

2 – Šibenik on the way:

A beautiful town where we stopped twice. One night on the outward leg of our north-south journey and one night on the way back. There are numerous alleys, squares, stairways and slopes in the old town. So it’s a great opportunity for a lovely walk (leaving the car in the car park). We wandered around St James’s Cathedral and then climbed up to the Kastel (which we didn’t visit). We also walked along the town’s seafront ramparts. The accommodation we found in Šibenik, in the old town, was our favourite of our road trip along the Dalmatian coast.

**** When you book a hotel on Booking by following a link on my articles, it allows me to receive a small commission: it does not change the price for you and it helps me maintain the blog. So thank you very much to those who book the hotels we recommend! ****

Note that Šibenik is the ideal base for those who want to visit Krka National Park. This time, we’d chosen to visit Plitvice Park, so we didn’t combine it with this second park, but Papa Voyage, who went there a few years ago, really liked it.

3 – Our favourite: Trogir

We think Trogir is the prettiest little town on the Dalmatian coast! The medieval part is pedestrianised and has a lot of charm, by day or by night. In the evening, we had a wonderful time on the terrace of the Kristan restaurant (excellent pizzas and calamari!).

We spent a night in Trogir, on the Otok Čiovo peninsula (easier for parking). You walk to the old town by crossing the bridge. Our apartment was okay, nothing more, but clean and practical, a 15-minute walk from the old town. I’ll put the link here, but I think you can find better.

For a swimming break, we drove along Otok Čiovo (the peninsula opposite Trogir) and swam at the last beach (Kava beach):

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The Kaštela Route:

Between Trogir and Split, we followed the “Kaštela Route” and made two very nice little stops:

The first stop in Kaštel Stari, where we swam and had a coffee:

A second stop in Kaštel Gomilica. It’s tiny but pretty, and apparently it’s one of the filming locations of Game of Thrones. Well, I didn’t watch that series (too violent for me!), so it didn’t mean much to me, but I really enjoyed the break!

4 – A few days in Split as a family:

We settled in Split for several days because Papa Voyage had to work remotely. So I visited the old town on my own with the kids. In Split, compared to the previous stops, there are more sites to visit because the town is bigger: it’s the capital of Dalmatia. In short, for us, who stayed longer, that worked out well. If you’re passing through, I’d recommend staying two nights. Beware, in August it’s crowded! Go for July or an even quieter month.

First of all, we visited the Roman part of Split (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The heart of the historic part is Diocletian’s Palace, surrounded by fortified walls.

With the kids, we climbed to the top of the bell tower for a lovely view over the town.

For swimming, I took Ticoeur and Titpuce to Firule beach in the morning, and I liked having a coffee at Dvor for the view.

Of our whole trip to Croatia, Split was where we were hottest. Yes, it’s further south, but there was also a heatwave of around 30 degrees. I know it could be worse, but for the “Brits” we’ve become, that’s already a lot. So we enjoyed visiting the cellars of Diocletian’s Palace for their coolness. There’s also part of the underground area with free access, with arts and crafts stalls. We bought some watercolours as a souvenir.

At the end of the day, it was nice to walk up into the Marjan district, through Park Vidilica, which you can see in the background in this photo:

In the park, we sat on a terrace at sunset, admiring the view towards the old town:

Our favourite spots in Split? The ice creams at Ela’s. And also the fish restaurant Duje, which was recommended by our hosts. It’s a restaurant frequented by locals and located outside the old town – not a great setting, but great food!

The view as we left Split by ferry:

5 – The magnificent island of Hvar!

From Split, we booked a ferry to the island of Hvar (to the port of Stari Grad). We bought tickets for the four of us + the car. Many tourists only spend a day on Hvar. In that case, foot-passenger tickets or organised tours are more suitable, but we really recommend staying several days on Hvar (3 nights, for example). The island has so much more to offer than its little main town, where all the day visitors disembark! Hvar has many small coves. It’s perfect for wonderful swims away from the crowds. Clearly a favourite for us! Given the size of the island, and to reach all the coves, you need a car, hence our choice.

The little town of Hvar on Hvar, in the morning, before the excursion boats arrive…

The kind of idyllic, peaceful little coves you’ll find on the island of Hvar:

There are also really cute villages:

The little town of Jelsa:

Right, I’ll give you a few cove names as examples, but just look at the map – they’re all lovely! Zukova Bay, Dubovica Beach (with a nice little beach bar), Piscena Beach, Brizenica Bay. Watch out for sea urchins! Remember to bring water shoes!

As for good places to eat, we had a favourite on Hvar: the restaurant Konoba Santa Marija (in Dol), where we had dinner several times. It’s a farm located inland (you need a car). The setting was super pleasant and we ate very well. As for accommodation, we were in the north-east, near Stari Grad, a pleasant town that’s less touristy than Hvar.

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For the return journey, we went back up the same route, from Split to Zadar, more quickly, sleeping one more night in Šibenik.

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Road trip in Croatia: practical information

Transport: we had our own vehicle, since we’d reached Croatia by driving through Germany and Austria. For such a long stay, it was clearly the most economical option. And to get from Split to Hvar, we took the ferry (a 2-hour crossing), booking the day before.

Season: since we travelled across July and August, we clearly saw the difference in visitor numbers between the two months! Suddenly, at the start of August, there were lots of tourists! Especially in Split! So we’d advise you to go in July. As for the weather, we had ideal conditions, around 30 degrees but no more. No heatwave. Of course, that’s a bit down to luck. We were lucky.

Travel guide: we had the French Guide Evasion Croatia.

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So? Tempted by a road trip in Croatia?

5 family hikes in the Aosta Valley

At the end of August, we set off to discover the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps. I love exploring Italy, the country of my origins. I only knew the Aosta Valley in its snowy version, as we had skied near La Thuile on the French border during our ski week in La Rosière. This time, we discovered the Aosta Valley in summer — the perfect opportunity for some wonderful family hikes!

Even though this region is just a stone’s throw from the French Alps, it offered us a real change of scenery. The mountain landscapes are different — as are the villages and, of course, the food! All along the valley, we spotted many small hilltop castles, typical Valdostan constructions from the Middle Ages, and we even travelled back to Roman times through the ancient remains in Aosta, the region’s capital (which, by the way, offers much more than just its famous ham!).

For us, the aim of this holiday was to go hiking with the children (Ticoeur almost 11 years old and Titpuce 8 and a half). I should mention that they are used to hiking and are happy to walk — especially when it’s not too easy! 🙂 We went on hikes of very different levels, and here are all the details.

Our 5 family hikes in the Aosta Valley:

1 – Courmayeur: the Val Ferret hike

Our one-week Cornwall road-trip

In July we took the several hours of road towards the West: Cornwall. It is actually the most South-Western point of England. A bit equivalent to Britanny in my native France 😉 There really are a lot of points in common. Both are magnificently wild, both have coves with turquoise and emerald water, both give an impression of ‘the remote end of the world’, both with proud inhabitants, beautiful stone cottages, good seafood… But Cornwall is still different from Brittany: flora, landscape, vibe, architecture and the language – obviously! Let me take you on a one-week road-trip through Cornwall.

une semaine en Cornouailles — Kynance Cove

Cornwall is well known for its natural beauty, appreciated by locals, english and international tourists alike. Originally we had planned to go in spring to avoid the crowds. But due to Covid we had to change our plans and delay the trip to the summer. In the end it was much less crowded than we had feared because the international tourists were still missing. The locals were even surprised to hear us speak French until we explained that we live in Hampshire. Ideal conditions for our Cornwall trip! A real ‘coup de cœur’!

Cornwall by campervan

We took the campervan and mostly used it for our nights. We also spent one night in a hotel to get some comfort into the mix (coming into our week in Cornwall we had already spent a few days hiking in the Dartmoor National Park).

Before getting to all the wonderful discoveries we made in Cornwall, I think it’s important to note that we didn’t prepare a thing. Neither the itinerary, nor the list of points of interest (with 1 or 2 exceptions here), nor the nights! That’s the advantage of the campervan, we knew that we could improvise! We often stopped completely by chance… We had decided to start roughly by Newquay and then go anti-clockwise. Instead we zig-zagged quite a bit because we spent several night in the same spot.

Our itinerary for a week in Cornwall:

The spots followed by a heart (❤) are the ones we preferred. Here is our improvised itinerary in the hope that it may inspire you! But don’t hesitate to just get lost in Cornwall since it’s beautiful everywhere! Our itinerary:

4 days in Naples as a family

Here is the story of our stay in Naples with family during the February holidays. This was our last trip to date. We didn’t yet suspect that the following ones were going to skip. However, it was precisely while we were in Naples that northern Italy made headlines because the virus began to spread dangerously in Venice and Milan. At the time, far from imagining what would happen next, we told ourselves that we were damn lucky to have chosen Naples after we had hesitated for a long time with Milan. Our desire for sun and pizza had temporarily saved us :-). When we returned from vacation, the children’s school asked us which region of Italy we were returning from because if we had stayed in the north, we would have had to quarantine ourselves. So I exhaled, relieved, without understanding that the whole world was going to end up in quarantine!

Anyway, after this long introduction, here is my article about our stay in Naples as a family. It was two months ago. I hope that this virtual visit will do you as much good as it did me and that you will keep this article handy for next year perhaps…

In the meantime, I highly recommend the four books in the saga L’Amie Prodigieuse ( L’Amica Geniale ) by Elena Ferrante. This story will immerse you in the life of the working-class neighborhoods of Naples in the 1950s. I read them in Italian which adds to the magic of the text because the alternation of Neapolitan dialect and Italian is a marvel! For me, it’s a personal journey into the Sicily of my childhood and into the stories my father tells me… That said, the people who read it in English also really liked it so I think that in all cases it’s an endearing, realistic and colorful read (only the last volume disappointed me). When visiting Naples, you inevitably pass by certain places described in the book. One more reason to plan a Neapolitan vacation!

view of Naples — The view of the historic center of Naples and Capri in the distance

Naples with family, the program:

A weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon in Shakespeare’s footsteps

We live two hours’ drive from Stratford-upon-Avon. It was therefore the perfect weekend getaway to discover this English town, the birthplace of William Shakespeare! What’s more, Stratford-upon-Avon is famous for the charm of its old Tudor-era buildings.

If you are passing through this part of England, between Oxford and Birmingham, don’t miss the chance to stop here. There are plenty of visits on offer, suitable for children. Ticoeur and Titpuce didn’t know much about Shakespeare’s work apart from Romeo and Juliet; and yet they really enjoyed discovering all the historic sites of Stratford-upon-Avon. You should allow two very full days to see everything. The best option is to buy the ticket that gives access to five Shakespeare-related sites (see here).

Houses and museums in Stratford-upon-Avon:

Shakespeare’s Birthplace ❤ :

It was a good idea to start with this house, as it tells the beginning of the story and details of Shakespeare’s childhood. He was born here in 1564, the son of a glover (you can even try on the gloves). You can see period furniture, including what is believed to be Shakespeare’s cradle. In some rooms, guides share anecdotes and answer our questions. They are particularly lovely with children.

visit Stratford upon Avon — Probably William Shakespeare’s first bed

Hall’s Croft ❤ :

This is the home where Shakespeare’s daughter lived with her husband, who was a doctor. Compared with Shakespeare’s birthplace, you can really sense the step up in status and wealth of the second generation. The house is very well preserved and contains beautiful furniture. You can also see all the medical equipment used at the time.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage ❤ :

Anne was Shakespeare’s wife. She and her family owned this charming cottage a few kilometres from Stratford-upon-Avon. The house is not very large, but the setting is truly lovely. If I had to choose just one of the wider Shakespeare family homes, this would be the one!

Mary Arden’s Farm ❤ :

This is where Shakespeare’s mother lived. By far, it was the children’s favourite house! The site is perfect for a family visit. You discover how life was organised on a large farm at the time. Actors bring the place to life: dressed as farmers, you can see them preparing a large fire, cooking, cleaning and looking after the animals. Throughout the day, there are workshops and activities for younger visitors. You could easily spend a lot of time here! For children, this is clearly the best of the five visits.

Shakespeare’s New Place :

Of the five visits included in the combined ticket, this was the one we liked the least. Perhaps the garden would be nicer in the sunshine… Not essential.

Shakespeare’s School (Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall) :

The second favourite place for Ticoeur and Titpuce. They loved writing with a quill and learning what a school day was like in Shakespeare’s time. My only downside is that the entrance ticket is too expensive for what it is (it is not included in the combined ticket). No regrets, as the children enjoyed it.

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The centre of Stratford-upon-Avon is perfect for strolling around and admiring all the half-timbered houses… You also pass by the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, where Shakespeare is, of course, in the spotlight—but not only him! In fact, we saw A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens there.

Our good addresses in Stratford-upon-Avon:

Accommodation: we stayed at the youth hostel YHA Stratford-upon-Avon. I’ve already mentioned it before: some youth hostels are completely suitable for families, with rooms for four or five people and kid-friendly communal areas. The Stratford-upon-Avon hostel is one of those that welcomes quite a few families. What’s more, although the place is a little old-fashioned, it does have plenty of character. Overall, it’s very affordable and was a really good option for one night. Another advantage for those on a tight budget is that you can cook your own meals. We tested the bar (excellent gin and tonic!) and the children loved the pool table.

Tea room: we recommend taking a short break in the warm and cosy setting of Hobsons Patisseries for a generous slice of English cake and, of course, a cup of tea!

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In short, the whole family loved Stratford-upon-Avon and we all learned a great deal about William Shakespeare!

Other trips for Shakespeare fans:

A weekend in London to see a play at the Globe.
A break in Verona… A very beautiful small Italian city where Shakespeare, incidentally, never set foot!

Shakespeare on screen:

Shakespeare in Love by John Madden (1998)
Romeo + Juliet by Baz Luhrmann (1996), in cinemas or as a musical in London.
For children, you probably already know that The Lion King is inspired by Hamlet, even if I didn’t really see the “Hakuna Matata” side of Hamlet 😉

Edit 2026 :

**The book and film Hamnet :**

The novel Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell offers a fictionalised yet compelling version of Shakespeare as a husband and father. The story is told from the point of view of Shakespeare’s wife, called Agnes in the book (in reality, her name was Anne), probably to highlight that this is a free interpretation of what may have happened. Shakespeare’s life is indeed poorly documented, and many mysteries remain. They did have twins, a girl and a boy. The boy was called Hamnet, and his story may be linked to the genesis of the famous tragedy Hamlet. I liked how the book immerses us in this harsh period, marked by the plague epidemic.

As for the film Hamnet by Chloé Zhao, actress Jessie Buckley is excellent. The story is less developed than in the book, but the settings are beautifully English. I hope this makes you want to come to Stratford-upon-Avon to learn more about Shakespeare!

I should still point out that the film was not shot in Stratford-upon-Avon (for practical reasons), but in the quieter village of Weobley (1 hour 40 minutes from Stratford-upon-Avon), at Cwmmau Farmhouse (2 hours from Stratford-upon-Avon), and in a studio-built replica of the Globe. But I’m counting on you to come and visit the real sites in Stratford-upon-Avon! It will be far more moving!

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I’ll finish with a quote from Shakespeare that may well remind you of certain current political chaos :-).

“Tis the times’ plague, when madmen lead the blind.” King Lear, Shakespeare.
“It is the misfortune of the times that fools guide the blind”, King Lear, Shakespeare.

So? Tempted by a family weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon, following in Shakespeare’s footsteps?

Our 10 hikes in Crete with the children

I told you about our trip to Crete with the children. I gave you our itinerary and showed you all the beautiful places we discovered in the west of the island. All that’s left is for me to explain our choice of family hikes for these Easter holidays that we wanted to be sporty!

Hikes in the gorges of western Crete

Crete is known for its very beautiful beaches but also for its magnificent gorges that cut through the landscape and offer hiking possibilities in natural scenery that is jagged and sometimes very vertiginous! Here are the gorges where we hiked with the children:

1/ Imbros Gorge – 8 km – 2 hrs 15 from north to south.
A lovely, easy hike. We particularly liked the narrow sections that let you really appreciate the “gorge” feel. Squeezing between big rocks really appealed to the children! The first half of the hike is prettier than the second half, so you can consider turning back halfway to return to your car. That said, there’s a nice little stone arch about three-quarters of the way; you’ll miss it if you turn back halfway, but I don’t think it’s unmissable. How did we organise the car pick-up? “Papa Voyage” turned back at the arch and quickly walked the whole way back to the car, then came to pick us up at the end of the gorge. With the children, we walked calmly to the end of the gorge and sat down on the terrace of a café by the roadside while waiting for “Papa Voyage”. You can also call a taxi and each bar/restaurant can arrange that for you, but it’s an extra cost to plan for.

Imbros Gorge

2/ Aradena Gorge – 4 hrs 30 – hike done from south to north, so uphill through the gorge.
The most beautiful, but also the most difficult and the longest hike of our stay. I wouldn’t recommend it to families who are new to hiking. We’re used to walking, and so are our children.
Endurance isn’t enough: you mustn’t be afraid of heights and you have to like climbing. In fact, along the way you’ll come across ladders and ropes. It isn’t suitable for children younger than ours, as they would probably struggle to get past these obstacles. In short, it isn’t a “for everyone” hike, but one for experienced walkers. Note that there’s a way to bypass the most difficult section where the two ladders are, but that means taking a narrow path along the cliffside; it may be easier, but it also means moving forward carefully, without being afraid of heights. The ladders aren’t difficult, it’s just that it’s impressive because you can’t help thinking: what would happen if I let go of the ladder?? But why let go, eh? I still positioned myself just behind Titpuce to reassure myself… Once the ladders are behind you, that’s where it’s hardest, because right after the second ladder, the terrain slopes down and is made up of small scree: you have to move forward carefully because clearly you don’t want to slip backwards… That scree is what bothered me most and made me a bit worried. Also, it isn’t very well signposted there, so above all, don’t head upwards through the scree; quickly take the path to the left because the trail isn’t far – it’s just that you can’t see it yet when you’re at the top of the ladder.
We started this hike in Loutro, then went up towards Livaniana (do it fairly early in the morning because the climb is a bit tough and in full sun); then we picked up the Aradena Gorge and hiked up it towards the north. Note that it’s possible to make a detour to Marmara beach to start the gorge from the beginning, but that would have made this already long hike even longer, and we wanted to focus more on the gorge than the beach, especially as we were there in April. Also note that to get to Loutro, the children and I took a boat from Hora Sfakion, while “Papa Voyage” went to park the car in Anapoli and walked down to Loutro (see below).

setting off from Loutro

Aradena Gorge the ladder section!

3/ Irini Gorge – easy – about 2 hrs 30
There are even some set-up areas for breaks or picnics. You follow a stream: it’s normally a straightforward hike and one of families’ favourites BUT because of the heavy rain a few days earlier, the stream had widened and we were blocked by the river after an hour’s walk. So we did an out-and-back in this gorge instead of walking it end to end. We only regret that there wasn’t any info at the entrance to the gorge. That said, our 2-hour out-and-back was worth it: it was a lovely walk, even though it was a bit grey that day.

Irini Gorge

Note: the most famous gorge is Samaria Gorge, but it isn’t accessible before May because of the water level in the gorge during the snowmelt. What’s more, when this gorge is open, apparently it’s extremely busy, and to avoid the crowds, the best choice would be Aradena Gorge, which I mentioned above.

Our beach hikes in Crete:

Here are a few easy walks that took us to very beautiful beaches:

4/ Limini Beach: 1 hour return – easy
An easy, short walk to reach a very beautiful cove. It was mainly for the pleasure of the eyes because swimming looked dangerous (currents and waves). I don’t know if it’s possible to swim there, but the place is well worth the detour. It’s not far from Chania airport, on the Akrotiri peninsula.

5/ Balos Peninsula: 1 hr 30 return – easy
Note that to reach the start of this walk, you have to drive along an 8 km track, so drive very carefully and slowly. Many tourists go to Balos by boat. As the aim of our trip was hiking, we preferred the land version. The walk is very easy and normally you can swim when you arrive. Sadly for us, it was the only day when it drizzled!

Balos

6/ Elafonisi: 2 hours return – very easy
The place is sublime! Our favourite spot of this trip to Crete, and you can walk more or less depending on what you feel like. We chose to go all the way to the tip of this beach because we loved it so much, and every viewpoint was superb! A perfect place for swimming if the water temperature allows (still a bit cool in April but doable).

7/ The “Two Monasteries” hike, down to the sea – 3 hours return – easy
If you don’t especially want to go all the way to the sea, you can reduce this hike to a 2-hour return, and you’ll still get to enjoy the two beautiful monasteries you’ll pass along the way. It’s especially the second monastery (Katholiko Monastery), in ruins, that is particularly beautiful.

Other short Cretan hikes:

8/ Anapoli–Loutro: 1 hr 15, downhill – “Papa Voyage” did this hike without me and the children, but it’s perfectly doable as a family. In this direction, it’s downhill, so it’s mostly a bit demanding on the knees. During the descent, there are some very pretty views towards the sea and over the adorable village of Loutro. As I said above, with the children we went to Loutro by boat because our hike the next day was Aradena Gorge, which is very long, so I didn’t want to tire the children too much the day before. “Papa Voyage”, for his part, drove up to Anapoli so that we would have our vehicle the next day when we arrived after Aradena Gorge.

9/ The Balcony: 2 hours return – easy
It’s a hike we chose to do because after sleeping in Anapoli, we had time in the area. It was nice but not unmissable. At the end, there’s a viewpoint with a steep drop down to the sea. This hike starts in Agios Ioannis.

10/ Small ruined fortress on the Askifou plateau – very easy 1 hr 30 return
Not an unmissable hike, but pleasant, and it was just a stone’s throw from our inn, Panorama Askyfou. This short hike was perfect for whetting our appetite before dinner, and a good warm-up before the Imbros Gorge hike, which was on our programme the next morning.

If you’d like more information on our itinerary in Crete, to see in which order we did these hikes and what other activities we had planned for our Cretan week, I recommend reading my full article on our holiday in Crete.

Finally, I’ll finish with a few tips for your hikes in Crete:

Along the way, you’ll come across lots of goats, especially in the gorges.

It’s quite nice, but be aware that you could potentially come across a dead goat that has fallen from the heights of the gorge!!!… We came across two, and I told the children not to look!
Bring caps, water, a small snack, sun cream and of course good shoes.
Pack your swimsuit and a towel too if you’re doing a hike to reach a beach. In April, the water is very cold. We only swam once in Loutro because the water was so beautiful!
For hiking, I’d say the season runs from April to the end of October. But always check accessibility of the trails.

In April, you can still see snow-capped peaks. It’s very beautiful!

So? Tempted by hiking in Crete? Which hike appeals to you most?

More ideas to go hiking on vacation:

A week in Menorca

After our family trip to Mallorca last year, we chose to discover Menorca this year: we wanted to enjoy the Balearic Islands but with fewer tourists because Mallorca is a beautiful destination but it is even more overcrowded in August than any other islands we know in the Mediterranean region.

In short: goal achieved! It was much less crowded than Mallorca because the capacity in terms of accommodation is much more limited; it also means that prices are a bit higher and that you have to book ahead.

Our itinerary for a week in Menorca with the kids:

Day 1: Late arrival in Ciutadella: first family walk in its picturesque port and amid its medieval alleys.

Family holiday in Crete: our road trip through the western part of the island

At the beginning of Easter break, we went to Crete with the kids. A wonderful family trip that confirmed our fondness for Greece! Do you remember? Last April, we spent our holidays in the Peloponnese; then, in July, we sailed around Corfou in a sailboat. What do we love about Greece? The landscape, the climate, the low cost, the food (fresh fish!) and above all the warm welcome of the locals!

Here in Crete, we discovered amazing hospitality and generosity! In a word, a destination you shouldn’t hesitate to explore with your family! As Crete is a big island, we focused on the western part and I organized the road trip detailed below, for a duration of 9 nights. As far as the weather is concerned, we had 7 sunny days (18 °C and big blue sky) and 2 rainy days. Also, unlike the same time last year, the temperature of the water was quite cool (I’d say 16-17 °C), so we only bathed once. Let’s say that in April, it is entirely possible for the sea to be warmer, but there is no guarantee. Anyway, my program was more focused on hiking and sightseeing. The summits were still snowy. This early in April, on the most famous beaches of the island, we were lucky enough to be almost alone; during the summer it must be very crowded!

Crete with kids, Greece — *Elafonisi Beach without the summer crowd. Isn’t life beautiful?*

Family holiday in Crete: our itinerary

A long week-end in Dorset

On Easter week-end, we went for a family getaway to Dorset, with the grandparents. Dorset is in the South of England, along the Channel, between Hampshire where we live, and Devon that we discovered in February. For this 3-day week-end, we settled in the seaside resort of Weymouth. We had such a perfect weather, that I was sorry I didn’t take my bathing suit. Besides, the beaches were crowded! The South of England really brings an air of holidays!

Our visits in Dorset

Durdle Door: probably the most famous place in Dorset! You have to admit it’s pretty heavenly! I’d rather specify something: you have to go up and then down quite a steepy cliff so you’d better think about sneakers!

West Bay: famous beach with wonderful golden cliffs that you probably have already seen on the TV show Broadchurch.

Lyme Regis: it’s the most famous spot of the coast for… fossil hunting! The children loved it!

Corfe Castle: a ruin full of charm in a setting so typically English! A National Trust site.

Weymouth : it’s the seaside resort where we chose to settle to visit the surroundings. In its very cute harbour, the children fish crabs while the parents drink pints 😊. There is also a big beach that was quite full! Not far from here, don’t miss the dunes. And a few kilometers away, the village of Abbotsbury.

Bournemouth: huge beach with fine sand, bordered by coloured cabins! It was crazy how many people were here! We will go back on a quieter week-end!

First Campervan outing of the year!

Since our excursions with our Campervan in the New Forest last Autumn, we hadn’t taken our camper out. Firstly, in Winter, it’s too cold for the children to sleep under the roof because the air passes through the fabric. Secondly, since our camper is French, we had a procedure to follow to register and insure it here (the first few months, it was okay because we were still covered by our insurance as tourists, but now, we are “English”!). Anyway, for this first spring excursion, we chose a combined formula. We booked a family bedroom in a farm for Ticoeur, Titpuce and their grandparents; while with Papa Voyage we slept in the camper on the farm field, with a view on the sea, and we gathered with the rest of the family to eat a delicious English Breakfast provided by our hosts.

Practical information and good addresses to visit Dorset:

From Portsmouth, it will take you 1 hour by car to get to Bournemouth. If you are coming from London, it will take 2 hours. On the way, don’t miss the chance to explore the New Forest.
Accommodation: I recommend Swallows Rest, the farm where we stayed in the periphery of Weymouth. The children were amused by the “collection” of hens and the beautiful garden. The homemade breakfast is excellent!
Camping: we also love the small, simple campsite near Swanage – Tom’s Field Campsite. In just a few minutes’ walk, you can reach a wild cove where we love to swim: Dancing Ledge, with its little natural pool…

So, are you tempted by Dorset?

Also in England: