Welcome to the Greek forums of HT

we also have a couple of reviews in the crete section of the hotel review forums

yasus
wizard

Thanks, i've read those reviews already, and to be honest everything seems good. The resort reviews on Agy' Nik in general sound perfect. Chilling with a beer, people watching in the evening by the lake. What more can one want....?

gordos
you should love ag nik
i worked there for 6 seasons and been going nearly twice every year since-its like my 2nd home..
def a great chill out place and go to the harbour and sit at asteria on the chairs and watch the world go by in the late afrternoon/early evening..
there are some great beaches around on the best one is probably almiros which is a short taxi ride away.but there are 3 small beach's in and around town,,the bars i go to are santa maria and aquarius,,aquarius you can sit outside and they play decent music santa maria is hit and miss but can be a great bar..
la casa on the lake is a great restraunt,family run and cheap with a lot of choice also if you walk from the bridge around to aquarius there is a newish restraunt which is fantastic super food,,ill get the name if you want it..also if you want posh and is pricey but has the best view at night from the cliffs over looking the lake is migoimis,top food but a bit poncey and a piano player but you are paying mainly for the view but very impressive.always go here once and end up spending a small fortune
any other advive give us a shout.
gutted im not going ,normally go the same time as you

Robbie, Thanks very much for your reply, much appreciated. I've read all about Agy Nik, and alot of recommendations are for the beach at Almiros, so i'll definatley get there. I'm only 23, and so is the mr's, but we just want somewhere that's not really "Brit Bar Terroriatry" and i hope this place suits, some nice food and chilled out bars for the evening, few shops and so on....

I'll take note of Santa Maria. I've read a few things on La Casa, and Aquarius, and will definatley give them a visit.

I'm not really into poncy, but would like some more special restaurants, sometimes i feel like you make an effort in the evening and end up sat next to people in flip flops and vests who've just come of the beach. When you say spend a small fortune, how much are you talking? I don't mind paying good money for good food. I've read alot about Mare Monte on TA, which has brilliant reviews, any idea's on how much a good meal would be there?

How will the beaches in and around town be? i've read a few comments saying they tend to get quite busy throughout the day and should be avoided, will this be the same in early September, or will they begin to get quieter?

I'm also looking at getting a car for a few days, and would really appreciate some recommended companies in the area?

Sorry to fire so many questions over! but any replies or advice would be much appreciated....

Thanks in advance.

Gordos

Bump... if anyone can answer a few queries mentioned above?

Back this morning and LOVED it!

We were based at far end of town (facing sea...far left) RIGHT on a beautiful sandy small bay.

We ate first night at La Casa In fact we didn't have one bad meal the entire week we were there. Taverna Itanos, Sarri's, La Strada and at far end of town near our apt - Obelix. Meals for two plus a beer each were from.16E...22E..upto 33E at La Casa.

Bar wise we tended to drift towards Sorrento each night - just before you get to Aquarius.

We hired a quad for the day from Economy Rent a Bike...THINK they may have done cars too. We went to Elounda, Plaka and then the ferry across to Spinalonga - then through the mountains to Sisi.

Took taxi round to Almiros Beach....very nice but were quite happy with 'our' beach at far end of town. It cost 7euros to get there but we had a lovely 30minute walk back along the coastal path back into town.

Betty Boop, thanks very much for your comments and tips, i'll ensure i write these down. We are staying i believe quite central in the Alantha Apt's, which should be quite close to all amenities.

Alot of reviews i have recently looked at recommend Almiros beach, so we'll make sure we get there early in the holiday, give it a whirl, and probably get a taxi / walk there on beach' days!

I'm sure we'll find Sorrento at some point in the evening!

Thanks again for your tip's - really looking forward to two weeks of chilling, drinking and eating good food!

Gordos

Being a bit older I can't advise you on the nightlife but there are a number of nice bars around by the harbour area where the younger Greeks hang out & the Sorrento is just over the bridge at the entrance to the lake almost next to the old Customs office, you can't miss it really. Agios isn't that big that you'll miss anywhere, it's all very laid back & not a haven for groups of Britsabroad. Think of it a as a small provincial resort!

Personally I prefer to avoid the restaurants around the lake as they tend to be very pushy & IMO overpriced. The best I've eaten at there was Okeanos, speciality is fish but again not cheap. Round the back near there is the Pelagos which is one recommended by a friend & also there is a Mediterannean roof restaurant overlooking the harbour above one of the bars, again recommended by a friend & they are probably 3 of the smarter places in town away from the people in shorts. The Strada is good in the town, with an eclectic huge choice (curried risotto anyone?) but some great dishes like a fish carpaccio & lamb with orzo.

Around the walk from the Harbour to the Kitroplateia beach it's pretty well wall to wall restaurants. Mourageio & Crysambelos (anglicised spellings) are 2 nice meze style places & the last one on the stretch before the marina is called Ofou To Lo run by my friend Antonis, which is a pleasant place to chill out (try the lamb special stuffed with cheeses!). To be honest, speaking to 10 people will get you 20 recommendations! I try to look for places the Greeks are eating in.

If you fancy getting out there are a number of places to eat in Elounda but my favourite over that way is Giorgios's at Plaka, the middle of the 3 restaurants which overlook Spinalonga island, the old leper colony. It is always full of Greeks, particularly at the weekends and Spiros & Yiannis always make people welcome and a wonderful view.

Going the other way Istron has a few decent place Istron Taverna, Zygos & the newly reopened Pelagos. For cheaper meals we head into one of the hill villages but that can be hit & miss, but lovely anyway. Make sure you have the snails, cuttlefish, octopus etc & we find eating like the locals with lots of smaller dishes is far more pleasurable.

There are a number of car hire companies around the harbour area, Economy as mentioned, Byron, Kerai so you'll not have a problem. Along the coast is an excellent bus service as well & (what they call) the bus station is up the hill by the hospital.

As for beaches, there are a couple of small ones in & around town. Almyros is excellent & about a 20-25 min walk along the road past the little football ground. Elounda has a reasonable town beach. Plaka a very pebbly one at the far end. Again Istron has 3 reasonable beaches & if you want to travel then there's Tholos, over at Kavousi is pebbles all the way but only a few people (about 15 when we wre there in July), & down at Makrigialos on the south coast is nice.

Hope that helps & have a great time.
Pete

If you fancy getting out there are a number of places to eat in Elounda but my favourite over that way is Giorgios's at Plaka, the middle of the 3 restaurants which overlook Spinalonga island, the old leper colony. It is always full of Greeks, particularly at the weekends and Spiros & Yiannis always make people welcome and a wonderful view.

Can certainly recommend the tuna salad at Giorgio's!