Arriving at the TUI Blue Sensatori Atlantica Caldera Palace felt worlds away from your typical all-inclusive hotel.
Perhaps it was the rather lavish lobby or the fact that there was a wedding going on as I headed to my room. Or maybe it was that once I arrived at my room, I discovered that it was one of the hotel’s swim-up suites, and I would be able to almost just roll out of bed and into the pool if I desired.
Flying into Heraklion airport, the hotel was just 20 minutes away. Depending on how much luggage you pack, you could be sunning yourself by the sea less than one hour after your plane touches down on Greek soil.
Food and drink
The first evening, I went to Sofas Taverna in Hersonissos for dinner where I had the best vine leaves I have ever had in my life. The rest of the food was also delicious, and this is somewhere I’ll definitely be returning to if I make it back to Crete sometime.
The rest of my evenings in Crete, I opted to get food at the hotel, which included the “Around the World” buffet and two of the hotel’s other restaurants.
The first of these I visited was the Mediterraneo Fine Med Cuisine, which is not included in the all-inclusive, meaning you’ll have to pay a little extra to dine there.
I opted for a burrata salad and a cauliflower steak main, followed by some pistachio ice cream – all of which I loved. The next restaurant I tried was Oregano, which serves authentic Greek cuisine. Here, I ordered a bean starter and a mushroom and dill main, which, again, were delicious.
I was shocked at just how many options there were for a vegetarian at the hotel, as I’ve definitely been stuck eating just a salad and a portion of chips before, but the Atlantica Caldera had plenty of choices for any dietary requirements – and with numerous restaurants (and a cafe), if you don’t like what’s on offer at one, you can just simply go to another.
Coastal relaxation
Cross the road from the hotel’s pool areas and you’ll be on Lyttos Beach. Sunbeds here are free for those staying at the Atlantica Palace, but must be rented if you are not.
While not a private beach, it was still relatively quiet (especially considering the hotel was over
90% full). And with the beach bar included in the all-inclusive package, days at the beach became an absolute dream.
Back at the hotel, there are numerous swimming pools. For those holidays with children, there is the family section, with a regular swimming pool and a kids’ pool. For those parents who want a couple of days to relax, there are also on-site baby and kids’ clubs.
Just below the family area is the adults-only zone, which has a couple of swimming pools, including one with Jacuzzi beds – perfect for sipping on a cocktail while enjoying some much-needed relaxation.
Alongside the swimming pool and beach, the hotel has plenty of activities to keep you occupied. From archery to sunset yoga, you are sure to find something to do.
I enjoyed partaking in some wine tasting, a Greek dancing class, and gong bathing. All activities can be booked through the TUI BLUE app while you are there.
Tours and trips
You can also book numerous excursions through the hotel, or in advance through TUI Musement, including some tours done in collaboration with National Geographic.
I took part in two of these, both of which gave visitors a look at authentic Cretan life, from visiting a family-run farm to discovering the history of the island’s olive oil.
The first of these excursions was to the Kamihis Farm in Zaros for the Discover Cretan Farm Life experience, which was truly a unique holiday experience unlike anything I’d done elsewhere. We started by having a coffee and a snack before getting stuck into farm life.
Starting with a cooking class, we baked bread, made tzatziki, and then created a pastry filled with goat’s cheese, which was later cooked and covered in honey for our dessert.
After the cooking class, it was time to feed the animals, starting with the goats.
Getting up close and personal with the goats was actually a lot nicer than you might think, and I ended up holding one of the baby goats that was only a few days old.
I also tried milking a goat, which was a rather strange experience, especially when I accidentally shot some of the milk at a fellow tourist. Then it was time to collect some eggs from the chickens and feed the pigs (which were giant I might add).
It was then time for lunch, where we ate what we had cooked earlier, along with some other food given to us by the trip’s lovely hosts Valina and Michalis.
The next Nat Geo tour I joined was The History of Olive Oil, run by Nikos Plevritakis, who is part of a co-op that was recently awarded first prize for the best olive oil in the world. This tour took us through olive groves, into the factory, before taking part in an olive oil tasting (think wine tasting, but with less spitting).
The olive oil tasting was again something I’d never experienced before, and something that had never actually crossed my mind.
While at Nikos’s farm, we were once again given some cooking lessons, helping to create another delicious lunch that we would be served.
One thing I found true about Crete is that wherever you go, you certainly won’t be leaving hungry.
GET THERE
There’s still late availability at the five-star TUI BLUE Atlantica Caldera Palace with a seven-night all-inclusive stay for two adults travelling from East Midlands on October 23 from £934 per person. A family of four travelling over October half term departing October 25 from Luton is from £1,523pp. Price includes free airport transfer and £23kg of hold luggage. Book at tui.co.uk, download the TUI app or pop into a TUI store.
BOOK IT
National Geographic tours include the Millenary History of Olive Oil Tour with Nikos Plevritakis (£105 per adult and £60 per child including olive oil tasting and lunch) and Discover Cretan Farm Life Tour (£114 per adult and £70 per child including cooking class and lunch). tuimusement.com
MORE INFO
visitgreece.gr/islands/crete
