Webinar with Andrew & Eleni
Spotlight on Heraklion, Crete
Spotlight on Crete: Living Abroad in Heraklion, Greece
What would two weeks feel like if you were really living in Crete—not staying in a resort, but stepping into daily life in one of the world's oldest living cities?
That's exactly what The Good Life Abroad founder Andrew and Crete Community Manager Eleni V. explored in our recent webinar spotlight on Heraklion. From ancient Minoan palaces to mountain-to-sea views to a food culture that can only be called extraordinary, Crete is making a strong case as one of our most exciting destinations yet.
Here's everything they covered.
Why Crete?
Crete isn't just a Greek island. It's the largest Greek island, the birthplace of the Minoan civilization—the first advanced European civilization—and a place of staggering geographic diversity. In a single day, you can swim in the Mediterranean, look up at snow-capped mountain peaks, and sip wine made from indigenous grapes grown at altitude. As Eleni puts it: "This is the island of 360 days of sunshine."
Andrew has always believed that the best way to understand modern Europe is to understand where it started—and Crete is that origin point. The island's history, food, landscape, and culture represent a kind of living foundation for everything that followed across the continent.
Where You'll Live: The Historical Center of Heraklion
Participants in the Crete Short Stay live in a single apartment building located at the edge of Heraklion's historical center—one of the most walkable and characterful parts of the city. You're in a genuine residential neighborhood where locals live, shop, and gather, not in a tourist corridor.
From the apartment building:
The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion is a 15-minute walk
The port and Venetian Fortress waterfront is about 10 minutes on foot
Fresh produce markets, cafes, grocery shops, and fish tavernas are steps away
Pedestrian streets surround the building in every direction
Each apartment is a private, modern unit—one of the reasons Eleni gave a live tour during the webinar directly from inside one of them. Apartments are fully equipped with a kitchen, TV, in-unit safe, and elevator access. A shared laundry facility serves the building. Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom configurations are available, and every apartment is in the same building—so your community is literally your neighbor.
The Community Manager: Eleni V.
Every Good Life Abroad program has a local Community Manager at the center of it. In Crete, that person is Eleni—and she's not just a logistics coordinator. She's a licensed tourist guide with a degree in history and archaeology from the University of Crete, with ten years of experience leading tours across the island and Santorini.
She knows the best restaurants (the ones locals actually eat at, not the tourist traps), the hidden beaches, the best baklava in the old city of Rethymno, and—yes—even the island's spring ski slopes.
Eleni is available to participants Monday through Friday, 9am–5pm via WhatsApp. She also meets individually with each traveler or couple to understand your interests and tailor recommendations accordingly. Whether you're a foodie, a history lover, someone of Greek heritage reconnecting with your roots, or just someone who wants to sit by the sea and exhale—she'll help you get the most out of your two weeks.
Planned Activities & Community Events
This is a community-based travel experience, not a guided tour. Every activity is optional, but once you see the list, you'll want to go to all of them.
Included in the Crete program:
Pastry workshop – bake traditional Cretan cookies, take them home
Tuesday Lunch Club – weekly group lunches at the best local spots
Palace of Knossos visit – the heart of Minoan civilization
Archaeological Museum of Heraklion – one of Greece's finest collections of ancient artifacts
Eleni's food tour – reportedly the second most popular tour on the island (after Knossos)
Olive oil tasting – Crete produces some of the world's finest extra virgin olive oil
City orientation walk – learn how to live like a local from day one
Wine and raki tasting
Weekly happy hours
Beyond the organized programming, Eleni connects individual travelers to whatever they're most passionate about—art, archaeology, hiking, cooking, beaches, day trips. Your experience in Crete will be shaped by your curiosity.
The Food (A Special Note)
Andrew talked about Greek food throughout the webinar—and with good reason. Cretan cuisine is distinct even within Greece. The island has its own micro-climates, its own ingredients, and recipes passed down through generations.
Expect to encounter: musaka made with Cretan eggplants and local cheese, mizithra (fresh cheese from goat and sheep milk), traditional Cretan ice cream—also made from goat and sheep milk—freshly caught seafood near the Venetian harbor, and locally pressed olive oil that bears no resemblance to what you'd find on a grocery store shelf back home.
Eleni knows where to eat—specifically, the places where the recipes are authentic, the ingredients are local, and the prices aren't inflated for tourists.
Getting Around & Day Trips
Crete is an island, which means there's plenty to explore beyond Heraklion. Eleni helps arrange:
Santorini day trip – take the 8am ferry, arrive in Santorini by 10am, visit Oia and Fira, return the same evening
Car rentals for specific days (not recommended for the full stay—you won't need it)
Day trips to Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Chania, and other parts of the island
Beach trips – a top-rated sandy beach is 15 kilometers from the city (about 20 minutes by public bus) and accessible well into autumn
One important note: the public bus to the beach runs regularly and is an easy, local way to get there—no car needed.
When to Go & What to Expect
The Good Life Abroad operates Crete programs in spring (March–April) and fall (October). This is intentional. Summer in Crete is beautiful but hot and crowded—July and August bring tourist season in full force. The shoulder seasons offer something better: warm weather, crystal-clear water, empty piazzas, and that unmistakable feeling of being somewhere real.
In October, swimming is still very much on the table. In March and April, it depends on your cold tolerance—but the beaches are quiet, the city is calm, and the hiking is spectacular.
What's Included
The Crete Short Stay is a 14-night, 15-day program. The program fee covers:
Your private apartment in the historical center of Heraklion
All scheduled community activities and events
Tuesday Lunch Club
Weekly happy hours
Travel medical insurance
Eleni's personal support via WhatsApp (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm)
Not included: airfare, airport transfers, groceries, and any optional independent tours or excursions.
A $495/person deposit holds your spot. Payment is split roughly half upfront and half before departure. Full refunds (with the deposit converting to a program credit) are available for cancellations made more than 120 days in advance.
Is This Program Right for You?
Crete rewards travelers who like to explore on foot, are curious about history and culture, and don't need someone to hand-hold every moment. The historical center of Heraklion is flat and walkable—Eleni noted that there are benches throughout the city if you need a rest—and the apartment building has an elevator.
You will need a smartphone for WhatsApp communication and basic Google Maps navigation. If that's you, and if the idea of two weeks in an ancient Mediterranean city with a built-in community of fellow travelers sounds like the right kind of adventure—Crete is waiting.