Drosia village on the old Heraklion-Rethymnon national road

An alternative way to drive from Heraklion to Rethymnon is through the old national road.  If you feel adventurous this is an excellent way to explore the rough Cretan landscape and the villages along the way. The road is snakelike and needles to say it will take you  significantly longer to arrive. A favourite destination about 30-40 minutes drive from Heraklion is small village called Drosia. The village is famous for its taverns on both sides of the road that specialise in grilled pork and lamb. Every weekend hordes of  hungry visitors, especially from Heraklion, arrive at the village to taste the specialities.

Spinalonga

Spinalonga is a small rocky island at the entrance of the gulf of Elounda. Because of its position, in antiquity the islet was walled to protect the ancient city of Olous. The Venetian cartographer Vincenzo Coronelli reports that Spinalonga was not always an island, but was once linked to the adjacent peninsula of Kolokitha. According to Coronelli, in 1526 the Venetians cut down a portion of the peninsula and created the island.