There are many ways of spending time on a holiday in Crete but I recommend to try cycling; there is something for all your senses, and it is good exercise as well as very environmentally friendly. You can hear the birds and insects, you can smell the flowers, you can feel the burning hot sun and all the nice views that you can see makes cycling very interesting, and it is also a nice way to see what's in the neighbouring areas.
The most unforgettable bicycle ride was the one that I made from Rethymno over the mountains to Plakias, a town on the south coast, and when I came back through the Kourtaliotiko gorge there was a quite strong wind, against of course, and the upward slope felt endless, but I was lucky, it didn't rain.
I have spent six holidays in Rethymno and I have cycled there, and in the neighbouring villages within a radius of about 50 kilometres, about 3500 kilometres all together and I cycle only when I feel like it; it is just a hobby, not an obsession.
One of my favourites is Kourna Lake where I have been with my bicycle about 20 times during the years because the route is quite challenging and its length, about 60 kilometres all together, is suitable (or enough) for one day.
Sometimes when I cycle along a small village road it is very quiet, only a swarm of insects, tsitsikakia, make a very loud noise and the sun beats down: that moment is unbelievable magnificent.
Bicycling is worth trying, although in many places it is not so easy because of the steep upward slopes, but it is rewarding; you sure have done something different on your holiday instead of laying on the beach all the time.
