A BEEINNET BLOG SUGGESTION

As holidays, especially in the summer are not only about lodging and hotels, and Villas etc. It is also about good food, nice wine, tasting local specialties, relaxing under the stars by the sea...

We thought to suggest one of the places we prefer to spend our nights, eating out.

This is the Olive & Mint Restaurant in Skalani. Skalani is a little village just outside Heraklion, it is very close to the city, it was actually planned to host the office of the prefecture. Just 5 min. drive off the city center you will be able to experience the narrow streets of a little cretan village, people sitting on their porch...
It is very easy to find Olive&mint as there are signs everywhere, plus you can ask the locals to guide you.

Argyro the lady owner of Olive&Mint is a really talented chef, a multi winner of the greek gourmet awards. The restaurant, her pride and joy is really a temple of good fooding.

The backgound of Argyro is local, so the basis of her recipes is the local traditional cretan cuisine, however, understanding that the modern Cretan needs a refinement in taste she has made minor inspirational alterations in traditional plates so they will easily fuse the needs of a foreigner or a younger person, without insulting nor the taste nor tradition.
By visitng Argyro you will have a clear and full idea of what the Cretan cuisine is all about. In the experience you can add one of the selected Cretan wines of the restaurant or a specially selected wine from Chile (I admit my personal favourite...) or a red full wine from northern Greece or even France...

Argyro and her daughter will make the extra mile to satisfy your needs and make you enjoy your dinner there.

During your visit please mention Beeinnet to Argyro to enjoy a privileged treatment.

A BOOK FOR UNDER THE SUN

VICTORIA HISLOP - "THE ISLAND"

This Book that got excellent critique from The Times and other Book reviews will accmpany your holidays in Crete and imagine reading it somewhere in Elounda, having a great view of Spinalonga that is all about this book.
Also there is a TV series shoot about this Book for the Greek TV these days and who knows you might bump into the crew or the actors and have a chat about the book and how the are going to turn it into a mini TV series.

Beware of Rumours About Greece

Dear Friends of Beeinnet,

In the last few days we have observed a certain behaviour in some internet forums regarding Greece.
Some forum authors are constantly trying to disseminate rumours that Greece is unsafe, that there are violent rioting that might endanger ths safety of visitors.
Let us put things straight here.
There are no special traveling advises from governments like USA or UK that advise their citizens to avoid Greece.
Greece despite the financial problems that escalated recently, is a democratic, constitutional country with deep respect to the tourist that decides to visit Greece.
It is true that there are protests outside the parliament but they rarely go out of hand and never these protests endangered the life of any of the thousands of tourists that are visiting Athens.
One other factor, in the islands like Crete the protests are almost non existent, there is peace and quiet and no one is going to harm a tourist that is in the area to have decent fun, enjoy the sun and the sea and relax. Greece like any other country has laws that must be obeyed by everybody like we do at home but that's understandable I think...Therefore anyone who expects to go out of hand in Greece and get away with it is far from it.

Greece is in the EU, and a coup or an airport occupation (even for protesting reasons) is far from truth and not a possibility.

Persons or services disseminating these rumours together with some bogus state department reports are those who profit to damage greek tourism, especially now.

Crete is a beautiful island, worth to discover. People in the villages are polite, hospitable, beaches are clean and magical, food is healthy and tasty, plus that prices are competitive and worth the investment...

If you plan your holidays in Greece come and you will have a great time. It is more than certain you will come back again and again...

A NEW SERVICE FROM BEEINNET - FERRY TICKETS!!!!

We are always thinking of ways how to facilitate the holidays of the Beeinnet friends.

Thinking how to make their life during holidays a lot easier, we have established a cooperation with major Greek Ferries shipping companies. Superfast ferries and Seajets.
Now any beeinnet visitor will be able to issue ONLINE his/hers ferry ticket and travel to the Greek islands, easily, cheap, and -above all- hassle free...