Waves break at the old harbour at Rethymnon, with the 16th century Venetian Fortezza overlooking the breathtaking sight

The trip to Crete began with the bus ride from the Heraklion airport, through small villages. I came to know from our guide Lorraine that wherever there are two or more families, there is a church and a taverna (small family-run eateries), making up a ‘village’. A 20-minute ride took me to the Kokkini Hani resort with its picturesque apartments.

Crete — the largest and most southerly of the Greek islands, is divided into four provinces — Heraklion, Chania, Lasithi and Rethymnon. My first day’s sightseeing began with the Historical and Ethnographical Museum in the capital, Heraklion. A varied display bears evidence of the history and culture of the island from the period when Knossos flourished as its capital till date, including the Byzantine, Venetian and Turkish periods. At a distance of five km from Heraklion lies the mythical labyrinth created by King Minos to hide the Minotaur.

The Knossos palace, which was erected in 1400 BC, was discovered only in 1880. The walk amidst the ruins made me so tired that a quiet evening at the Malia beach was a welcome respite. Crete has a buzzing nightlife, with plenty of eating, drinking and dancing into the wee hours. I went to a bouzouki (a mandolin-like instrument) bar with live music and chose ouzo (an aniseed spirit) as my drink for the night.

On Day 2, I was picked up by my guide to give me a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean, which looked like a big lake with its calm surface and few waves. We halted at a small beach on the outskirts of Agios Nikolaos. I tried a delicious Greek omelette, with a stuffing of cheese, onion, tomatoes, potatoes and minced meat and washed it down with grape juice.

Crete has beautiful houses separated from each other by lemon and rose bushes. I hired a local taxi that dropped me at the town centre with colourful shops along Voulismeni Lake. Rethymnon was the next pit stop, which charmed me with its maze of tiny streets and aristocratic homes with distinctive arches. The liveliest area was around Petichaki Square, where I tasted a souvlaki (pieces of meat cooked on a skewer, served with spices and, or in, a pita bread). The Rimondi Fountain at the square decorated with columns and lion heads was another great sight. The huge Venetian Fortezza dominating the town is located near the old harbour and was built in the 16th century to protect the town from pirates.

My last night at Crete was spent at a taverna in Kokkini Hani. When I close my eyes, I can still paint my dreams with delightful shades of petals of petunia, which decorate every Cretan taverna.