Travel & Rental Tips

Travel tips
       

·         Driving on the highway with your rental car

Highway of Crete

Even though is called highway E75 or E90 has nothing to do with the ones at your country. What is called highway in Crete is one lane road (at its most part) little wider than the ones in the cities with hundreds of turns and old asphalt at its biggest part. Be very careful when driving on the “highways of Crete” do not over speed and always wear seatbelts (SAFETY FIRST). We Cretans are naturally born race drivers. Driving like fast and furious is in our DNA. You will see people overtaking you in the most incredible points. Do not pay attention and certainly do not try getting in competition with them. Cretans get very upset if somebody overtakes them and always remember, you are here for holidays and they know the way better than you do…
Note: I would like to inform the beloved guests that from Monday 26th of May the speed cameras on the highway will be fully operational. Maintain the speed limits for not having bad surprises!

·         Choosing the correct place to eat

Crete taverns

Even though most of will come to Crete for holidays and tourism none of you will ever like to eat “tourist food”.  The major question is: Where do locals eat? And since I’m a stranger here how will I pick a restaurant? Before answering I have to admit that all kinds of restaurants in Crete will offer you more than “tourist food”.  Nevertheless a secret in order to pick a descent restaurant is the Menu. The smallest the Menu is the better the food is, and makes perfect sense. The less different dishes a restaurant has to prepare the better the quality and taste of food will serve. Ask yourself is it possible for a kitchen to prepare 20 different starters, 20 different salads, 50 main dishes etc and make them all good?  My second tip concerns the restaurants identity. This has to do with what you are in a mood to eat. So if for example your appetite asks for seafood, go to a place that offers only that. Restaurants that combine all types of cousins’ are in generally medium for not saying bad. Ask yourself how well cooked or fresh can seafood be in a restaurant that despite seafood offers pizzas, burgers, pasta and steaks prepared in 5 different styles (French, Italian etc) and have also Asian cousin? You all know the answer…!

·         Cretans and raki

Cretan Raki

Raki is the traditional alcohol drink of Crete which is made of distilled grapes that you will find everywhere… Cretans adore raki in general which they consume in daily basis and at all occasions. Taking the Cretan hospitality as a fact there is absolutely no chance no to drink while on Crete. For sure raki will be offered to you either in a restaurant after lunch - dinner or even in the street of a village from a complete stranger that happened to be sitting in a café. If we excess restaurants that will offer you raki as a desert together with some kind of sweet Cretans and especially old ones are insulted if they offer you a shot of raki and you do not drink it. Drink at least one shot and if you do not want more just cover your glass with your hand. This way you will show them that you appreciated their hospitality but you don’t want more.  As spoken before raki is an alcoholic drink that should not be combined with others and of course DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. Especially during summer alcohol tests are increased by police and for your information the alcohol limit is 0.25. Why have bad surprises…?

Rental tips

      

·         Gas stations in Crete

Gas Stations

Cretans are in love with driving. As a result the island is full of gas stations, so full that gas stations are everywhere. Nevertheless our advice is always load gas inside a major city.  Even though the fuel prices are similar almost everywhere on the island, they are little cheaper inside the cities, might be only for a few cents but cheaper. The name of the oil company that the gas station represents is not important. In Crete you will find high fuel of all kinds which you can pay either by cash or credit card as all gas stations accepts. Moreover gas stations in Crete are not self service in accordance with the rest of the world. An employee will come to you, ask you how much gasoline/diesel you want to load and will do it for you. They also have the obligation to check your tires pressure and clean your windscreens if you ask them. And all this without even coming out of your car.

·         Parking in the city with a rental car

City parking area

Parking in the cities of Crete always was and will always be a problem. Thousands of cars narrow streets and little space to move and park. Prefer to pay a small amount for entering in one of the many parking spaces inside the city (the cost for parking in Crete is about 4€ daily) than getting a parking ticket of 80€ or even worse finding your car damaged.

·         In case of accident with your rental car

Car accident

In case of accident where a third party is involved and no mater whose fault is always call the police. The 3 digit free call number of police is 100. Polices job in an accident where nobody is injured is to record what happened based on what they saw and the statements of the drivers and not to pinpoint the driver responsible. This task is upon the insurance companies to decide. Do not hesitate to call the police. Your rental cars are fully insured and if you haven’t violate a red traffic light or driving drunk there is nothing to worry about. After the accident report is filled and signed by driver’s statements and facts cannot change.  Warning: Never accept paying for property or car damage you caused directly to the third party without informing the rental company or police. Our experience in the field has taught us that you will cause more problems rather than solving them.