Where is the TUI 2016 advert filmed?

Where exactly was the ‘moments’ advert filmed?

Filming primarily took place at Aquila Rithymna Beach, which is situated in between Chania and Heraklion on Crete’s north coast. The resort is designed in the style of a Cretan village and has four outdoor pools to choose from, one of which the young actress Violet is seen jumping into.

What else should I know about the hotel?

There are also four restaurants on site, including an al fresco à la carte which serves Cretan specialities and fresh seafood.

As far as entertainment and activities go, silk painting, archery, and Greek cookery classes are just some of the choices available. Meanwhile the kids’ club has an action-packed programme, with puppet shows, crafts, competitions and beach games all on the agenda.

The resort just so happens to be located on the longest beach in Crete, which is the proud owner of a much sought-after Blue Flag. Here you can take part in various watersports including jet-skis and pedalos, or you just relax and soak up the sun.

Watch behind the scenes footage from the making of the new Thomson advert.

What’s there to do in Rethymno?

Rethymno is Crete’s third largest town and probably its most fascinating. Aquila Rithymna Beach is a 10-minute drive away from ancient Rethymno Town, which is home to the Venetian Fortezza. Built in the 16th-century to protect the city, the castle offers picturesque views of Rethymno, and has a Greek Orthodox chapel and a mosque in its grounds.

Other standout landmarks in the old town are the Rimondi Fountain and the Rethymnon Venetian Port. The area is also a great spot to go shopping. You can pick up ceramics, handmade silver jewellery and Cretan embroidery at the many gift shops along Arkadiou, which is lined with beautiful Venetian mansions, and nearby Ethnikis Antistaseos street.

Are there any interesting sights nearby?

If you fancy witnessing something of a frozen moment yourself, you can take a day trip to the ancient island of Spinalonga from nearby Elounda. Spinalonga, which famously featured in Victoria Hislop’s bestselling book The Island, is just a 25-minute boat ride away and you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in time when you get there. The island has been through many transitions. It’s been a Venetian outpost, an Ottoman town, and most famously, a leper colony. Spinalonga has been uninhabited since the colony was closed in the 1950s, but houses and buildings on the island are incredibly well preserved.

Ready to create your own special holiday moments?

Find out which Greek island is most suited to you and read more about our holidays to Greece.

Author: Tamara Hardingham-Gill