Prina Holidays

Prina is a pocket-sized village nestled into the pine-clad mountains of southern Crete. Think traditional Greece – just a handful of narrow streets, whitewashed houses with terracotta rooftops and olive groves all around. There’s a real taste of local life in the snug tavernas and village shops, but if you fancy some sun and sand, the beach is just down the road. And so is the town of Agios Nikolaos, the nightlife centre in these parts.

There are a couple of Blue Flag beaches, 10 minutes’ drive away at Istron. First up there’s Golden Beach, a wide stretch of golden sand with shimmering blue waters – and it’s all set up for families with sunloungers, umbrellas and lifeguards along the shore. As for next-door Silver Sands, it’s pretty much more of the same. As a bit of a bonus Silver Sands has a cute sugarcube church right on the sand.

The history city of Ierapetra is 20 minutes’ drive away. Down by the old harbour is a Venetian fortress with fortified walls that you can walk round. Nearby, in the charming old town, is a dinky little stone house with a big claim to fame – Napoleon secretly stayed here in 1798 on his way to Egypt. For a bit of ancient history, the Archeological Museum is home to classical statues and a clay coffin from the year 1,300 BC, which is decked out with 12 painted panels.