r/crete • u/elciocamargo • Jun 09 '22
Expatriate/Ομογενής Go to Crete or stay in Athens?
Hello all,
I'm Brazilian (36M), and I moved to Athens last month with my dog. One of my plans was to stay here in Athens for the summer and then go to Crete and stay there for a year or two.
I love beaches and enjoy the nightlife, so here's the problem: I know Crete is a beautiful island with amazing beaches, but I'm not sure about the nightlife. I've heard that Chania is great for that, but finding a good place that doesn't cost a kidney is complicated. Living in other cities could be a problem because I don't own a car, so I need to use public transport (and it's not possible with an Alaskan Malamute, lol).
An important piece of information: I have lived in São Paulo, so I'm accustomed to everything that a Metropolis can offer. Living in a "small city" is not a problem, but living alone far from the city center could be one.
With this in mind, I don't know if moving to Chania is a good option or if staying on the mainland in a seaside neighborhood would be better. I would be very grateful if anyone could help me with this, indicating neighborhoods in Crete or seaside neighborhoods on the mainland.
Thanks =]
4
u/ahoyhoy2022 Jun 09 '22
Chania is lovely but very quiet in the winter. Sounds like it may not suit you.
1
u/elciocamargo Jun 09 '22
I think most places here become quieter in Winter, right? Talking to people here, the boom of people is only in the summer, and It's "normal" in other seasons
1
u/dsfakianakis Heraklion Jun 09 '22
That's true for most places except Athens and Thessaloniki. You can definitely find great nightlife in Athens throughout the year.
3
u/giannisrethymno Jun 09 '22
Rethymno has Good night life and we have plenty people here due to university students. Chania at winter is really quiet.
2
u/elciocamargo Jun 09 '22
I'll take a look at Rethymno. If the rent is something like São Paulo in student areas, I'll be fucked, lol
2
u/ScienceofAll Jun 09 '22
Rethymno has enough nightlife due to tourists and university students, it is fairly small and you probably wouldn't need a car..
Athens is great any time of the year but if you want to have a better , much better quality of life better move to Crete sooner or later..
1
u/elciocamargo Jun 09 '22
Maybe it is a good "test" to stay in Athens this year, go to Crete next spring, and then compare both?
I don't know if I'm looking in the wrong places, but finding houses here in seaside areas is not too simple =/
2
u/Over_Page6536 Jun 09 '22
As everybody else pointed out,rethymnow has a nightlife,due to students,but for the same reason the rent is too high,and doesn't offer as much as Chania or heraklion,but while heraklion is crowded,it is also very big,and you said you don't have a car,so I think Chania is good option,but if you want beautiful beaches you sound go west,that wher balos,fallasarna and elafonisi are,but it is very quiet every winter
1
u/elciocamargo Jun 09 '22
I'll look for some places near these beaches and try to figure out how things work there =]
1
u/Over_Page6536 Jun 10 '22
I can already tell you there are not many offerings near those areas,they are villages,and as for kissamos(that's where I am from) is a little town,but it has some nightlife,and it's about one hour away(with the bus) from center Chania,so you should check everything around there and consider having to buy(or rent for long term) a car
1
u/Kornaros Jun 12 '22
nightlife in Crete? Unless you saw Saridokostas in Idiomelo you saw nothing...
6
u/frothycoffee_45 Jun 09 '22
Chania has amazing nightlife in the summer but not so much in the winter. Heraklion is better than Chania in the winter time when it comes to bars and clubs, but not even close to what Athens has to offer.