ORION Rent a car Crete

18/02/2026

This is just a glimpse of what you can explore this summer. Rent a car and get out of your tourist resort to discover the real magic that Crete has to offer!

20/01/2026

🇱🇹✈️ Planuoji vasaros atostogas Kretoje?

Jeigu nori ramių atostogų be nemalonių staigmenų, automobilį verta rezervuoti iš anksto 🚗

Mes – vietinė automobilių nuomos įmonė Kretoje, ir jau daugelį metų padedame lietuviams keliauti patogiai ir saugiai. Tai patvirtina ir dešimtys 5⭐ Google atsiliepimų.

👉 Kodėl rinktis mus?
✔️ Sąžininga vietinė įmonė (ne tarpininkai)
✔️ Jokių paslėptų mokesčių
✔️ Pilnas draudimas – aiškiai ir paprastai
✔️ Patikimi automobiliai šeimoms, poroms ir grupėms
✔️ Bendraujame lietuviškai – telefonu, el. paštu ir WhatsApp

💡 Svarbu:
Vasaros sezonui automobiliai greitai išgraibstomi, o kainos kyla po balandžio pabaigos. Išankstinė rezervacija = geresnė kaina ir garantuotas automobilis.

📲 Parašykite mums per WhatsApp – atsakysime greitai, lietuviškai ir pateiksime pasiūlymą pagal jūsų kelionę:
👉 +370 682 97091

🌐 Arba apsilankykite:
👉 www.orion-rentals.com

Kreta laukia. Automobilis – paruoštas. ☀️🚗

Orion Rent a car, Koutouloufari, Crete, airport deliveries, transfers. Chersonissos

01/07/2025

30/06/2025

Since last month there Is a 5 euro entrance to the pool of Kourtaliotiko gorge. Well worth the visit before going down to Preveli beach

19/06/2025

🌿 The Ancient Secret to Glowing Skin: Olive Oil Soap 🌿

For centuries, olive oil has been treasured as a beauty elixir — and olive oil soap is one of its purest expressions. 🫒✨

🌍 Origin:
Crafted in the Mediterranean, especially in regions like Greece, Italy, and Syria, olive oil soap dates back to ancient civilizations. It was traditionally made by hand, using local, cold-pressed olive oil and natural alkaline salts — no artificial ingredients, just time-honored care.

💚 Benefits of Olive Oil Soap:
✔ Deeply moisturizing – Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, it nourishes without clogging pores.
✔ Gentle on sensitive skin – Ideal for eczema, dryness, and irritation.
✔ Anti-aging properties – Helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and improves skin elasticity.
✔ Natural and biodegradable – Safe for you and the planet 🌎

🔍 How to Tell if It’s the Real Deal:
✅ Check the ingredients – Look for olea europaea (olive) oil as the first or main ingredient.
✅ Color and texture – Real olive oil soap often has a creamy green, beige, or brownish hue and may feel slightly oily when wet.
✅ Low lather – It won’t foam like synthetic soaps. That’s a good sign!
✅ Scent – Subtle, earthy, and natural — not perfumed.
✅ Look for cold-processed or traditional methods – These preserve the oil’s nutrients best.

16/06/2025

Discover the Hidden Charm of Koutouloufari, Crete 🇬🇷

Nestled on the slopes of Mount Pyrgia, just above the lively coast of Hersonissos, lies a serene village that feels like a step back in time—Koutouloufari.

🏞️ With stunning views over the Aegean Sea, this hillside gem blends natural beauty with traditional Cretan soul.

🏛️ Wander through narrow, cobblestone streets framed by stone-built houses and vibrant bougainvillea. The village architecture remains true to its 19th-century roots, offering an authentic and unspoiled atmosphere.

🍷 Food lovers, rejoice! Local tavernas serve dishes crafted from generations-old recipes—think handmade moussaka, fresh seafood, raki, and olive oil straight from nearby groves.

🎭 Despite being close to popular tourist spots, Koutouloufari remains peaceful and full of personality—a quiet haven for artists, writers, and travelers seeking deeper connection.

🕰️ And did you know? This village has Venetian roots, built inland during pirate-plagued centuries to protect its people. Its location helped preserve its culture and character through centuries of change.

📍 A visit to Koutouloufari isn’t just a getaway—it’s a journey into Crete’s rich past and soulful present.

15/06/2025

So we all heard about geek yoghurt that Greeks are so proud of and others are trying to copy.
Why is it so special?

🎯 1. Double the Protein, Half the Water!
Greek yogurt is strained to remove excess whey — that’s why it’s thicker, creamier, and packs twice the protein of regular yogurt. More gains, less fluff. 💪🇬🇷

🥄 2. Tangy with a Side of Culture
Greek yogurt has a bold, tangy flavor thanks to active cultures. It’s basically yogurt with an attitude — and your gut LOVES it.

📉 3. Low in Sugar, High in Sass
Compared to regular yogurt, plain Greek yogurt has less sugar and carbs. It’s your secret weapon for keeping blood sugar stable while still feeling indulgent. 🍦❌

💥 4. It’s Not Just Breakfast Anymore
Use it as a sour cream sub, smoothie base, creamy pasta sauce, or even in baking. Greek yogurt is the MVP of kitchen versatility.

🧪 5. The Real Difference? It’s All in the Strain
Regular yogurt is only strained once, but Greek yogurt goes through 3 rounds of straining. That’s what gives it the iconic thickness and concentrated nutrients. More straining = more sustaining. 🌀

And let’s not forget frozen yoghurt! A great alternative for ice cream!

Greeks are adding this special ingredient to many dishes. Can you name some? I go first -

13/06/2025

Why to buy local?
We had a nice discussion today with our neighbour (beautiful clothing shop, ladies, in Koutouloufari - highly recommended) about shopping locally. Yes, well known websites offer good looking stuff for a crack of the price. And while it feels really like a win - most often we loose quality. Maybe all we need is less?
Not only olive oil makes Crete well known. Have you seen ceramics? It is difficult to put a price on
🕰️ time while making a piece
🪄 imagination for each work
❤️ care, patience, so many fails…
But also:
📝 all the paperwork for legal approvals to be safe for you to use
In the picture below 👇 is an official signe on the Cretan pottery, that have all the certificates and are approved for safe contact with food 🥘
Take a car, go to or lake and take a look at the local crafts, small pieces of art and the quality and beauty Cretan soil and Cretan people can create

P.S. and if you are in Koutouloufari, don’t forget “Cielo”. They have Greek 🇬🇷 brands

11/06/2025

Know your olive oil.
If you have rented a car and drive through scenic roads of Crete between small villages, you will definitely see signes to “olive oil factory” or “olive oil mill”. And yes, it is worth stopping. Usually these places have free entrance and (most probably ) the owner will show you around and tell about very interesting process of harvesting, pressing and differences in olive oil and taste. Of course they will offer you their own production, but it is up to you if you buy or not ( and we strongly suggest to do so if olive oil is on your shopping list).
Thing we’ve learned after visiting 1 small mill:
🫒 taste depends not only on olive type, but also on harvesting season. Starting October - stronger bitterness in aftertaste, December - January harvest - milder taste and more aroma.
🫒 October - November harvest- more phenols, while harvested in December - January- less number of phenols. High percentage of phenolic compounds and are directly related to the health benefits of olive oil.
🫒 every olive contains about 20% of olive oil.
Go explore, enjoy the ride, learn new interesting things, taste and enjoy.
We stopped and shopped at oil mill Elaiou Vios by Markakis Family in

03/06/2025

As tourism season on Crete is picking up, here are some tips and guidance on how to rent a car and avoid unpleasant experiences:

1. Make your research. Internet and social media is full with groups, blogs and reviews. Ask for recommendations, check reviews, compare information.
2. Ask yourself why it’s so expensive- you will find lower prices for any services on Crete in April and end of October, in between prices will rise from may till mid August and start slowly to descend towards October and November.
3. Ask yourself why it’s so cheep? If it’s not April and not October, 12 eur per day car rental sounds too good? Correct! It’s business and not charity, so this price has to include car cost, repair cost, insurance, road taxes, car wash, office rent, electricity, water, VAT and hopefully something left for bread on the table. So no, this low prices are not realistic and there is a big possibility for fraud or scam or many limitations as limited kilometres per day and many other inconveniences. Read the fine print, and repeat step 1.
4. Be informed. There is no Casko insurance in car rentals. There is a full insurance, but still driving sober according to rules is mandatory. And if company is not asking you for any deposit or does not keep your credit card data, all damage you do (or somebody else does while car is parked for instance), repair expenses are covered by the business owners from their own pocket (read again number 3)
5. Plan in advance and book in advance. Many local businesses can book you a car with very little or even no deposit. Use it. There might be no available cars of your preferences the morning you wake up and decide to go exploring.
6. Share your experiences. Sights and places to go, to eat, to stay, companies you hired the service and were happy. Spread the word if you felt the business was not fair or services were not good. It will make easier for others who is just planning.