First time in Crete?
Crete is the largest Greek Island, and an easy choice for travellers: there are just so many different things to see and do on the island. Crete’s beautiful beaches are dotted with archaeological treasures and historic architecture, and the dramatic, mountainous landscape is much more than just a backdrop. It may be because of its size, but Crete is culturally rich, with a vibrant traditional life, and a food and drink culture to match. The mountainous landscape equates to lush valleys and plateaus, as well as spectacular soaring peaks and drop-away gorges - so both hikers and bikers, AND those with an appreciation for locally grown food and drink. The seas are for more than looking at, and the towns and villages are charming and full of character. Visitors can also expect plenty of sunshine. Because Crete is a long, large and varied island, there are plenty of different towns and neighbourhoods you can choose to stay in. Get help matching your travel plans to a neighbourhood with:
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Heraklion is Crete’s capital: lively and modern on one hand, but on the other Heraklion is home to a Venetian-era fortress, the historic church of St. Titus, and an impressive set of historic stone town walls. Heraklion is also home to Crete’s largest archaeological museums, the Historical Museum of Crete, and to the National History Museum and the Historical Museum of Crete. So it’s a natural hub for sightseers, and a great base for exploring the entire island. Located on the northern coastline, close to some spectacular beaches, while also being close to the Minoan palace ruins at Knossos, Heraklion is surrounded by open, walkable countryside. Expect a full and varied range of accommodation, and plenty of places to eat, drink and be merry.
Some of our recommendations in Heraklion
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Chania is another of Crete’s historic ports. It’s a beautiful spot, with Venetian-trading-port-era townhouses framing a bright blue harbour of bobbing boats. The 14th century old town is a pleasing warren of lively eateries and boutiques, set on narrow streets that open out onto surprising sea views. On the entrance of the harbour is one of Chania’s landmarks, the 16th century lighthouse. And if you’re looking for more landmarks you should stroll down to the Archaeological Museum of Chania, housed in the former monastery of St. Francis. If you’re at all interested in food, or shopping, you’ll want to visit the Public Market, where you can find local edible delicacies, as well as rugs, ceramics and jewellery. The best beaches are just outside of town: sandy and scooping, with clear water, but if you’re looking for a really spectacular natural treasures, visit Samaria Gorge.
Some of our recommendations in Chania
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Rethymno is one of Crete’s most charming and historic ports, elegant with its Venetian and Ottoman architecture, and positioned beside a long, and very beautiful, sandy beach. Rethymno is known for fantastic food and luxury hotels - though some don’t have the price tag associated with luxury. The place to start your explorations of Rethymno is the Venetian-built Fortezza, around which radiate old townhouses and minaret-topped mosques, on narrow, pedestrianised streets. Wandering Rethymno is a great way to spend your time, but if you’re looking for a more formal pursuit visit Rethymno’s Archaeological Museum, or the Museum of Contemporary. Plan your strolls to pass the Rimondi Venetian Fountain, the harbour, and if it’s Thursday, the marketplace. Rethymno even has fun nightlife opportunities. Rethymno’s beach is well known for its length and beauty, but it’s also a great place for water sports. Staying in Rethymno doesn’t mean you’re not surrounded by archaeological sites and sights, if you venture a short distance out of town you can visit the archaeological site of Eleftherna, or the Arkadi Monastery.
Some of our recommendations in Rethymno
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Agios Nikolaos has grown from being a charming fishing village on Crete’s eastern coastline into a seaside resort town with a fancy marina an impressive string of restaurants, bars and tavernas, and enough buzz in the evening to say there’s ‘cosmopolitan nightlife’. There’s a beach conveniently close to the marina, which is pretty and laid-back and has excellent facilities; but if you stroll along the picturesque coastal path you’ll find plenty of other beaches to consider. If you want to do a spot of sightseeing visit the 12th century frescoes at the Panagias Keras Church, or the Cretan Olive Oil Farm. Agios Nikolaos is the sort of place where you can do a little or a lot, depending on your frame of mind, and there are accommodation options to suit many types of travellers.
Some of our recommendations in Agios Nikolaos
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Elounda was one of Crete’s first luxury holiday resorts. It started out as a sparsely built up collection of seven fishing villages and little port towns, but since the 60s Elounda has become a glamorous choice, and it’s still one of Crete’s most exclusive resorts. This is the right centre for lovers of an all-inclusive hotel, or even an adults only pick. If you prefer your beaches private, with the option of a spa or hot tub to get the sand off, then this will be the centre for you. Elounda is also ideal for anyone who wants to relax in the shade and read a good book, while someone refills their drink every now and again. Chat to friendly locals, stroll out to a great seafood restaurant, go snorkelling or sailing, and see what happens. If you do need a bit more excitement you could visit Spinalonga island, which is just off the coast, take a day trip to Olous; or explore the picturesque Kolokytha Peninsula.
Some of our recommendations for the best places to stay in Elounda
Sitia, Crete’s eastern most city, is a great choice if you’d like to visit a living Cretan town, rather than a holiday town with an historic twist. There’s a friendly local community, as well as the tourist staples, and you’ll even find residents dining in the restaurants and tavernas along the harbour, and on the long sandy beach, enjoying the view, the ocean, or the fantastic windsurfing conditions. Sitia, the location, is close to sublime: close to rocky bays, and cliffs, and pockets of forest, with plenty of soft sand and clear water. But the town itself isn’t a great looker - it was Venetian, but was destroyed, and rebuilt in a less dramatic Turkish style. If it’s history you’re after, though, you’ll find it in the local towns and monuments, including the monastery of Toplou, and the abandoned town of Ethia. There’s a good range of accommodation in Sitia too: a few luxurious options, and then everything from family-friendly aparthotels, to great value hotels. It’s not dead during Winter, either. And it has its own airport.
Loutro is another quieter option, but a much smaller one, and one on the north-east coast of Crete. Which you can only get to by boat from the little harbour of Hora Sfakion, which is surrounded by an impressive scenery of rocky mountains and scree. As you sail towards Loutro you get more of a sense of the region’s own character, its own rocky hills, round scoops of harbour, and neat, whitewashed harbour. Loutro isn’t an island, you can also hike in over the mountains, but that’s less common than the dramatic shipboard arrival. Even if you didn’t hike in you might still consider the hike to Samaria Gorge, one of the most spectacular hikes on Crete, as far as topography goes - this gorge is one of the deepest in Europe. If you want to do more than just relax in Loutro you could also plan a visit to the ruins of the Venetian tower and Byzantine church that overlook the town. There’s not a huge range of places to eat and drink here, but the seafood is incredibly fresh, and the service very friendly. There’s also not a huge amount of accommodation, but there’s still a decent amount of choice.
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Hersonissos, or Chersonissos, is a seaside resort town, grown out off an old Roman port town about 25kms east of Heraklion. You can still see some of the Roman port remains today, most of them under water, but there’s a well kept Roman fountain on one of the main streets, and an early Christian basilica too. Modern Hersonissos may well be best known for having Crete’s only golf club… or for the Lychnostatis Open Air Museum - which is a great place to learn about Crete’s earlier inhabitants, and a good reason for families to stay here. There’s also a water park, and a Labyrinth Park, and lots of places to eat and drink. And very rich pickings when it comes to beautiful, sandy beaches. Hersonissos is also a popular pick with young tourists, and the nightlife during the summer is fun and lively, without being enough to put off families.
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Malia is a popular beach break destination for British travellers especially. It’s known for its nightlife: an impressive international DJ lineup feature, but, as well as the beaches, Malia has some local sights worth seeing, including significant Minoan ruins: the Palace of Malia. The main street has a host of clubs and venues, with enough places to eat, drink and sleep around them to add to the fun. To the south of the main street is the older part of town, where visitors will find, along charming alleyways, traditional tavernas; gift shops and local artisan boutiques; ancient churches; and historic architecture.
