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White-washed buildings and blue-domed churches are a frequent sight in Santorini
Crete
Enjoy an abundance of riches, from ancient ruins to stunning beaches.
With rugged mountains soaring more than 8,000 feet, a staggering 650 miles of coastline, and remote, sandy beaches giving way to deep-blue water, Greece’s biggest island offers a bit of everything. While showcasing vivid landscapes, it also claims a fascinating history tracing back more than 5,000 years to the world’s first known “leisure civilization,” that of the ancient Minoans. The Minoans were followed in succession by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and Venetians. Each culture left its mark—from the enthralling Minoan frescoes at Knossos to the charming Venetian-style port towns of Chania and Rethymno. Today, agritourism, aimed at visitors interested in nature and farm life, is a burgeoning enterprise. Our one-week itinerary traverses the island from west to east along the main northern highway, stopping in its four major towns, Chania, Rethymno, Iraklio, and Agios Nikolaos, with detours to several magnificent beaches, a world-class archaeological site, and a legendary gorge.
Start in the northwest, in Chania, once Crete’s capital and regarded by many as Greece’s most beautiful city. With the White Mountains visible in the background, the mottled facades of Chania’s old town curve around a lovely harbor, graced by a 17th-century mosque and a lighthouse. Near the harbor, pedestrian-only cobbled streets are filled with boutique hotels, stylish eateries, and shops with handcrafted items. Book a couple of nights at Casa Delfino (Casa Delfino Theofanus 9, Chania; from $251/night in summer; 30/282-108-7400, casadelfino.com), a former 17th-century Venetian palace with 22 rooms and suites, all including marble bathrooms. Or try Casa Leone (Thotokopoulou 18 at first side street, Chania; from $155/night in summer; 30/282-107-6762, casa-leone.com), a five-room, family-run boutique hotel; some rooms come with balconies overlooking the harbor. For dinner, try Tamam (Zambeliou 49, Chania; entrées from $9; 30/282-109-6080), for eastern Mediterranean mezedes (small plates of appetizers) in an Ottoman hammam, or friendly Portes (Portou 48, Chania; entrées from $8; 30/282-107-6261), which serves typical Cretan dishes like lamb with egg-lemon sauce.
Out of town, some remote beaches are worth a trip. For something really special, drive 40 minutes west to Kastelli (also known as Kissamos) and take an excursion boat to the fine white sands of Balos, overlooking an emerald-green lagoon. Or head an hour and a half by car southwest of Chania to Elafonissi, where a long, curving, white-sand beach faces a rocky islet, reached by wading through the turquoise waters. Stop for lunch near the mountain village of Vlatos at Milia (Vlatos; entrées from $9; 30/694-575-3743, milia.gr), a delightful agritourism center renowned for its organic specialties. If you’re in good shape and enjoy hiking, a popular venue near Chania is the steep-sided Samaria Gorge (Chania prefecture; 30/210-331-0392, visitgreece.gr), to which local tour companies provide day trips. The challenging 10-mile descent takes you from Xyloskala in the White Mountains, through pine forests into a deep, rocky canyon and eventually to a black-sand beach on the sunbathed south coast (where a ferry can await your return).
An hour east of Chania lies the university town of Rethymno, home to an impressive 16th-century Venetian waterside fortress, one of the island’s only surviving Ottoman minarets, and a harbor ringed by seafood restaurants. While summer is high season, the resident student population keeps Rethymno’s bohemian bars and informal tavernas buzzing the rest of the year. In the old town, check into one of the seven suites at Avli Lounge Apartments (Xanthoudidou 22 at Radamanthios, Rethymno; from $275/night in summer; 30/283-105-8250, avli.gr), with beamed ceilings and marble or mosaic-adorned bathrooms. A restaurant under the same management, Avli (Xanthoudidou 22 at Radamanthios, Rethymno; entrées from $25; 30/283-105-8250, avli.gr), serves upscale Mediterranean cuisine in the leafy courtyard garden of a 16th-century Venetian villa. Alternatively, continue 27 miles east along the coast to Enagron (Rethymo; from $100/night in summer; 30/283-406-1611, enagron.gr), an agritourism center in the village of Axos, where visiting guests can stay in traditional stone cottages.
Iraklio, Crete’s capital since 1971, lies 50 miles east of Rethymno. Not as pretty as Chania or Rethymno, it often hosts visitors en route to Knossos Palace (Iraklio; $8; 30/281-023-1940, odysseus.culture.gr). Built by the Minoans 4,000 years ago, this site was partially reconstructed (some say over-reconstructed) in the early 1900s. Grouped around a vast courtyard, the royal apartments and the throne room are not to be missed. For an overnight stay in Iraklio, try the GDM Megaron Luxury Hotel (D. Beaufort 9, Iraklio; from $231/night in summer; 30/281-030-5300, gdmmegaron.gr), with 58 modern rooms and suites, and a top floor bar-restaurant affording views of the harbor. For dinner, you can’t do better than Kounies (Sofokli Venizelou 19, Iraklio; entrées from $12, 30/281-030-1448), where chefs prepare lamb and chicken at an indoor barbecue area within the open-plan kitchen. While there, visit the south coast town of Matala (about 1 hour and 40 minutes away from Iraklio by car), renowned for its golden-sand beach backed by cliffs with caves, where a small hippie community, including the singer then known as Cat Stevens, lived in the 1960s and 1970s.
Some 41 miles east of Iraklio, the former fishing village and modern-day holiday resort town of Agios Nikolaos can become overrun by travelers on package tours, but may be worth visiting if you also want to venture to Elounda, 10 minutes by car to the west. This town, perched on Mirabello Bay, started out as five tiny hillside villages but is now an upmarket resort with some of Greece’s most luxurious hotels. If you feel like splashing out, stay at Elounda Gulf Villas & Suites (Agios Nikolaos; from $610/night in summer; 30/284-109-0300, eloundavillas.com), a family-run modern facility with an intimate atmosphere. Last but not least, drive 60 miles east of Agios Nikolaos, to Crete’s eastern coast for a day on Vai; lined with straw umbrellas, it’s home to Crete’s largest natural palm grove. The beach, a nature reserve, is pristine, but it can get crowded.
Getting There and Around
Crete has two main airports, in Iraklio and Chania, served by flights from Athens. There are regular ferries and catamarans from Athens’ port, Piraeus, to Chania, Rethymno, and Iraklio. A rental car is recommended; Avis (avis.com) and Hertz (hertz.com) have offices at both airports, while Eurocar (eurocar.gr) can deliver and collect cars from anywhere on the island.
Read our Crete Travel Guide for even more in-depth destination and trip-planning advice!
See Crete Travel Guide | See Mykonos Travel GuideSee Santorini Travel Guide
