Crete is one of my favourite Greek islands I’ve ever been to. Whether looking for adventure or luxury, it has everything you’re looking for.
As the largest Greek island in the Mediterranean and cradle of European civilization, Crete is a conglomerate of adventure both in water and in the mountains, as well as packed with fascinating history. It takes several hours to drive across the island, and I would suggest picking one side (East or West) to stick to unless you’re there for more than 10 days. There is SO much to see and an endless amount of activities, you will never be bored. Whether you like big sandy flat beaches, or dramatic rocky cliffside ones, Crete has it all.
This guide focuses on the western side of Crete. I would love to explore the southern and eastern portions the next time I visit! Check out my vlog from the trip here as well.
Unlike my other guides, I don’t break this down into a day by day itinerary. Part of the beauty of being here is going with the flow and taking your time. In general, I would encourage to spend a day trip trekking to Elafonissi Beach and the southwest corner of the island and a day spent in Chania. The rest of your time I would recommend simply exploring towns or beaches on the list!
When to Visit
As the most southern Greek island, it gets incredibly hot in the summers. I visited at the end of September and it was still over 25 degrees celsius every day. Visiting on the shoulder seasons (May, September) will still certainly have the warmth but less of the crowds. Although it is not as popular of an island for North American tourists, it was still relatively busy for European tourists.
How to Get There
There are two main airports on Crete – one in Chania and one in Heraklion. We flew on Easyjet into Chania and out of Heraklion. It is a two hour drive between the two cities and if you’re sticking to one side of the island I would suggest sticking to the nearest airport as well if you’re able.
Accommodation
For our holiday, we decided to stay on the outskirts of Chania as our base. It was close to many beaches, walkable to the port of Chania, and near the Aldi grocery store. However, Chania is quite established and a bit industrialized, so if you’re looking for more of a beach holiday I would suggest looking into some of the smaller resort towns. Although I wouldn’t recommend our Airbnb in particular, I found the location was fantastic for our blend of exploring and relaxation.
On Crete, there are a ton of various airbnbs, resorts, and hotels to chose from. You can make your budget go a long way depending on what style of accommodation you prefer. If you are focused on staying away from the city and are looking for a resort feel there are a plethora of places – you can’t go wrong. My general rule of thumb if you’re focused on exploring the western side would be to stay no further east than Rethymno.
Transportation
If you are wanting to see massive mountains, tall gorges, and crystal clear beaches, Crete is certainly the place for you. To explore all of them, I would highly, highly recommend renting a car. I did see some large coach busses sprinkled around for various tours but I would suggest renting a car instead. The rental cars and gas are incredibly affordable, and the road infrastructure was quite good. I think a lot of those bus tours were cruise passengers, and if you want to go places that are infinitely quieter – you must rent a car. While the cities of Chania and Heraklion are quite established, driving allowed us to explore more off the beaten path locations.
When you normally think of Greek islands, you often think of the small and packed Cyclades. The size and space of Crete allows it to feel much more spread out and adventurous.
Food
There is Greek food, and then there is Cretan food. Do not be afraid to try their wide variety of cuisine and liquor while there! If you’re looking for the typical Gyros/ Souvlaki / Greek Salad, they have plenty of that too. All of it was delicious and fresh.
Chania
Blending Venetian, Egyptian and Ottoman influences, Chania is a fascinating tapestry of cultures. It is also the site of Minoan settlements, which is considered to be first civilization in Europe. Exploring Chania makes for a great day trip. As a port city, it is filled with Cruise ship passengers and tourists. The Old Town has a myriad of shops and markets and restaurants to not miss. I picked up some great souvenirs while in the town. Parking proved literally impossible in Old Town, so I enjoyed being walking distance from our Airbnb.
Located about a 5 minute drive outside of Old Town, is what I would consider the gem of Chania. Previously located in a former monestary, the Chania Archaeological Museum reopened in 2022 in a newly built, stunningly designed landmark. As an avid museum goer, I strongly believe this was one of the best museums I’ve visited. Exploring the vast Cretan history from early Minoan (first European civilization) all the way to the Ottoman Empire, it is informative yet not overwhelming. It also has a beautiful rooftop cafe, that yields excellent sunset views.
Historical Points of Interest
As previously mentioned, the Chania Archaeological Museum is not a place to miss. Alongside the museum, I would also suggest visiting the Archaeological Site of Aptera. This historical site was quite impressive, and featured an ancient theatre, Roman cisterns and even an Ottoman fortress. Although the history begins at the time of the Minoans, most of the ruins are from the Hellenistic period. Both sites were relatively affordable (under 3 euros). The view from Aptera of the coastline is quite phenomenal. I can see why this was a military fort for many civilizations!
Beaches
One of the primary reasons I was excited to visit Crete was the vast array of BEACHES. Sandy to rocky, wide and flat to immersed in cliff, this island really has it all. For the few we visited, there were 10 more. Keep on reading to see my five favourites!
Kalathas Beach
This beach was incredibly close to our Airbnb and we visited it multiple times. Sandy, not too busy, but still has rental chairs it was just the spot for us when we wanted quick few hours by the beach. The water was warm but had some waves – not sure if this was because it was a windy day or if it is always a little bit choppy. Still – the perfect just outside of town beach we could ask for. There were some showers as well and I believe a cafe by the beach. Parking is limited but we were there mid morning and it was no issue.
Seitan Limania
Now, there is a reason this place is well known. The beach is quite the show stopper; nestled in a rocky marble, steep hillside, the water is stunningly blue and calm.
However, the road and hike to get there is not for the faint of heart. The drive to the parking lot features quite a few intense switchbacks along the cliffside and is very steep. The hike down is also steep and narrow. Once you get down to the beach, it is not that big and fills up quickly. As it is east facing and within the marble cliffs, the beach shades over in the afternoon. It also has quite a few resident goats who will actively try and take your food so make sure it is not out and easily accessible!
Nonetheless, this was one probably my favourite swim spot we visited. The water against the rocks was truly out of this world; the swimming was lush and calm and there were quite a few places to jump off rocks. So go – enjoy! Just be prepared.
Elafonissi Beach
If Seitan Limania is the second most popular beach on Crete, Elafonissi Beach is the first. Well known around the world for its pink sand, this gorgeous beach is well worth the 1.5 hour drive from the Chania. Navigating along highways and through gorges and canyons, the drive is stunning, and well worth stopping at villages along the way. This beach is very flat and long – there is a ton of parking as well to go with it. It features plenty of chairs and has a shack for food/drinks. The beach is very shallow and warm – which is great for kids. You can walk to the flat island it is attached to explore further too. The view of the mountains behind is very scenic, as well as the water itself. I would say (as always with pink sand beaches) it is not as pink as most photos make it out to be. But that’s okay, it’s still beautiful. Being very open/exposed and southwest facing, the beach definitely doesn’t get lost in shade.
I definitely recommend the drive down to this beach and exploring more of the western side. We stopped in Elos for a delicious lunch and picked up some goodies from the local pharmacy.
Koutalas Beach
In terms of easily accessible, this beach was not that. It took quite the drive to get here and ended up on some weird off roads and through questionable construction. Once we arrived as well, it was a very steep drive to the small parking lot and beach. However, this also meant the beach was relatively peaceful and secluded. There were no goats like Seitan Limania, and the cliffs were much shallower so beach could bask in the sun for a long time. As this was quite off the beaten path and secluded, do not expect chairs or amenities.
Loutraki Beach
Tucked away in an east facing cove, this is a great, family-friendly spot. The water was crystal clear and incredibly warm. The beach was sandy, but not too large. There were chairs to rent on the beach itself as well as on the grassy area adjacent to the cove. The parking lot here was quite big as well! Sadly didn’t take any photos but really enjoyed our time here. This is definitely a more popular, easily accessible spot. Similar to Kalathas beach, it was quite windy due to how open it was.
Hiking
Unfortunately I didn’t do my full research when planning to visit Crete and really missed out on the opportunity to do some great hiking. There are quite a few tours or hikes you can do on your own throughout the gorges in the mountains. If you’re into hiking, Samaria Gorge is at the top of the list! It has quite the elevation gain and distance, and takes about 7.5 hours to complete.
Additional Ideas
Sadly, there were so many places on my list we ran out of time to visit. The city of Rethymno is incredibly beautiful and I looked forward to visiting in the future. All of the beaches of the south and east, Falasarna beach, the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, and many other archaeological spots are still on my list. Let me know if there is anywhere on your bucket list you are looking forward to visiting on Crete!
If you want more visual inspiration, check out my vlog below:
