Crete is the largest Greek island, where, you can admire the remnants of brilliant civilizations, explore glorious beaches, impressive mountainscapes, fertile valleys and steep gorges, and become part of the island’s rich gastronomic culture. Furthermore Crete is ideal for those who love hiking and walking in cloak-and-dagger paths.
10 of the best places to visit in Crete island (video for your information)
CHANIA PREFECTURE
Weather in Chania
If you visit Chania for the first time, you will be full in love with the breathtaking coastal lines: Falassarna, Balos, Elafonisi (ideal place for kite and wind surfing), Sfakia and so many others, creating a unique cluster of beautiful scenes.
There are a lot of campings offering tents for rental, mobile homes, rooms, studios, even apartments: Grameno (Paleochora region), Nopigia (Kissamos region), Chania (Agii Apostoli region), Mithimna (Drapania, Kissamos region).
From Kasteli (Kissamos) port you can participate οn a daily cruise to Gramvoussa and Balos.
Don’t miss the chance to go on a walk, to the alleys of the Old Town & Venetian Harbor of Chania, the Mythical Ideon Andron or Ideon Cave, Frangocastello (a Venetian Castle) and cross through Samaria Gorge. Travel to the picturesque Vamos but also to the rest villages of Apokoronas, to Stilos with the cool springs, to the traditional settlements in the villages Patima and Filaki in Georgiupoli and of course to the Lake of Kurnas.
If you wish to experience the life in Gavdos then you can visit the island with the boat, from: Sfakia, Paleochora, Agia Roumeli or Sougia port. You can check further info at the itineraries. This small island is ideal for hiking, with trails that pass through stunning landscapes and lead to gorgeous, isolated beaches.
Chania has an airport and a ferry connection with the port of Piraeus (Athens). Furthermore Kasteli port has a ferry connection with Gythio port (south Peloponnese) and Kythira island.
RETHYMNO PREFECTURE
Weather in Rethymno
Rethymno is my beloved city! In my opinion the old town is the prettiest of all Crete. Spreading from its Venetian harbor through a maze of alleyways and lively streets, Rethymno’s Old Town contains all the life, history and traditions of Crete’s third-largest city. Fortezza fortress, Anogia village (Nikos Xilouris a great Greek musician was born there), are only a few of the lots of sights you may visit.
This prefecture, as Chania, offers to the visitors, amazing coastal areas: Preveli Palm Forest, Plakias beach, Bali, Agia Galini, Triopetra and so many others.
At Agia Galini village the camping No Problem is located. From Agia Galini port, you can participate on a daily cruise to Paximadia islets.
At Misiria beach (3km from Rethymno) there is also the camping Elizabeth, where you can rent a tent, a bungalow or a mobile home. Before you leave Rethymno, don’t forget to visit Argiroupolis’ springs. Apart from the wonderful waterfalls, you can also enjoy the delicious taverns.
Argiroupolis’ springs
Ιn Rethymno, Chania and Messara Bay you will discover the cute sea turtles nests of careta careta! Archelon is a rescue center for the protection of sea turtles around Greece. The nesting beach in Rethymno is about 12km long and it is located east of the capital town, on the northern coast of Crete.
Rethymno is also famous due to the Carnival Festival, which is very popular in Greece. Rethymno has a ferry connection with the following ports: Piraeus (Athens), Santorini, Antikythera, Kythera.
HERAKLION PREFECTURE
Weather in Heraklion
Heraklion is the largest city of Crete and a rather popular destination for travelers from all over the world. Heraklion is a well-developed city with modern amenities and a strong cultural character. There are several sights and museums in the city and close to it: Koules castle (Venetian fortresss), Knossos (Minoan) Palace, Phaistos (Minoan) Palace and the Grave of Nikos Kazantzakis (one of the most important writers of Greece and worldwide).
Heraklion has a numerous of idyllic coasts, some of them are: Agiofarago, Agia Pelagia, Matala, Fodele (Dominikos Theotokopoulos – El Greco painter’s city of birth), Vathi, Lentas, Tsoutsouras, Kalamaki and so many others… Heraklion windsurfing centers can be found in popular beach resorts, such as Amoudara, Hersonissos and Malia.
From Heraklion, you can follow hiking trails, visit many gorges (Rouvas, Agiofarago, Gavari, Astrakiano) and go to the famous Psiloritis (or Mount Ida) and the Asterousia Mountains.
Heraklion has two campings: Creta Camping (it is located at Kato Gouves area) and Caravan camping (at Hersonissos area). They offer tent for rental, mobile homes, bungalows.
One of the top places of interest at Heraklion, is the Natural History Museum of Crete with the small scale aquariums and terrariums housing living animals that can be found in Eastern Meditarranean region. This Museum deserves a visit for an additional reason: An educational seismic table (earthquake simulator) is being operated at the Museum, offering its visitors the opportunity to learn about earthquakes and experience, in a safe environment, real earthquakes.
Sharks, seahorses, jellyfish… you’ll be astonished by the variety of Mediterranean marine life on display at the Cretaquarium, which includes 60 tanks with 1,7 million lt of seawater.
From Hersonissos you can participate on a daily cruise to Santorini island.
Αnother wonderful boat trip is to Dia island.
A wine tour of Heraklion introduces you to some of the best wines of Crete and allows you to uncover many of the region’s astonishing cultural highlights.
Heraklion has an airport and a ferry connection with the following ports: Piraeus (Athens), Thessaloniki, Chalki, Chania, Ios, Karpathos, Kasos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Rhodes, Santorini, Sitia.
LASITHI PREFEFCTURE
Weather in Aghios Nikolaos
Lasithi Prefecture, is a mysterious destination, appealing to all of those campers who wish relaxation moments during vacation and having a mood for wandering indolent around. Agios Nikolaos is the capital city. Close to the town you can find many beautiful beaches such as Ammos, Kato Zakros, Voulisma and resorts such as Elounda beach, Plaka or Istro.
The campings located in Lasithi are the following: Sisi (located at Sisi beach), where you can rent a tent. Koutsounari camping (located at Ierapetra), where you can stay in wooden houses, rent a studio or a little house.
From Plaka beach you can participate on a daily cruise to Spinalonga island. From Ierapetra port you can participate on a boat trip to the exotic island Chrisi (Gaidouronisi) and from Makrigialos (Ierapetra) port you can participate on a daily cruise to Koufonisi island.
Some of the best places to visit in Lasithi are the following:
* Diktaion Andron (cave where according to Greek Mythology, was the place of birth of Deus, Ancient God of Greeks).
DIKTAION ANDRON CAVE
* The Amazonas Park. It is a private zoo in the north east of the island of Crete. The focus of the zoo is on animals from South America, especially parrots and monkeys and cockatoos from Australia. There are also some domestic animals like donkeys and goats.
* Greek Mythology Thematic Park: The creation of this park was made to meet the needs of thousands of visitors who sought to find and learn more about the Myth and the culture of the ancient Greeks and Crete island. Ideal experience for families with children.
* Hike in Richtis Gorge and waterfall.
RICHTIS GORGE
RICHTIS GORGE
RICHTIS GORGE
Sitia has an airport and a ferry connection with the following ports: Piraeus, Karpathos island, Kassos island, Rhodes island, Anafi island, Milos island, Santorini island, Chalki island and Heraklion port.
“The Gastronomic Treasures of Crete”
Traditional Cretan Cuisine is excellent to taste. Most of the dishes consist of local fresh vegetables, olive oil flavored and meat coming directly from animals breaded at the lowlands nearby. More than 1700 plant species are existing at Cretan Land (oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint and cumin are some of them to be used to local recipes). So when you will visit Crete, remember to taste snails, kaltsounia (crispy cheese pies whose dough is pinched with the fingertips), apaki (smoked meat with a vinegar flavor), staka (is made from the crust of boiled sheep’s/goat’s milk) and it accompanies perfectly with fried eggs, fried potatoes and meat pies, gamopilafo (rice pilaf which is boiled in chicken and goat broth) and of course drink tsikoudia (the Cretan fire water)!
Would you like to discover more spectacular islands of Greece? Then you can visit:
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Cyclades Islands
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Ionian Islands
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Sporades Islands
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The Islands of North-east Aegean Sea
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Dodecanese Islands
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Karpathos and Kasos islands
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Castellorizo, Chalki islands
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Kalymnos, Nisyros, Tilos islands
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Patmos, Lipsi, Arki, Agathonisi
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Rhodes, Kos, Symi
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Chios, Psara and Oinouses islands
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Hydra, Spetses, Aegina, Poros, Agkistri islands
Traveling through Greece and not only there... 