Discover the beautiful largest island in Greece: sunny Crete
Crete is the largest and perhaps best-known Greek island and has countless beautiful places. From extensive beaches with beautiful blue water to beautiful mountain ranges and valleys. You can easily visit Crete several times and discover new places every time. Or choose to rent a car and stay in different places. During our holiday in Crete we stayed near the famous Chersonissos, in a beautiful accommodation in the mountains.
Choose your base
Because Crete is a large island with many mountains, it is important to first choose a nice base. This choice also determines which beautiful places you can visit during your holiday. Of course it is also possible to rent a car and stay at several places on the island. Or choose to take long drives to visit the highlights, but I would definitely advise against this. Crete is a wonderful destination to spend several days on the beach and relax. Then it would be a shame to travel a lot every day! Crete has two international airports, namely nearbyHeraklion andChania. There is a good chance that you will arrive at one of these airports. Because we arrived in Heraklion by ferry all the way from Athens, we decided to stay near Hersonissos. The entire nightlife was at a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we discovered this beautiful part of the island in particular. Our accommodation was located in the mountains near the old part of Chersonisos. You can enjoy a beautiful and quiet stay here, because this is a completely different world than the strip. I would therefore advise to stay in the large beautiful seaside resortAgios Nikolaos. On My Wandersteps you can read some tips for discovering the eastern region of Crete.
Are you flying to the airport near Chania? This is the perfect base to discover the western side of Crete. A nice base is Rethimno (located between Chania and Heraklion) or choose one of the cute villages on the western side of Chania to stay. Some beautiful places on the western side are: Seitan Limania, Balos Beach, Elafonissi Beach, Samaria Gorge, Preveli beach, Matala beach and Agia Pelagia.
Discover the eastern part of Crete
The eastern part of Crete has a lot to offer: from cultural discoveries to beautiful landscapes. From charming villages to wonderful sandy beaches. That promises to be a wonderful holiday. Explore the eastern part of Crete by renting a car for a few days or choose to drive around by scooter. Crete also has a good bus network or you can book a tour to a number of places.
A visit to the lively cityAgios Nikoaloscannot be missed during your holiday. Agios Nikoalos is beautifully situated on the beautiful Mirabello bay, with a charming harbor and many nice restaurants. Discover Lake Voulismeni, a natural lake surrounded by pretty cafes. From Agios Nikoalos you can easily drive to the coastal villagePlaka. Here you can have a great time at Elounda beach. Along the way you will enjoy beautiful views. Don't forget to stop for a beautiful photo! It is located off the coast of PlakaSpinalonga Fort. Spinalonga used to serve as a Venetian fortress and later as a leper colony. This was a place where people with leprosy (a chronological infectious disease that mainly affects the skin and nerves) were isolated and cared for. You can visit Spinalonga Island from Plaka. Highly recommended!
It is also recommended to book a day tour to the southern islandChrissi, the southernmost tip of Greece. This is truly a bounty paradise with beautiful beaches. It is an idyllic island where you can enjoy a relaxing day under the sun. In the summer it can get really hot here. Therefore, don't forget to bring a parasol, because natural shade is scarce on Chrissi. It is also possible to drive independently to Lerapetra (45 minutes from Agios Nikoalos) and from here take the boat to Chrissi.
On the way to the east from Agios Nikoalos you can see the ancient ruins of the old townLato visits. From this historic settlement you have beautiful views over the Gulf of Mirabello. The village is located next to LatoKrita,known for the beautiful traditional Cretan house with a beautiful view of the valley. Walk through the narrow streets here and visit the Panagia Kera church. There are also a number of beautiful gorges in eastern Crete to visit. TheGorge of Richtis is a beautiful gorge and offers a special hiking experience, surrounded by beautiful waterfalls and a river. Another beautiful gorge is the gorge of Zakros, also known as the 'Valley of the Dead'. Also take a beautiful walk here surrounded by imposing cliffs and ruins of old palaces. However, this gorge is more than a 2-hour drive from Agios Nikoalos. Combine your visit to the Zakros Gorge with a visit to the palace ofKato Zarkos, a well-preserved palace.
Fancy a day at the beach? Some beautiful beaches are Potamos beach, Malia beach and Sarantari Beach. The most beautiful beach isVai Beach, surrounded by more than 5000 palm trees. Enjoy the beautiful azure blue water here and walk through the palm oasis. Take into account a considerable travel time of two hours from Agios Nikoalos. The city is located near VaiSitia, a beautiful coastal town with a rich history. Here you will visit the Venetian fortress Kazarma.
Finally, it is recommended for real adrenaline junkies bungee jumpingat Star Beach in Hersonissos!
