The largest island in Greece. Crete is a feast for the senses: wild natural beauty and thousands of years of culture, history and exquisite cuisine. Find out about the top things to do in Crete.
“The mystery of Crete runs deep. Whoever sets foot on this island senses a mysterious force coursing warmly and beneficently through their veins, sensing their soul beginning to grow” wrote Nikos Kazantzakis, Crete’s most celebrated author, in Report to Greco. On the south side of the Aegean is an island that is mystical, warm and welcoming, pure and generous.
Crete captures the spirit of Greece, and enchants everyone who visits it. Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, Ierapetra, Malia, Hersonissos, Sitia, Sfakia: an island with numerous destinations and thousands of vibrant images. Crete captivates and seduces the senses with its impressive and majestic landscape, with its open-hearted and vivacious spirit, its rich history, its world-famous cuisine and its hospitable people.
The most seductive beaches in Crete
Pictures of the heavenly Balos lagoon in Chania are featured in all the travel guides and glossies, as is the endless beauty of famous Falarsana, one of the best beaches in the Mediterranean. Exotic Elafonissos attracts thousands of visitors every year. Crete’s ‘hidden jewel’ and the largest beach on the island is located on the outskirts of Rethymno – 12km of sand that boasts a Blue Flag.
Episkopi and Petres have fervent young fans, while noteworthy in the south are the alluring beaches of Preveli, Plakia, Ligres, Triopetra and Agios Pavlos, with its huge sand dunes. In Heraklion, Malia and Hersonissos attract tourists from all over the world. Endless kilometres of golden coastline surround Ierapetra, in the Lassithi prefecture. The celebrated palm forest in Vai is one of the most spectacular sights in Crete, where palm trees embrace the golden sand, while the beaches of Elounda and those around Agios Nikolaos are not to be missed.
Crete: A priceless gift of culture and history
On Crete, you’ll find some of the most significant attractions in Greece: famous archaeological sites such as the Minoan palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, Malia and Kato Zakros. You’ll also visit important monasteries, some built in the 15th century or even earlier, including Preveli monastery in southern Rethymno, the monasteries in southern Heraklion and the historic Arkadi and Toplous monasteries.
You’ll be transported to another time wandering around the castles of the region erected by Venetians and Byzantines. Particularly noteworthy are Kastelli in Chania, the Fortezza in Rethymno, the castle of Heraklion, Frangokastello in southern Chania, the Kazarma castle in Sitia, and the Monte Forte in Lassithi. More of the island’s riches are displayed in its many museums. Visit those in Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion. Impressive also are the Cretaquarium, the Museum of Natural History and the Historical Museum of Crete. In Myrtia, there is the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum and in Fodele you’ll find the El Greco Museum.
Genuine hospitality that is truly unforgettable
Cretan hospitality shares the characteristics of its famous landscape; grand, generous and infinitely welcoming. Families are only too happy to share the island’s many specialties – a dakos salad, free-flowing raki or the experience of the mantinades, poems often accompanied by a Cretan lyre or lute. Wise old men are only too happy to recount memories of the island’s rich, and often troubled, past or tales of the vendettas between feuding families. There are also stories of the great loves and friendships that characterise a proud and family-orientated people. You, too, can become part of this unique island: Cretan hospitality will be unforgettable!
Things to do in Crete: A paradise for thrill-seekers, hikers and nature lovers
Crete is the ideal destination for all kinds of sports and activities in nature. For canyoning and canyon hiking, Crete’s gorges offer unparalleled beauty. The largest and most famous gorge in Crete is Samaria, with its world-renowned Portes (also known as the Iron Gates). Other noteworthy canyons are Amba, Tripiti, Kourtaliotiko, Kamaraiko (the biggest in length), Ha (the so-called ‘king of Cretan gorges’), Ethias and Eligas. Crete is a top trekking destination. You’ll hike across these landscapes of sublime beauty and diversity. The sign-posted trails through these gorges are one of a kind. For off road and 4×4, you’ll zig and zag along Crete’s dirt roads. The cosmopolitan resorts in both northern and southern Crete, embraced by the Libyan sea, are ideal for water sports and scuba diving.
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