Crete Travel Guide
Crete Travel Guide
Crete is my favorite Greek island! It’s the largest of the Greek islands, and also the farthest South, but still a short flight from Athens (less than an hour to Chania) Crete offers diverse landscapes, stunning beaches, affordable accommodations, snowcapped mountains, amazing food and so much more!
Crete is huge and you could easily spend weeks there trying to see everything. If you’re a first-timer or don’t have a ton of time, I recommend exploring Western Crete.
This Crete travel guide will mostly cover Western Crete, this is where you’ll find the best beaches in Crete, as well as Chania, one of the most charming cities in Crete.
Jump To:
- *Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Pick for Drinks With A View*
- Where to Stay in Crete
- Top Things to do in Crete
- Best Restaurants in Crete
- Getting to Crete
- Renting a Car in Crete
- Safety for Solo Female Travel in Crete
- Top Crete Blog Posts
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
*Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Pick for Drinks With A View*
Crete is too big to narrow this down to just one spot, so I had to choose a few here. The beaches and sunsets are so unreal, which makes for a ton of great drinks with views options!
Playa Paraiso – Falasarna Beach
Falasarna is one of the best beaches in Western Crete (and is also easier to reach than some of the other top beaches!) This makes it a great place to watch the sunset or just grab an afternoon drink!
Playa Paraiso is a bar/restaurant located literally right on Falasarna Beach. They have a large patio/outdoor bar area that is an unreal place to grab a drink with a view
Palazzo Almare Restaurant – Chania Old Venetian Harbor
Chania’s Old Venetian Harbor is stunning and there is no shortage of waterfront patios to grab a drink with a view.
My favorite is Palazzo Almare Restaurant, which offers not only stunning views of the colorful building that surround the harbor, but is also situated perfectly for sunset over the lighthouse!
Corinna Star Restaurant – Chania
A little outside of Old Town Chania is a stunning waterfront restaurant with epic views of the sunset. The food is also incredible. Located inside the Corinna Mare hotel, the Corinna Star restaurant offers sunset views over the ocean & infinity pool, and is a great place to grab a drink with a view!
Panorama – Elafonisi Beach
Elafonisi is one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete. The area around it is largely empty, meaning there aren’t a ton of bar and restaurant options, but there is one restaurant with amazing views of Elafonisi.
Panorama, located right at the entrance of the dirt road to the parking lot of Elafonisi beach is an excellent option for grabbing drinks with views of one of the most famous beaches in the world!
Where to Stay in Crete
Chania
Chania is a great place to make your home base during your trip to Crete. It has it’s own airport, is one of the most charming towns in Crete & offers beachfront hotels a little farther outside the main Old Town area.
I wanted a hotel with a pool & beach vs. being directly in the Old Town, so I opted to stay in the outskirts of Chania. My top recommendations are:
Corinna Mare Hotel is a great beachfront hotel featuring two swimming pools, an on site restaurant, parking, and apartment style accommodations in addition to regular hotel rooms. It’s also only a ten minute drive from Old Town Chania, which can also be reached by local bus.
This is a 3-star property that’s super clean and offers lovely amenities & epic sunset views. The rooms are a bit dates, especially the bathrooms and kitchenettes, but for the cost and the hotel offerings it was so worth it for me!
Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection For a more upscale option, this 5 star adults only resort is my top recommendation!
Conveniently located 2.5 miles from Old Town Chania this hotel offers a private beach, two pools, an award winning spa, free parking, an on-site restaurant & more!
Kissamos
Kissamos is a smaller, slightly less touristy town that is conveniently located right near Balos & Falasarna beaches (two of the most popular beaches in Crete.) Accommodations tend to be a bit cheaper here as it’s less saturated by tourists.
Kissamos offers stunning mountain views over the ocean and reminds me a bit of the Hawaii coastline.
I stayed at the Nautilus Bay Hotel and cannot recommend it enough! It’s such good value for your money. I paid $100 a night for a king bed with ocean views. The hotel is modern, clean, has a private beach, pool, beachside bar, free parking & more!
Top Things to do in Crete
Visit West Crete’s Infamous Beaches
Western Crete is known for having some of the best beaches in Greece. In fact, two of them are often listed as best beaches in the world! Exploring these beaches is a must on a trip to Crete
Elfaonisi Beach
Elafonisi is infamous for its pink sand, stunning blue waters and natural lagoons that form as the tide goes in and out. The beach really is a once in a lifetime experience and is so worth the trip in my opinion!
It can be a bit of a journey to reach because it’s not located near any major city. You can drive from Chania or Kissamos, but it will still take about 90 minutes to 2 hours, especially depending on the traffic.
Also, the roads can be a bit of a challenge as you get closer to Elafonisi. The roads become narrow as your navigate through small villages that are connected by hairpin turns through the mountains.
During peak season Viator offers full day tours from Chania to Elafonisi, so you don’t have to worry about driving or overcrowded local busses.
You can also opt to take the local busses during the high season, but they only run a few times a day so you’ll need to pay attention not to miss the bus back!
Balos Beach
Balos was my favorite of Crete’s 3 most infamous beaches. It is absolutely stunning and unlike anywhere I’ve seen before in my life.
It is also a bit difficult to reach! If it’s during the peak season (late spring through early fall) you can take the ferry from Kissamos, a small town about 45 minutes from Chania.
You can book a tour ahead of time or just book through the ferry company directly. Tour companies use the same ferry companies as you’d buy direct from. They just coordinate hotel pickup, but the ferry trip is the same.
You can also drive up to Balos (I did this because I was there in early April and tours weren’t running yet) This gives you much more timing flexibility to spend more time or go early/late to avoid the crowds.
That being said, the drive can be a bit of an adventure. It’s about 40 min – 1 hour on a dirt road up the side of a mountain that in some places is very rough, especially on small rental cars.
Rentals cars are very clear that damage that occurs off-roading is not covered, so you’ll want to drive slow. Parts of the trip have no guardrails, but the road is wide, so that wasn’t too concerning for me.
My car was fine, and the ride was only a bit stressful because a thunderstorm started on my drive up and rain was pouring down, but by the time I got to the top (i went SO SO slow) the sun was out and the view was stunning!
Falasarna Beach
Falasarna was probably my least favorite of the three infamous Western Crete beaches (although still quite beautiful) This one is certainly the easiest to reach with the most amenities (multiple restaurants, beach bars, bathrooms, etc.)
The drive to Falasarna is closer than Elafonisi and less challenging. There are still some hairpin turns, but nothing as crazy as going to Elafonisi, and there are no mountainside dirt roads like Balos.
Explore Chania’s Old Town
Chania’s charming Old Town and Venetian harbor are a great place to spend a morning or afternoon exploring followed by lunch or dinner at one of Chania’s many lovely restaurants!
The Old town is filled with winding, picturesque alleys that feel straight out of a movie, while the colorful Venetian harbor makes you feel like you’ve travelled back in time. This is also a great place to catch the sunset!
Hike Samaria Gorge
I was surprised by how mountainous Crete was. The island offers such diverse landscapes from stunning, tropical beaches to snowcapped mountains. Samaria Gorge is a National Park located in the mountains of Western Crete and is a great spot for adventurers!
The full hike, if you wish to do it, will take about 5-7 hours depending on your speed. You don’t have to complete the entire hike if you don’t wish, but you’ll have to hike back out the way you came.
The easiest way to visit and do the whole trail is to take a guided bus tour where the bus will drop you off at the trailhead (Omalos) and pick you up in Chora Sfakia, the trail actually ends in Agia Roumeli, but this town is not accessible by vehicle, so you’ll need to take a 1 hour ferry to Chora Sfakia to cattch the bus back.
These are long day tours! It’s about 90 minutes from Chania each way (plus the 5-7 hours to hike + the one hour ferry) so be prepared for a long day and gorgeous views!
Head to the Capital – Heraklion
I recommend basing yourself in Chania on a first time trip to Crete, as it’s most accessible to all the places noted in this guide, including Heraklion, the capital of Crete.
Heraklion is a 2 hours ride from Chania & can be done as a day trip (or you could choose to spend a night in the capital!)
The coastal city is worth spending at least a few hours exploring, although I prefer Chania, personally. The main highlight of Heraklion is Knossos. See below!
Discover Knossos
Considered Europe’s oldest city by many, Knossos is a Bronze Age archaeological site outside of Heraklion. It’s definitely worth dedicating a few hours to a half day of your trip to exploring Knossos.
This incredibly well preserved palace offers insight into the lives of the Minoans. Tickets are required for entrance and can be purchased here. General admission is 18 euro. There are also skip the line options available.
You can reach Knosso by car or taking the bus from Heraklion. Opening hours are 8AM to 8PM in the high season.
Best Restaurants in Crete
Crete has amazing food! Every restaurant I went to in Crete was incredible, and the prices are so reasonable. Crete is so large it would be impossible to compile a full list of best restaurants without spending months there, so I’ll share my favorites from different locations!
Best Restaurants Chania
- Enetikon Restuarant – Classic Greek taverna in Old Town Chania. The moussaka was delicious!
- Corinna Star – Stunning oceanside views with Mediterranean cuisine
- TAMAM – Influenced by Chania’s rich, diverse history, this restaurant in Old Town Chania offers Greek fare influenced by the Venetians, Egyptians and Turkish cultures that occupied Chania throughout history.
- Aspros Gatos – Charming wine bar with good food
- Arismari, Cretan Creative Cuisine – Traditional Cretan food with a focus on the freshest raw ingredients. Situated in a Venetian mansion right on the harbor.
- Moutoupáki – classic Greek taverna in Old Town Chania – try the baked feta!
- Colombo Kitchen & Bar – Large portions, great ambiance, lovely presentation. Great spot in Old Town Chania!
- PALLAS – Trendy restaurant right on the water in the Old Venetian harbor. Great cocktails, sunset views and diverse menu options
- Palazzo Almare Restaurant – Offering steaks, seafood, pastas and more with lovely views of Chania’s Old Venetian Harbor
Best Restaurants Kissamos
- Stelios and Katina -delicious local taverna, lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. Highly recommend this place!
- Nautilus Bay Restaurant – great views of the ocean and mountains with a wide menu serving Greek and other cuisines
Best Restaurants Falasarna
- Zacharias – delicious, local cuisine. This restaurant is located in Platanos, a small village right near Falasarna beach.
- Taverna Spilios – casual tavern with views over Falasarna beach
- Taverna Vassilis – oceanside tavern with seafood options and lovely views fo the beach
- Adam Restaurant – casual beachside tavern, serving Cretan food in a low key setting. Great for a late lunch after the beach!
- Bird Away Beach Bar – Beach bar with epic sunset views, great for a casual meal
Best Restaurants Elafonisi
- Panorama Restaurant – there is not a lot around Elafonisi in terms of restaurants, but Panorama restaurant is right at the entrance to the beach parking lot and offers good food with stunning views over Elafonisi.
Getting to Crete
By Plane
Plane is the quickest way to reach Crete from Athens. Since Crete is so far south compared to other Greek islands the ferries can take quite a while. I flew from Athens to Crete and it took less than an hour.
Crete has two main airports that offer regular flights from Athens, and flights to a few other Greek islands in the peak seasons, Chania and Heraklion.
By Ferry
Crete has several ferry port that can be reached from Athens. Given how far Crete is from Athens the ferries can be a bit long. The shortest trip from Athens to Crete is 8 hours, but they can take longer than that.
I always use Ferry Hopper to compare costs and schedules across multiple ferry companies & book my tickets.
Renting a Car in Crete
For getting around Crete I highly recommend renting a car. There are local busses that run during the high season, but renting a car gives you much more flexibility to explore, and a lot of the highlights of Crete are spread quite a bit from each other.
Driving in Crete was generally ok. The main roads and highways are well maintained and wide. People drive fast, but if you stay to the right they’ll just pass you! I had no issues on the main roads.
Downtown Chania is hectic with small streets, the driving is fine, but it’s easier if you can visit without a rental and not need to worry about someone scratching you car in a parking garage or something!
When you get off the main roads and into more of the countryside (which is necessary to visit some of the most famous spots in Crete, like Elafonisi, Falasarna and Balos beach) The roads get extremely narrow and are filled with hairpin turns.
There are many locations where two cars can’t pass each other as you pass through smaller villages, but it’s not too bad. The hairpin turns are fine as long as you feel comfortable and take it slow. For the most part there were guardrails except for in a few areas.
This area also contains a lot of falling rock from the mountains so you just need to be careful of larger rocks in the road and try to keep an eye out! Also, watch out for mountain goats, you can’t go very far on any of the more remote roads in Crete without seeing a pack of mountain goats!
Car Rental Options
I generally find the best rates for car rentals on Booking.com. I rented a car through Enterprise, they picked me up at the Chania airport and drove me the five minutes to the car rental office. The whole process was generally smooth and the employees were nice and helpful.
They really study every inch of the car for damage, so make sure you’re careful and have insurance in case something happens. When I rented a car in Corfu a small scratch on the bottom of the bumper (that was caused by bumpy roads) cost me 186 euro in damage. This was more than the cost of the entire rental.
Options for Rental Car Insurance:
- Purchase through the rental car company – this has it’s pros and cons. There is usually a deductible, so for minor damage you often end up paying the amount, but the pro is for major damage you don’t owe the rental company the amount while you work separately with your insurance company.
- Purchase separate insurance through a 3rd party or use insurance offered by your credit card company – this can be more cost effective and have lower deductible BUT you have to work with the insurance company separately and in the interim you owe the rental car company the damage costs. I entered my claim over 6 weeks ago and haven’t been reimbursed! So make sure you weigh the pros and cons and get all the paperwork you need to submit a claim like:
- A police report (if there is one)
- Original rental car agreement
- Damage report and costs with breakout for admin costs charged by the insurance company
Safety for Solo Female Travel in Crete
5 out of 5
I found Crete incredibly safe for solo female travel. I loved my trip here and could have stayed for so much longer. I found Crete overall super accommodating to solo travelers in addition to feeling safe!
