Top Things To Do On Crete

I once asked a Greek friend about his favorite Greek island, and was surprised when he said Crete. It’s just not an island that I hear mentioned often. It’s also a big island at 160 x 30 miles, the biggest island in Greece! I decided to see for myself after trip to Athens and Santorini and found that it really is a fabulous island. There are a ton of great things to see and do on Crete, from breathtaking beaches, to stunning snow-capped mountains, historical ruins, like a Palace from ancient Minoan civilization and more.

This post covers the top things to see and do on Crete.

Top Things To Do On Crete

Best Beaches

There are plenty of beaches on Crete, from the more developed beaches on the north coast, like Rethymno beach and Falassarna, to the more remote ones on the south side, on the Libyan Sea, like Plakias and Matala.

But the two most beautiful (in my opinion) are Balos Bay and Elafonisi Island. Both are a little challenging to get to, but definitely worth the trip! In fact, a huge part of their appeal is because they are so remote.

Balos Bay

Balos Bay, or Balos Lagoon, is a stunning bay with soft, white sand and crystal clear aquamarine water. Located on Crete’s northeastern corner, it’s about an hour east of Chania, and a little more than two from Rethymno.

The shallow areas are perfect for wading or float, or you can swim, or snorkel in the deeper waters. There’s also an old donkey trail here, to walk up for a stunning view.

Crete’s bus system organizes a convenient, affordable, bus/ferry here from both Chania and Rethymno. It also makes a stop at Gramvousa island, which has the ruins of an old Venetian fort at the top. I highly recommend this trip! See my post on Balos Bay and Gramvousa Island to read more.

Elafonisi Island

Elafonisi island is off Crete’s southeastern corner, is a protected nature preserve, so also beautiful. This island has a sandbar so you can walk to the island during low tide, which is super cool. It also creates a variety of water spaces to relax and play, either by the shallow waters near the sandbar, or seaside, off the coast of Elafonisi.

It also often has pink sand, from crushed shells and microorganisms, which makes it even more beautiful.

Crete’s bus system also offers convenient and affordable transportation from Chania and Rethymno. See my post Day Trip to Elafonisi Island for more details and how to get here.

Best Historical Ruins

There are several fascinating ruins on Crete. The most interesting, and definitely a must-see, are the ruins of Knossos Palace, in Heraklion.

Knossos Palace

This complex was built around the 17th century BC, when Minoan civilization was at its peak.

Although there were other, smaller Minoan palaces/complexes built on Crete, Knossos Palace, in modern-day Heraklion, was the largest.

There were also fragments of colorful frescos showcasing their distinctive art style.w

Many of the artifacts found here, can be found in the Heraklion Archeological Museum.

How To Get To Knossos Palace: The Palace is in Heraklion, also called Iraklio, about a 20 minute taxi south of the port. This may be best option if you want to arrive before the crowds. You can also catch bus #2 at the Iraklio main bus station (bus station A). The Palace is the last stop, Knossos. You can buy a combo ticket to see both, which imrecommend.

Venetian Castle of Fortezza

The Fortezza, or Venetian Palace of Rethymno, is on a hill called Paleokastro, which means “Old Castle”. It was built by the Venetians the 16th century, for protection against pirates, but was captured by the Ottomans in the 17th century.

In addition to offering a stunning view of the area, there are several demi-bastions, churches, a mosque, and several other buildings to explore in the citadel.

The Fortezza is about a 15 minute walk from the central bus station of Rethymno.

Hiking Samaria Gorge

The Lefki Ori, or White Mountains in Crete are breathtaking. You can see their show-capped peaks from most places on the island.

A popular organized event there is to hike down the White Mountain’s Samaria Gorge, the second longest gorge in Europe!

This 9+ mile hike drops almost 5,000’ through stunning scenery. The best part of the trail is “The Gates”, at the 7 mile mark. A jaw dropping 13’ wide by 980’ high passage with a wooden walkway!

The hike ends at a small Cretan village near the shore of the Libyan Sea. There is time to stop at a cafe for lunch, swim in the sea, or explore a small village, while you wait for your ferry back to your bus. As there are no direct roads to the village, ferry, or hiking back up, is the only way out.

The Cretan bus system also arranges transportation here via bus and ferry. For more details on the hike and how to get here, see my post on Hiking the Samaria Gorge.

Top Cities in Crete

The three largest cities on Crete are Chania, Rethymno, and Heraklion. Each can be used a base to explore the island, but Chania and Rethymno are better, due to location.

Historically, the ancient Minoans settled in all three cities, and all have been ruled by the Venetians and the Ottomans, before becoming Greek again, after the Greek war of independence. The mix of Turkish and Venetian culture and architecture lends them each a very charming appeal.

Chania

Chania (pronounced Han-e-ya), is where I chose to stay, as it’s closest to 3 of the top sites, Balos Bay, Elafonisi island, and Samaria Gorge.

Not only is Chania strategically located, it’s also great because its Old Town is very picturesque. It’s set in an old Venetian bay, full of charming shops and restaurants, with the White Mountians (Lefke Ori) in the distance.

If you visit, make sure to see the Neoria, or dockyards, which the Venetians built in the late 16th/early 17th century to maintain their fleet of ships. There were over 17 neoria at one time, however, today only 7 remain. Chania’s lighthouse was also built by the Venetians in the 16th century.

Rethymno

Rethymno is about an hour west of Chania, also on Crete’s northern coast. The Old Town of Rethymno is very charming, also full of bars and cafes, many beautifully situated on the waterfront.

I also loved wandering he alleys to see the old architecture here, especially some of the old doors…

Heraklion

Heraklion is the largest city and capital of Crete, with many international flights in and out. Its about another hour east of Rethymno. The top sites in Heraklion are the ancient Palace of Knossos, the Heraklion Archeological Museum, and Koules Fortress.

I stayed here a night or two at the end of my trip, but found the city to be a bit too large, not as charming as Chania or Rethymno.

The old bay of Heraklion can be beautiful, however, as well as convenient as many ferries leave here for other islands, like Santorini, Mykonos, Ios, Naxos, Rhodes, and more.

Want More Of Greece?

Greece really has so much to offer. I’ve visited 3 times and still have so many places I want to see. Plus, the Greek people really are wonderful, especially outside of the larger cities.

My first visit here was during 9/11, and I was amazed at how generous the people were to us. Our 2 week trip turned into 3 before we could find a flight back home and we felt pretty lost. But it really helped that people were so kind to us. Because of this, there will alway be a soft spot in my heart for Greece

On the mainland of Greece, Athens is definitely a must-visit. I’ve been here twice now, and plan to still go back many times. There are also the Clifftop Monasteries Of Meteora just north of Athens. I stopped here in spring, when the flowers were in bloom, and it was simply stunning.

And with over 200 inhabited islands in Greece, the choices are endless. I hope to explore more of them in the future.

The Cycladic islands are located southeast of a Athens. Santorini, one of the most beautiful, is a top choice. Mykonos, another popular choice, is a known party spot with many beautiful beaches. Naxos, south of Mykonos, is known for its less-touristy less party-like charm, interesting ruins, and charming hillside towns. Paros, just west of Naxos, has a must-see old fishing village on its northern coast and the lovely island of Anti Paros. Ios, is just south of Naxos and Paros, an incredible little island with stunning sunsets, a popular party island for those in their 20’s. And south of Ios, is Milos, best known for the lunar landscape at Sarakiniko, but also with many other Interesting beaches with cliffs and caves to explore.

On Greece’s Western side, there are amazing Ionian islands like Corfu, which offers many resorts along its shore and Zakynthos, known for its shipwreck beach, sea turtles, and party atmosphere.

I also spent a month in Serres, Greece, teaching yoga, fitness, and dance to refugees from northern Iraq. It was a very rewarding experience and by living in Serres for a month, I got to learn more about the Greek people, including a philosophy called philotimo. Something the world could use a lot more of!

To see all the highlights of Greece, how to get around, safety, scams, and logistics, see my Greece Travel Guide.

Safe Travels!

Julie

Want to learn more about me? See my About Me page to understand why I love traveling so much and my philosophies on travel.