Crete

Greece's largest island, with the Minoan palace of Knossos, the Venetian old harbour of Chania, the Samaria Gorge and the Balos lagoon.

This region is the Crete region, comprising the island of Crete and nearby small islands such as Gavdos, Dia and Chrissi, and is divided into four regional units: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi. It faces the Cyclades (part of the Aegean Islands region) across the sea to the north and is a complete destination in its own right.

Heraklion is the capital and transport hub; the ruins of the Palace of Knossos on its outskirts and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum are must-sees for understanding Minoan civilisation, and the Phaistos site lies to the south. Chania in the west has a well-preserved Venetian old harbour and lighthouse, with the Balos lagoon and Gramvousa island, the pink-sand beach of Elafonisi and the roughly 16 km Samaria Gorge nearby; Rethymno's old town and Arkadi Monastery are in the centre. In the east, Lasithi has Agios Nikolaos, the island of Spinalonga and the palm beach of Vai, and the Lasithi Plateau has many surviving windmills.

The island is about 260 km from east to west, so allow at least 5–7 days, and a self-drive travelling west to east, or using Chania and Heraklion as two bases, is recommended. Heraklion and Chania have airports, and there are overnight ferries from Piraeus. The Samaria Gorge is a one-way downhill hike, with a boat and bus needed for the return, and whether it is open depends on the weather. When strong south or north winds blow in summer, some beaches get rough waves.

Destinations

Itineraries