Must See~£14
Palace of Knossos
Heraklion (5 km)
The ruins of the great Minoan palace, with colourful restored frescoes.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 8:00–20:00
Crete
Greece’s largest island of gorges, palm-lined beaches and Minoan palaces.
Overview
Why go to Crete
Crete is a world of its own: white mountains, deep gorges, Venetian harbours and beaches with pink and turquoise water. It has a strong food culture and is best explored by car with two bases.
Crete is a large island, about 260 km long. Places listed here are spread widely, so a car or organised tours help.
- Where
- Crete, Greece
- Recommended stay
- 7–10 nights
- Best time to go
- May–June and September–October; July and August are hot.
- Approx. daily budget
- £60–130 a dayPer person, excluding flights. Indicative.
What does Crete cost?
Full cost guide- Budget traveller£55–80a day
- Mid-range traveller£115–170a day
- Luxury traveller£235+a day
Approximate per person per day, including a share of a twin room, and excluding flights. Not live prices.
Things To Do
See all 13 Top picks in Crete
Must SeeFree
Chania Old Town and Venetian Harbour
Chania
A lovely harbour of Venetian and Ottoman buildings, with a lighthouse and lively tavernas.
- Suggested time: 3 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Open-air; harbour restaurants open evening
Must SeeFree
Rethymno Old Town
Rethymno
A mix of Venetian and Ottoman lanes around a fortress on a headland.
- Suggested time: 2 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Open-air; fortress open daily
Day Trips~£12
Spinalonga Island
Elounda
A tiny fortress island that was once a leper colony, reached by a short boat ride.
- Suggested time: 5 hrs
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Families
Boats run daily in season
Hidden Gems
See all 4 Beyond the checklist
Hidden Gems~£5
Samaria Gorge Hike
White Mountains
A famous 16 km walk through Europe’s longest gorge, ending at a beach in Agia Roumeli.
- Suggested time: Full day
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Photographers
Open roughly May–October; weather dependent
BeachesFree
Elafonisi Beach
Elafonisi
A lagoon of pink-tinged sand and shallow turquoise water in the far south-west.
- Suggested time: 5 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Beach lovers · Photographers
Open access; busy in summer
BeachesFree
Balos Lagoon
Gramvousa
A shallow turquoise lagoon of pale sand, reached by a boat trip or a dirt road.
- Suggested time: 5 hrs
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Beach lovers · Photographers
Boats run daily in season; check weather
BeachesFree
Preveli Beach and Palm Forest
Preveli
A river meets the sea among palm trees, in a sheltered south-coast cove.
- Suggested time: 5 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Beach lovers
Open access; steep path down
Hotels
All 3 hotels Best-value hotels in Crete
Well reviewed and fairly priced for what you get: not simply the cheapest.
Best ValueBest Mid-Range Hotel
Example listingVenetian Harbour Hotel
Chania, Crete
Excellent valueValue score 87 out of 100
Rated 9.0/10, priced in line with similar 4★ hotels in Crete, in a central location.
From £95 per night · check current availability
Best Budget Choice
Example listingRethymno Old Town House
Rethymno, Crete
Very good valueValue score 74 out of 100
Rated 8.7/10, priced in line with similar 3★ hotels in Crete, in a central location.
From £65 per night · check current availability
Best for FamiliesHighly Rated
Example listingElounda Sea Resort
Elounda, Crete
Good valueValue score 65 out of 100
Rated 9.1/10, priced above typical 5★ hotels in Crete, for a higher-end stay, right by the beach.
From £220 per night · check current availability
Food & Restaurants
See all 3 Where to eat
Tamam
A restaurant in a converted Ottoman bathhouse in Chania, serving Cretan and Middle-Eastern-influenced dishes.
Known for: Cretan dishes in a former hammam
About £13–25 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Kouzina Ntounias
A rustic, slow-cooked taverna in the hills, known for its clay-pot dishes and local produce.
Known for: Clay-pot lamb, local produce
About £13–25 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Peskesi
A restaurant devoted to ancient and traditional Cretan recipes, using ingredients from its own farm.
Known for: Cretan classics, slow-cooked lamb
About £25–45 per person
Special occasion Good for Couples · Groups
A suggested Crete itinerary
3 nights Couple
Crete · Highlights
Crete in 3 nights
A balanced first-visit plan built from our Crete picks: the headline sights, a local favourite or two and time to breathe.
- Day 1 · Rethymno Old Town
- Day 2 · Palace of Knossos, Elafonisi Beach
- Day 3 · Free day
Plan Crete your way
Tell us your dates, who’s travelling and what you enjoy. We’ll build a first draft you can edit.