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
9 places, 5 of them free and 4 tours and activities. Greece’s largest island of gorges, palm-lined beaches and Minoan palaces.
Plan your Crete trip
- Flight + Hotel PackageRecommended Best option if you want the trip arranged together. View Packages Packages
- Hotels Prefer to book accommodation separately? View Hotels Hotels
- Flights Already have accommodation? View Flights Flights
- Things To Do Tours, attractions and experiences. View Activities Activities
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
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
Culture~£10
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Heraklion
The best collection of Minoan art in the world, including the Snake Goddess.
- Suggested time: 2 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 8:00–20:00
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
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
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
Planning Crete? 3 places to eat are one tap away.