CRETE: The Perfect Destination
Crete is a fantastic mosaic of marvellous beaches, ancient ruins and breathtaking scenery. Its lively cities and picturesque villages are inhabited by wonderful people generously sharing their traditions, heavenly cuisine and proud way of life. The landscape changes tremendously depending on the location, with a distinct contrast between the north side of the island with its long, sandy beaches, large cities an secluded beaches to bustling museums and archaeological landmarks, there are great options for every d booming nightlife, and the south coast where the terrain is rougher with a fascinating relief, large cliffs, mountainous roads and small villages.
The island can be cosmopolitan, traditional, isolated, bustling, offering diverse experiences depending on the visitor’s requirements. From 5-star luxury beachside resorts to traditional village lodges, visitor.
Chania
You must you start this tour guide of Crete with one of the prettiest towns on the island: Chania .
Located to the North-West, it is an excellent starting point for a trip to Crete and a good base for visiting some of the most famous places, such as the lagoon of Balos, the Elafonissi beach or the Samaria Gorge, as day-trips.
Places of interest to see in Chania:
- The Venetian Old Port, with its entrance marked by its lighthouse. It is bordered by nice cafés and restaurants where you can go for a drink.
- Fort Firkas offers a beautiful view of the port from the ramparts. Access to the inner courtyard is free.
- The maritime museum of Crete, which is part of the fort. It exhibits navigational instruments, boat models and other documents related to the history of the Navy.
- The old town and the alleys around the port for leather shops, jewellery shops and traditional souvenir shops.
- The covered market also has shops selling souvenirs and local products (cheese, pastries, alcohol).
- The archaeological museum of Chania for its collection of relics from the Neolithic to the Roman period.
- The Greek Orthodox cathedral, located in a pretty square in the old town.
Near Chania, you will also find some beaches if you want to a refreshing stop:
- Nea Chora, the closest to the centre and therefore very busy, but not necessarily the prettiest because it is located on the roadside
- Hrisi Akti, ideal for surfers
- Eastern Gulf, a small protected sandy cove bordered by pine forests. For me, it’s the prettiest beach near Chania!
- Agii Apostoli / Iguana Beach that looks a lot like Eastern Gulf but bigger
Heraklion and the Archaeological Museum
Along with Chania, Heraklion is the second main city to visit in Crete.The best things to see and do in Heraklion?
- The archaeological museum of Heraklion and its vast collection of objects ranging from the Neolithic to the Roman period. It is one of the largest museums in Greece. Modern and well developed, I consider it an unmissable spot when visiting Crete!
- The Koules fortress and its exhibition on the history of the city. You can also enter the ramparts to enjoy the view of the port and the sea.
- A walk in the old town, along rue 1866, lined with shops and restaurants with shaded terraces
- The historical museum of Crete to know everything about the history of the island
- The Agios Minas cathedral and its ceiling covered with frescoes.
The Palace of Knossos
Only a 10-minute drive from the centre of Heraklion, the Palace of Knossos is the most visited tourist site in Crete as of now.
The ruins of the palace were discovered in 1878, but the actual excavations only began 20 years later thanks to the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, who devoted 35 years of his life and most of his savings in uncovering the ruins.
The ruins uncovered a new civilisation, which Evans himself chose to name the Minoan civilisation, in reference to King Minos (the legendary king of Crete).
Today, it takes a lot of imagination to imagine the grandeur of the palace and the surrounding buildings, but you can explore:
- The famous bull fresco at the North entrance
- The Throne Room
- The megaron (the bedroom) of the Queen and its fresco with Dolphins
- The fresco room where copies of the works can be found (the originals are displayed at the archaeological museum of Heraklion)
- The mural of the Prince of the Lilies.
Rethymnon
We will continue this guide to Crete with a small town on the road between Chania and Heraklion: Rethymnon
You will particularly enjoy walking around the old town, which is super pleasant and really picturesque with its charming, cobbled streets lined with shops and taverns.
You can also discover the Venetian fortress of Rethymnon and go to the Old Port that has small cafés/restaurants with terraces by the water.
Balos
beach
If
there is one place you should not miss when in Crete, it is the
famous Balos Beach, also called Balos Lagoon
Considered
one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, it is located about
90-minute West of Chania. The lagoon offers a superb stretch of
shallow turquoise waters where it is impossible to resist a dip!
Bordered
by a beautiful beach with fine sands of pink hues, with cape Tigani
in the background and a view of the island of Gramvoussa, the setting
is truly sublime and heavenly.
Elafonissi beach
Along with the lagoon of Balos, the Elafonissi beach is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Crete.
What makes this island’s most famous beach special, regularly ranking among the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, is its pink sand and shallow translucent water. Enough to stock-up with photos for your Instagram account!
But if I have one advice for you, you shouldn’t stay on the main part of the beach (where everyone is) but cross over to the other side to enjoy a wilder setting. Here you will find turquoise waters, pink sands and big rocks, and above all you, a much quieter setting for a swim!
The Samaria Gorge
Are you looking to go on a hike in Crete?
Then head to the Samaria Gorge, in West Crete, for a hike of approximately 16 km in one of the longest gorges in Europe.
The trail starts with a steep descent of 4 km through the shady forest before reaching the bottom of the Gorge and the main rest area, 7 km away.The most spectacular and famous part of Samaria is located at km 11. At the “Iron Gates”, you will pass through the narrowest passage of the Gorge which barely measures 3.50 metres and whose walls reach 300 metres.
The path alternates only between downhill and flat, but you should definitely bring a good pair of shoes because there are stones everywhere and it is slippery.
The Samaria Gorge hike ends at the small seaside village of Agia Roumeli where you will have to take a boat and then a bus to return to the car park or to Chania.
Kournas Lake
Lake Kournas is one of the other places to go in Crete to swim, but this time in fresh water.
Located 5 km away from Georgiopouli (between Chania and Rethymnon) and surrounded by mountains, it is the only natural lake in Crete. The water here is crystal clear and very clean.
You can also rent a paddle boat to go around and discover the many water turtles and fish that hide there.