Guide to Crete, Greece

Crete is a magical island located within the Cycladic Islands. It is the largest of the Greek islands and is surrounded by the pristine Aegean Sea. Rugged terrain, secret coves and delicious food make this one of the best places to travel in Greece.

Logistics

Currency and Converter

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Weather

Crete is beautiful and sunny. The recommended time to visit Greece is typically throughout the summer season to early fall. There are less tourists through the winter season. High season is between the summer months of late June to August. Low season is from April-early June to September-October. Towards the end of the season, some restaurants and hotels close for the season. I visited late September to early October and it was starting to turn slightly chilly.

Flight

I flew direct to Athens from Atlanta with a flight time of about 11 hours and connected to Heraklion via a 30 minute plane ride. In addition to Heraklion, you may also fly into Chania, depending on what portion of the island you wish to visit. I’ve flown Olympic and Sky Express and both flight experiences were basic but seamless. Keep in mind that smaller flights have more strict baggage allowances for on-board baggage. It’s also possible to take an overnight ferry to Crete.

Language

The primary language is Greek, but most people are fluent in a variety of languages. As an English speaker, I felt comfortable communicating on a daily basis.

Getting Around

Crete is the largest Greek island and I would highly recommend renting a car to visit the different parts of the island. There are some beautiful roads that lead to rugged terrain and breathtaking clifftop views. I originally planned to stay in Agia Pelagia for the duration of my trip but ended up traversing the island. I’ll break down each location below.

Entry Requirements

For US citizens, regardless of vaccination status, a PCR test is required within 72 hours of arrival. In addition, many indoor restaurants, require proof of vaccination.

There are many pharmacies that offer antigen testing for travel back to the US with results within the day.

Make sure you complete your PLF before your flight. The PLF will include a QR code that will need to be scanned for travel approval. Fill out your form here: Passenger Locator Form

*Last updated December 2021, check updated requirements before traveling.

Crete Itinerary

Travel Days

If possible, I’d recommend booking a direct flight into Athens, then a connecting flight to Crete on the same day. On a previous trip, the flight itinerary didn’t align and I had to stop in Athens for a night before flying into the islands. If you can book both flights on the same day, you can save the cost of two hotel nights in Athens. If you’ve never been to Athens, I’d recommend booking a few days at the start or end of your trip to explore Athens. However, if you’re like me and would prefer to maximize your time on the island, then consider flying directly into Athens and then connecting onwards.

Day 1 | Arrival Heraklion — Agia Pelagia

Wednesday, 9.29 Upon arriving into Heraklion, we stopped at Ippokampos (Trip Advisor) for lunch. I was famished after a long travel day and it felt nice to dive straight into Greek cuisine right by the water and the Old Venetian Harbor. We ordered a bit of everything for the first day: Greek salad, Dakos salad, saganaki, dolmades, eggplant, sardines and more.

After being properly fed, we drove to Agia Pelagia. Agia Pelagia is a quaint seaside town, approximately 30 minutes away from the bustling city of Heraklion. The Airbnb I stayed in was a beautiful two-level complex, a stone’s throw away from the beach with a balcony and ocean view. The place was run by a grandmother-daughter duo both named Laia. They were both welcoming and hopitable. Nearby, was a small grocery store, pharmacy and a few restaurants hugging the coastline. The grocery store has a small selection and the Airbnb had a small kitchen so I would only recommend this area if you’re not planning on cooking. I’ve linked the Airbnb here.

After checking into the Airbnb, we went swimming at Psaramoura Beach nearby. It was evening, right before sunset, so we had the beach to ourselves. Follow the winding staircase down and you’ll find the beach. We swam around before climbing on a large rock to watch the sunset.

For dinner, we drove back to Heraklion and went to Apiri Greek Eatery. City parking can be an ordeal so we parked in the city parking lot and walked from there. They had nice outdoor seating in the streets and the food was delicious.

Day 2 | Phaistos, Red Beach, & Matala

Thursday, 9.30 The second day began slowly after a jet-lagged rest with brunch at Hacienda, a local coffeeshop with a few locations throughout Heraklion. In order to dine in, you do need proof of vaccination. I ordered avocado toast with a poached egg and a latte. It was a great casual stop before we headed on our day trip.

Our first stop of the day was Phaistos, a Bronze Age archeological site in south central Crete. Ancient Phaistos was the second largest city of Minoan Crete and was a powerful and wealthy city. The site is known for the discovery of the “Phaistos Disc,” a clay disc with hieroglyphic script. The discovery of the disc was particularly monumental because it was the first discovery of Minoan language which paved the way for the Greek alphabet. The symbols on the disc still remain an uncoded mystery. The disc is widely believed to be authentic, however, the validity of the discovery has been contested by some historians. (Source)

Following Phaistos, we headed down the coast to Red Beach and Matala. The village of Matala is small but the caves of Matala are well known from Joni Mitchell’s stay.The caves were widely used by hippies back in the 60’s and 80’s. Instead of stopping at Matala, we climbed the rocky terrain over the hill to Red Beach, a nudist beach at the base of limestone cliffs. The walk takes around 20 minutes and I’d recommend leaving before sunset because the walk can be a bit shaky. Red Beach is known for its red sand, crystal clear water and towering rock formations. The amenities are simple with a small beach hut that serves “the best pina colada in the world” by a no-nonsense man in an eye patch.

After a nice day soaking up the sun and swimming, we headed back to Agia Pelagia for a quick nap before venturing back to Heraklion for dinner. We chose Peskesi, one of my favorite restaurants in Heraklion. It’s a rustic farm-to-table restaurant that serves authentic Cretan cuisine. The menu changes seasonally. We came here twice in two weeks and the menu was different both times.

Day 3 | Heraklion

Friday, 10.1 We spent the morning in Agia Pelagia doing yoga and swimming before heading into Heraklion for lunch at Eragnos. Erganos is further removed from the tourist section and serves unassuming but delicious fare such as grilled oyster mushrooms, sfakianopita (cheese pies) and zucchini balls. After lunch, we explored Heraklion before returning to Agia Pelagia.

Day 4 | Rethymno

Saturday, 10.2 The day began bright and early with a Smile frappe, one of my favorite coffees to grab before heading on the road. Greek frappe is an iced coffee made with instant coffee and water with a foamy top. It’s strong and delicious.

We explored the small town of Rethymno which is about an hour drive from Heraklion. Rethymno, also seen as Rethimno, is a city on the northern coast of Crete. It has Minoan and Venetian influences and is a nice place to wander and explore for an afternoon. The streets were decked with flowers and we explored different shops and walked along the harbor. Rethymno is also home to the Fortezza of Rethymno, one of the best-preserved castles in Crete. The castle does close before sundown and we just missed the cutoff to walk in.

For a late lunch/early dinner, we walked along the water to Prima Plora Organic Restaurant, which serves fresh fish, sushi and local Cretan cuisine in an amazing glass room right on the edge of the water. It is located further away from the main tourist area, but it is well worth the walk. This is a great place to spend an afternoon. To view the menu, click here.

Day 5 | Elounda, Amoodi Beach, Agios Nikolaos

Sunday, 10.3 We grabbed breakfast at Sousami, before heading on the road. Sousami is a bakery in Agia Pelagia with strong frappes and fresh baked goods. Sousami was within walking distance of my Airbnb and it was nice to do yoga in the morning on the balcony, go for a quick dip in the sea, then walk along the water for breakfast and coffee. One of my favorites was the spanakopita, a spinach and cheese pie that can keep you well fed for long drives.

One of my favorite memories from Crete is driving along winding roads flanked by breathtaking cliff drops with mesmerizing views of the Aegean Sea in the distance. This was one of those simple days, drinking coffee, listening to music and driving for views.

The first stop was Elounda, a small village on the northeastern coast of Crete, part of the municipality of Agios Nikolaos. Elounda is a small fishing village that feels more untouched than other bustling cities of Crete. It still feels like a hidden gem that’s slower paced and less crowded. I would consider staying here for a few days. If you drive and keep driving upwards, you’ll make it to an amazing outlook where you can get out and take a few deep breaths with the entirety of Agios Nikolaos below you.

When we got our fill, we drove to Amoodi Beach Club with daybeds to swim and relax. The water was refreshingly chilly and crystal clear.

A beautiful day wrapped with dinner at Ble Katsarolakia. The restaurant is quite hidden, tucked above the streets of Agios Nikolaos an elevator ride up. The food was amazing — we ordered the local salad, spinach pie, zucchini fries, fried cheese cubes and more.

Day 6 | Chania

Monday, 10.4 Day six was a mini travel day as we headed to Chania. Chania is located about two hours away from Herkalion and is a large city located on the northwest coast of Crete. It’s known for its 14th-century Venetian harbor and waterfront restaurants. The city has Venetian, Egyptian and Ottoman influences. As mentioned above. it’s possible to fly into Chania or Herkalion. We set up base camp at Trianon Apartments, a short distance from the harbor, and stayed for three nights in order to explore western Crete. Upon arriving, we stocked up on groceries, did some work, and then walked along the harbor.

For dinner, we ate at Manos Taverna along the water. It’s a simple taverna with fresh fish. You can pick your own fish and they will grill it for you — perfectly cooked. Besides fish, one of my favorite dishes was simple but delicious: boiled zucchini drizzled with olive oil and lemon. Side note, I eat fish but not meat so many of my recommendations are pescatarian. After dinner, we strolled along the harbor before a long night’s rest for Elafonissi tomorrow.

Day 7 | Elafonissi

Tuesday, 10.5 An early start to the day began with a latte at Cozy Cafe near our hotel and mini spanakopita pies from a bakery around the corner. Following breakfast, we headed to Elafonissi. Elafonissi has been rated one of the top beaches in the world and is known for its pink hued sand and green-blue water. The sand is pink due to its composition of broken seashells. The drive to Elafonissi is about an hour and a half from Chania. When you arrive, there is free parking and you can walk the rest of the way to the beach. Since it was low season, Elafonissi was busy, but not too busy. There are sun beds and umbrellas to rent, but if you prefer your own space, you can walk further into the beach past the dunes and set up camp. The side furthest away from the crowds also had the most pink hued sand. The water is calm so it’s a great place to rent a paddle board. We spent the day here swimming, relaxing and playing beach ping pong.

**Sunset before heading back to Chania**

After sunset, we ate dinner at Glykeria Restaurant, a few minutes drive from the beach. I was a bit chilly from the day so the fava bean and octopus dish was warm and delightful. The winding roads can be dangerous at night so be careful leaving Elafonissi after sunset.

Day 8 | Falassarna beach

Wednesday, 10.6 For our second day in Chania, we drove about an hour and a half passing through Kissamos to Falassarana Beach. Along with Elafonissi, Falassarana Beach (also seen as Falasarna) has been voted one of the top beaches with crystal clear water and slightly pink hued sand. The water is breathtakingly beautiful and took my breath away when diving in. The beach is quite windy so it’s nice to take cover underneath an umbrella but it’s the perfect beach for wind surfing and kite surfing.

After a long windy day, we made our way back to Chania for the sunset.There’s a set of stairs near the port that leads straight up to the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in the area. From here, you can watch the sunset dip down below the buildings.

For dinner, we ate at Tamam Restaurant, a traditional Greek restaurant in the old port of Chania. Tamam uses local ingredients with recipes from 1982. This place was packed but it was well worth the wait. The building is housed in an old Turkish public bath. After an amazing meal at Tamam, we walked back through the winding streets of Chania and spent the rest of the night in.

Day 9 | Marathi

Thursday, 10.7 This was our last day in Chania and our travel day. If you have your scuba certification, I’d recommend visiting the Elephant Cave where prehistoric elephant bones have been found. Some were excavated but some remain for divers to see. The dive is through a cavern with stalagmites and stalactites with amazing rock formations; it’s said to be beautiful.

If you’re like me and aren’t scuba certified, spend the day at Psamathi. Psamathi is located about 15 minutes away from Chania and is a hotel with daybeds that you can rent for a few euros. It’s conveniently located in proximity to the pick up/drop off location for the Elephant Cave tour. You can spend the day here napping, swimming and drinking frappes. Their cafe has food you can order all day — to view the Psamathi cafe menu click here. We chose to walk around the corner to Loukoulos for lunch. It was nice sitting by the water and the food was delicious. We ordered saganaki with honey and jam, dolmades, roasted eggplant and a delicious local salad with fresh greens, cheese, and pomegranate.

After a beach nap, we drove two hours back to our home base in Agia Pelagia. It was late so we ate close by in Agia Pelagia at Alati.

Day 10 | Agio Farago

Friday, 10.8 This was one of my favorite days in Crete. The morning began early with yoga on the balcony, followed by a quick dip in the sea. We picked up spanakopita and a Greek frappe from Sousami before heading on the road to Agio Farago (Agiofaraggo), also known as the Gorge of the Saints. Agio Farago is about an hour and a half drive from Heraklion to the south of the island close to Matala. The roads are tricky getting there so its best to budget a little extra time. A winding rocky path with cliff drops on the side will lead you there. Before turning back and giving up, keep going, it’s worth it.

Once we arrived, we bought falafel from the stop out front before the short walk through the gorge. The views are stunning as you walk through, passing rock climbers, caves and the church of Saint Anthony. It’s said that a rare species of goat called the kri-kri live here. The walk opens to a pebble beach with crystal clear water. The water closest to the beach can be slightly cloudy. However, the further you swim out, the clearer and more beautiful the water becomes. The highlight of the day and trip was the swim along the coast. Once you swim straight out, swim left and keep going. The water is deep blue and crystal clear with sunlight piercing the water and reflecting off the rocks. We swum looking for a cave but didn’t find it, perhaps you can.

The day concluded with a meal at Sirocco near Agia Pelagia. We ordered our favorite Cretan staples with fresh fish.

Day 11 | Heraklion & Tsoutsouros

Saturday 10.9 Our final adventure day concluded with a morning in Heraklion stopping by Arena Beach, and a road trip towards Tsoutsouros Bay on the southern part of Crete. Tsoutsouros is a sleepy seaside village. We stopped here for a quick dip and beach ping pong game. We didn’t spend too much time in Tsoutsouros — the drive to Tsoutsouros is why we came. The view is absolutely breathtaking as you wind your way down towards the bay.

After our beach ping pong game, we drove around the corner to a secluded hidden beach down a wobbly rock path.

Our final meal together was back at Peskisi, arguably one of my favorite restaurants in Heraklion. See day 2 for my review of Peskisi. Since the menu changes regularly with the season and ingredient availability, we were able to have a completely different but delicious meal.

Day 12-15 | Agia Pelagia

Sunday 10.10-Tuesday 10.12 I spent the final few days solo in Agia Pelagia practicing yoga, painting, swimming and working. Sometimes it’s the quiet that reveals your heart to you the most.

Visit Crete for dreamy seascapes, peaceful sunrises and breathtaking views. It’s the perfect getaway if you’re looking for a balance between adventure and relaxation. There’s a mix of quaint villages and bustling streets, secret coves and established beaches. Road trip adventures to crystal clear seas embodied pure contentment. Memories of Crete will forever be encapsulated in my heart.