Crete, Greece
- More about your Oliver Guide: Caroline Kesmodel
- Trip type: Adult, Family, Beach
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: Crete is Greece's largest island. Two weeks if you are able. July and August are high season, but best summer weather and sea temps .
to & from
Use Blu Cove travel (based in Greece) for all transfers, getting you thru customs, connections, ferries, navigating airports. Ask for Kostas he was invaluable. Greece doesn’t run on time and you want to have a contact when you miss a connection.
Crete is a great first stop, when jet lagged, coolest weather and least touristy. Connect from Athens into Heraklion airport. Heraklion is in near the center of Crete, so from here go West to Chania/Elafonsi Beach or East to Eloundha. Each side take at least a week to cover.
- Heraklion is a industrial shipping port, so you will not want to stay. Get a transfer- Use Elounda Star car service anywhere on the island. Transfer to euros, ASAP.
- Difficult to get around Crete without a car or taxi, so decide if you will need one. If you rent a car, go to AAA to get international drivers license. We were good with car service.
Where to Stay
There is so much to see and do in Crete and never enough time. So many gorgeous beaches, adorable towns. Pick one hotel on each coast as a home base. Many Greek islands/ towns have a multitude of diff spellings so it can be misleading when researching. There are a lot of adult only hotels, aways check if traveling with children, and very minimal websites. So follow the hotels on insta to learn more.
East coast: We stayed at Blue Palace in Elounda. It is the newest hotel in Crete and great location.
Great first stop for jet lag with swimmable beach, large pool, great traditional breakfast and tons of activities.
Elounda Mare also recommended for smaller hotel, but older.
For fun-The bachelor filmed in Crete and their resorts were Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort and Elounda Peninsula All-Suite Hotel
West Coast: Town of Chania (Seitan Limani Beach and Elafonsi Beach), Kissamou (Balos Beach) are all worth a visit. Domes Noruz resort is a great location but adults only.
Central: In Rethymnon, Kalypso Beach is stunning and Ammoudaki Beach, but lodging is minimal.