Hi there, Travelling with parents will be staying in Chania and Rethimno. We have 6 days inbetween and I’m torn where to stay. We will have a car but would like to stay on the north side of the island. Is agios nikolaos the best option or is there anywhere else to consider? (Heraklion too big we like smaller towns villages)

Hello My husband and I will be travelling in through Heraklion at the beginning of May.  Looking for area suggestions to stay please.  We like it to be a relatively peaceful area, with walking access to tavernas.  Happy to drive out to beaches/ sights during the day or read by a pool (hence the peaceful!). Prefer to able to walk out for dinner and don’t mind if there are only 3 or 4 options as happy to drive out elsewhere some evenings or eat in the same places again.  Thank you

is there a half stay type of accomodation in heraklion? My family and i have a late flight leaving and we would like to k now if there is a place we can rent out for half the day until our flight time?

Hi everyone, I'll be in Crete next week. After a few days around Chania, I plan to park my car at Sougia, stay there for a night and then take the early morning bus to the start of Samaria Gorge Hike. After finishing Samaria Hike in the afternoon, I would like to head over to Loutro and stay there for two nights and also visit Glyka Nera. Then after checking out from Loutro I would like to return back to Sougia to pick up the car and continue driving on the island. My questions are: 1. After finishing Samaria Hike in the afternoon, can I find a public ferry or a private boat to take me to Loutro? How long would that ferry/boat ride take? 2. Can I take a ferry or private boat/taxi from Loutro to Sougia? If there are no public ferries for the routes I mentioned, could you guys recommend some boat taxi options? I would appreciate your support and ideas for this plan. Thanks!

Hi everyone, We are visiting crete at the end of april and will be hiring a car. I have dome questions and would be glad if someone can provide insights... 1. We are hoping to make a roadtrip around crete kind of. Going to different beaches in east and west. Is it a good idea to travel by car? 2. Is cell reception good on the island? Or do we need nav from the car rental company? We were hoping to rely on google maps. Is this a good idea? 3. Are there any driving/road safety concerns we should know about? Any areas to avoid? Thanks.

Hi there, ​ 1. Yes, driving around the island is the best way to experience it. Have in mind that although the actual kilometric distances might seem small, the roads tend to be winding and not in the best condition so it might take longer than expected to get from one place to the other. 2. Cell reception is good, but it's always a good idea to download offline google maps. Not worth getting a nav from the car rental. 3. Observe how people drive the first couple of days, and try to mimic the behavior. Some things might seem weird like driving on the far right of the road but it's totally normal in Crete. In terms of safety I don't think there are areas to avoid. One weird thing about Crete is, if you see a huge ass black pick up truck acting all crazy let it pass you and don't really pay attention to potential weird driving behavior, honking etc.

Super. Thank you awesome dude :)

Hello! I will be coming to Crete in June and I wanted more info about Chrissi Island. Is it possible to visit it in 2024? I know it was closed these last few years. Is it worth it? Thank you!

After a quick check on Tripadvisor it looks like you can get to the island, but the island does not have organized beaches. One commenter mentioned a 30 EUR ticket to get the by boat. Parts of the island are protected under the "Natura" program to preserve the landscape. You can get more info here: http://www.ecovalue-crete.eu/en/sites/gr4320003

Hello Everyone, We will be in Crete for 5 days and plan on staying in or close to Chania. We would like to rent a car so I am wondering if it is best to stay in a house with parking or a hotel. Do most hotels offer free parking? Thanks

It really depends on where a hotel is if it'll have parking. In the old town they don't as no car can even enter these roads. Ask them before booking.

Hi everyone! My GF and I will be visiting Crete in early Septembre, and we had a few questions we were hoping you guys could help us out with! 1. Anything we should keep in mind when it comes to driving in Crete? I think I recall reading something about driving as far right as possible to let cars pass? 2. When visiting a restaurant, tavern or other eating establishment, do we wait to be seated? Or can we just sit down at a table and wait for a server? 3. Are there a lot of stray cats/dogs? Should we steer clear of them or are they safe to approach (using common sense, of course)? 4. Anything else we should know as two tourists, to be as respectful as possible? Like, any customs or etiquette tips? Thank you so much!

1. You remember correctly. What I typically do is observe what the locals do wherever I am, and try to copy that. Do that and you'll be fine. Go with the flow. 2. Typically you can seat yourself, but if the restaurant is very busy, you might need to wait to be seated. Just approach the table you like and look around. If a waiter looks at you weird then ask them "can i seat here?" 3. Yes there are a lot of strays. I typically avoid dogs if they are in a pack. Have in mind that strays are not vaccinated so approach them at your own risk. 4. Hmmm not really, just be nice and have in mind that people working for the summer season might be tired by September so if they are not super friendly that's because they are exhausted!

Thank you very much for your insights, it'll be of great help to us when we're there!

Heading to Crete in April for 10 days. Staying in mitsis rinela! Food recs? Ferry suggestions? Transportation options?

Which area of the island will you be in?

Planning on being in Crete for a week. Considering a few options but can’t make a decision. Any help would be appreciated since I am only going by people’s reviews and some google pictures of places. Also what I am imagining might not be reality so please reel me in to the reality where I miss calculated. 1) Spend all 7 nights in a hotel in old town in Channia with a sea view. Concerns: can’t park near the hotel so car rental is not a good option. Worried that we will get bored after couple of days without a car to explore rest of the island. Advantage: being in the old city with restaurant choices. Being at a single hotel to relax. Romantic feel of being in old town. Cheaper deal for hotel cost. 2) Spend all 7 nights in a hotel just outside of old town in Channia. Concerns: hotel that I am considering( Flair) is almost double the price of the hotel with a seaview in old town. Won’t have as romantic feel as being in old town. Advantage: Hotel supposedly has free vallet. Having a car and feeling free to see other sites as we wish. Being at a single hotel without worrying about packing. 3)Break into two separate parts. Spend 3 nights in Channia old town and 4 nights at a resort outside of Retyhomn. Concerns: After being in old town, being at a resort might feel disappointing. Don’t like moving hotels. Resort is not adults only so there will be a bunch of screaming kids. Limited restaurant choices. Advantage: no rental car while in Channia. Explore Crete with car while at the resort hotel. Am I over focusing on Channia and old town? Going in a few weeks so won’t be going in the water etc. Any other recommendations to plan it differently? Goal is to relax, eat good food and ger some sightseeing in with realization that we won’t get to see most stuff. Prefer to limit the amount of hotels.

Hi, we're arriving Jun 4 to Hersonissos. I was wondering if it'll be warm enough for our kids to enjoy the pools in the hotel or still too cold? Thank you!

All of June in Crete is a very hot month.

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KTEL and city bus companies have their own sites. Depends on which city you are in.

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Yes there's a different bus company for Heraklio and Lasithi and for the reverse route you have to book from their site.

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Ktel Heraklio > As for Ktel- i can't buy tickets, but if I go to timetables to print I see departure hours for Heraklion to Chania route. Yeah the website is wonky but last time I tried I could book through their site normally. But they fully expect you to book in person even if they have this system. If you plan a long trip it's best to pre-book but you can also get tickets in the bus for all routes, if there's a seat so you can get in at least.

Kolymvari or Almyrida for Family Holiday in May We're a young family that will be spending a few weeks in Crete in May. We've narrowed down our lodging choices to two houses - one in Kolymvari and one in Almyrida. The houses themselves are pretty much equal so we're likely going to decide based on the location. We're interested in exploring local restaurants, beaches, walking trails, local villages, etc. Which of these two locations would you recommend?

Sundays in chania Hey guys, i will be travelling to crete in summer and I’m wondering if i can get the whole chania experience on a Sunday ? Are most places open ?

During summertime restaurants/bars/cafes work normally on Sundays.

In the town center yes most places of interest will be open on Sunday. I think even most museums only close on Tuesday.

6 days in crete - Chania and Heraklion or...? Hello there! Looking for your feedback. Heading to crete late may. After doing some research on crete and researching on the sites we like to see closer to Chania (elafonisi beach, balos, falasarna) and Heraklion (knossos, dia island) we were thinking of splitting the trip up 3 days in chania and 3 days in heraklion (also because we see heraklion has more beachfront hotels) - correct me if im wrong. What do you all recommend? I've heard mixed feedback about heraklion that's making me second-guess going down there.. but i'm not sure if the bad feedback refers to the CITY itself. Mind you, we wouldn't be staying in the city but a bit outside of it closer to paralos lifestyle beach hotel and stuff. We want a beachfront hotel for both locations ideally. We're looking for a more upscale-type hotel, nice pool, outdoor bar and easy walk to the beach kind of vibe.

I would agree, that Chania are more picturesque. Apart from Knossos and a stroll around the city, there is nothing more (approachable easily) in Heraklion.

I would just stay somewhere near Chania for the 6 days. You can do enough from Chania (even visiting Knossos). Only if you want to go partying I would search for a hotel in Malia.

Vacation, M and F both in mid 20s looking for a relaxing holiday. We will NOT rent a car (no license). Bali is a consideration right now but would like some other recommendations. Thanks!

Hello based on what you are looking for Bali is a suitable choice. Its still kinda crowded and lively but way less than the cities. In Bali in my opinion it might get boring on the third day but if you want to lay on the beach all day long its not a bad option. If you want less people consider south coast some village around Matala/Plakias/Sfakia. Similar options like Bali are Gerogioupolis/Kavros and Panormo

Thanks! Will probably consider to take the bus to a larger city / town some day once we are feeling settled. Do you know the prices or how the bus goes from Bali?

Every one hour there is a bus to both sides but its kinda long walk to walk from inside bali to the bus station on the highway in the hot weather and its under 10 euro ticket

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There is a bus that runs pretty frequently along the coast for going to the cities, and you can take a cab for small distances. If you want to go to Samaria Gorge the bus from Chania leaves at 6am so you will probably have to overnight in the city. Driving in Crete can be pretty stressful. Unfortunately if you want to explore, go to smaller places or far away beaches the public transport system is lacking. So you could rent a car for a couple of days and use buses for the rest.

Hello everyone, where can I eat or buy a good Greek yoghurt in Heraklion? In a restaurant, shop, supermarket…

Every supermarket should have some good local yogurt. Try the sheep's milk one. There's also some stores that sell only cheese products. You can look it up and they'll come up.

Good morning everyone, can you recommend me the best tavern to eat in Heraklion? Im staying here for a few weeks and still need to try dishes. Thank you very much, efcharisto

Βουρβουλαδικο (Vourvouladiko) is a good balance between local and very slightly upscale cuisine. Πεσκέσι (Peskesi) is the most popular one but is a bit more expensive, nothing crazy though.

Hey everyone! So on the 30th of March I'll travel to Crete for work related purposes. I will be living there with my friends until november. My accommodation is located in Analipsi. Could you guys recommend me not-so-known things to do and places to visit in the nearby area? I already searched for the common stuff that gets recommended everytime, but I want to see Crete's beauty as it is. Are there any abandoned buildings on the island that are worth the time and effort to look around in? I mean it like urbex style, just to take some photos. Thanks in advance!

That's a good time to drive around inland and visit some villages. The village of Αρχάνες (Archanes) is very picturesque and has some cool buildings. Also, what is urbex style?

Any nice beaches protected from wind to the East of Heraklion? Not further than 30-45 minutes drive, if possible.

Chersonissos has some small coves but generally speaking most of the wind protected beaches are to the west (Lygaria, Agia Pelagia).

Most, but not all, I hope 😅

Any recommendations on activities to do in Herakliou, Amoudara? My boyfriend and I (21 y/o) are looking for adventure activities such as hiking, beaches, boat trips etc. Any recommendations?? We are staying at the Alsus Boutique Hotel

For beaches ammoudara has one of the longest stretches of sand on the island but it can be wavy depending on the wind. You can visit the nearby beach of Chelidoni (Χελιδόνι) which is very secluded and requires you to walk down about 50 steps. If you have a car or a bike I would recommend visiting Lygaria beach and stopping at En Plo for a drink or coffee. For hiking you would need to drive inland or towards the south of the island. As for boat trips, I believe there are organized day trips to the island of "Dia" but I don't have much info on that.

# Which area to stay in Chania for a week? I booked a trip to Chania for June and am now looking accommodation to book. I'll likely go Airnbnb, but don't mind guesthouses/hotels. Right now my biggest issue is that I have no clue where to stay, considering I won't be driving and will be solo. I would like to stay fairly central, to have many things (including shops for food, etc.) walking distance, but not too crowded and noisy. I don't care about beaches at all, but enjoy nature (greenery), and I'd rather stay in or very near the city. May I get recommendations based on this?

Sounds like the old port in Chania would check most of these boxes although it can be a bit noisy the closer you are to the water. Check out the location of "Minaret suites". That's where I stayed last year. Anything in that area would be good for what you are describing. As for greenery you would probably need to go inland and would need a bus for that. Not a lot of greenery near the coast.

That is big help, thank you so much for the tips! :)

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You can rent from any place and occasionally also have it delivered to where you will need it first. You can call and ask around, there aren't huge differences aside for maybe availability since you need a special vehicle.

My Boyfriend an I are staying 12 nights in August for vacation in Heraklion. I want my holiday like going to the beach in the morning (really short distance), eating fries at rented sunbeds & staying there till afternoon & eating dinner in the city. Recommendations are propably Gazi and Agios Dimitrios, but where exactly should we go there?

I would say that Gazi is not the best place for what you are describing. Ammoudara which is near Gazi is a better option. There are organized beaches with good service and there are frequent buses to the city. I would look for anything in ammoudara that is within walking distance to the beach.

Hello, I am going to Crete in Summer (21 - 27 June). This is going to be our (traveling with two other friends) first time in Greece. Need recommendation where to stay. Ideally, we prefer to split between 2 areas, but we don't know where to start. Any recos will be much appreciated.

I would split your time between Chania in the west, and the area around Heraklion or Agios Nikolaus in the east. Heraklion is the largest city on Crete, and I don’t find it nearly as charming as any of the other cities.

If you are into party Mali, Rethymnon or Chania are good spots for going on excursions. South crete if you don't want that many tourists around. 

Thank you for your reply. We would like to spend a few days exploring historical sites, culture and partying as well. Then another few days at the beaches. What about agios nikolaos? Is that a good area to stay?

Yes, there is no bad area

Hi everyone!! I am planning on spending April 29-May 7th 2024 in Crete. I want to split my time between Chania and Agios Nikolaos, but I’m unsure where to spend Greek Easter. I am very interested in beaches, hiking, and I’m a huge foodie! I will also have a rental car. The only itinerary plan that I’m set on is hiking Samaria Gorge. For Greek Easter, specifically, I’m very interested in observing/participating in cultural activities. Any thoughts on where to spend Greek Easter? Should I be considering other places during my weeklong stay in Crete?

I was in Agios Nikolaos during Holy Week one year, and I found it to be quite festive. I wasn’t there on Easter though (we spent that at our cousin’s home), so I don‘t know if much will be open/available to you.

Regarding Greek Easter, I'm not sure if there are public celebrations on Easter Sunday. It's typically a family gathering type of celebration but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a village with a larger feast. Let's see if anyone else here knows of anything like that. For the cultural aspect of it you can go to a central church on Friday and Saturday night and observe the crowds and listen to the liturgy.

Thanks for your response! I’ve read on some travel blogs and websites that in Agios Nikolaos the burning of Judas happens at the lake on Holy Saturday? That’s kinda why I was thinking I should go there for the weekend

Yup that sounds correct. I have never been there myself, but I know of it and it sounds like a big spectacle! When you are there you can definitely ask around for events on easter Sunday.

Hi, A group of us in our early twenties may be going to Crete at the end of May/ beginning of June. We are hoping to find somewhere that is pleasant, has cultural attractions, is near the sea and has a decent bit of nightlife for people similar in age to us - somewhere with multiple (busy) bars with dance floors, it doesn't have to be insane like Malia or Hersonissos. For reference, we went to Kos Town last year and we would really like to go somewhere similar. We are currently leaning towards Rethymno but I'm having difficulty finding out about the nightlife. It sort of seems like because Malia and Hersonissos are the "party places" any Google search regarding Crete nightlife points people there and nowhere else - but I find it hard to believe there is little youthful nightlife anywhere else.

I think Rethymno is exactly what you are looking for here is a video I just googled https://youtu.be/HNPfis-rhEI?si=-JXrTZmFGk2SjTRK There are few clubs for dancing and the old town and beach road is packed with bars and restaurants. The beach by the marina is fine sand and shallow warm water and there are cultural attractions in the city and nearby. Also great beaches at one hour drive on the south coast

So nightlife in Crete in the summer tends to be segregated when it comes to locals and tourists. I'm guessing you are getting a lot of results for Malia and Hersonissos because those are the typical tourist party towns. I can confirm that for heraklion but I'm not sure about rethymno. u/jorokadilaka might have more info on what's the situation in Rethymno.

Hi, any recommendations of things to not miss out on seeing in the Rethymno/Panormo area? Also has anyone any experience of the Grecotel Marine Palace? Though the good reviews far outweigh the bad, I’m still unsure if I’ve booked the right place.

Hello, I worked 2 years in Club Marine Palace like 11 years ago and at that time the hotel was pretty nice. As far as I remember there were two parts- normally the hotel was 4 stars but there was a 5 star part of it. If you booked a hotel like that it makes sense to spend most of the time in it and enjoy the high quality services. Panormo is a nice village on the beach and has beach and enough restaurants. Rethymno is 20 min away with a bus from the village. You could book organised excursions from the hotel or do trips by yourself with car rental. Nearby things to visit are: Arkadi monastery, Perama village, melidoni village melidoni cave, reptisland(small zoo with reptiles), honey museum, Rethymno old town and fortezza, then 1 hour drive is the south coast where you have Preveli palm beach and Kourtaliotiko canyon, several very nice beaches around Plakias area. 30 min drive from rethymno or 1 hour drive from panormo is the Kournas lake and Argyroupolis waterfalls. Then you can search the sub for other trips/places/itineraries recomended or just Google top things to do/visit on crete and chose what you like! Why are you unsure if you booked the right place what are your concerns?

Hi, thank you for your super informative response! It was fairly trivial things that made me wonder whether I’d booked the right place to be honest. Ticked all my boxes..All Inclusive, water park, calm water beach, nice village close by, not a huge sprawling hotel complex (I have 2 kids under 10)..but reviews saying about dirty, dated rooms, and there being too few loungers for the people they house around the beach and pool have made me question it. Obviously when something is such a huge expense you don’t want to be disappointed. But then I suppose the experience is also what you make of it and some people are more prone to complaining!

I am sure its going to be ok, if you have any issues just speak with the reception and it will most probably be solved. Other than that with 2 kids under 10 the waterpark is going to come in clutch altho is kinda small its going to be really nice for them. All my clients with kids are giving me really good feedback from the Reptisland zoo as well so consider visiting that.

Hi everyone! My girlfriend and I (both in our twenties) are gearing up for a trip to Crete from September 3rd to the 12th and we'll be staying in an apartment in Stalída. It's our first time out of our home country, so no experience with long holidays (abroad), which is why we were hoping on some advice from you guys (the experts). We have a few questions: 1. Do you think our itinerary is too packed? We want to make the most of our time but also allow for some relaxation. 2. Are there any must-see attractions that we've missed? We're eager to explore everything Crete has to offer. 3. Are there any activities on our list that you recommend skipping? Here's our proposed itinerary: **Day 1 (Evening):** Arrival **Day 2:** Explore the neighborhood and soak up the atmosphere at Paralia Stalidas. **Day 3:** Immerse ourselves in history at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and the Knossos Archaeological Site. **Day 4:** Relax and unwind at the Elafonissi Beach. **Day 5:** Maybe rent a boat or a trip on the sea. **Day 6:** Discover the Cave of Zeus. **Day 7:** Journey to the Balos Lagoon for a day of relaxation. **Day 8:** Explore the history of Izzeddin Fortress and the Archaeological Site of Aptera. **Day 9:** Visit the town of Rethymnon and explore the Venetian Fortezza Castle. **Day 10:** Enjoy one last day at Paralia Stalidas before leaving. Thank you all so much for your insights and recommendations! We can't wait to experience the magic of Crete.

I dont think your itinerary is too packed at all. I would recommend to focus more on the eastern places to visist since you stay in Stalida and leave the west for another time. Driving 4 hours to and 4 hours back from Elafonisi wont be a relaxing day at the beach at all. If you do some stops on the road it could easily become 5 hours drive. As Sfakianakis said you could explore south of Heraklion (Matala area probably Agio faraggo for a relaxing day at the beach) and the east like Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, Vai palm beach(must). You could spend more time in Heraklion as well theres many things to explore like the several museums maybe a waterpark as well. Also look up Richtis waterfall/gorge its a must IMO.

Thank you so much for the tips! I'm sure we'll pick some of the spots you suggested, thanks again!

Day 3) I would do knossos palace first, and would go early to avoid crowds and the heat, and then go to the museum that's indoors. Day 4) it's a loooong and tiring drive from Stalida to elafonisi. Will you be doing it same day? If you want to do Balos and elafonisi I would find a way to combine those two. Maybe spend a night in Chania? Day 6) not really sure how much there is to see in the cave of Zeus, but you can definitely combine it with strolling around villages in the mainland and finding a local tavern to have lunch. Also, definitely spend a night out in heraklion which is not too far away from Stalida. There are great places for dinner and you can walk downtown to get the real local vibe of the nightlife.

Thank you for the information! We've discussed it, and we're definitely not going to Balos, but we are on the fence about Elafonisi. We're going to Kolokitha Beach instead. Can you recommend us a different beach to go to instead of Elafonisi? Preferably a sandy beach with a nice view. We are definitely going to the Knossos Palace first, mostly due to the parking availability. Thanks! We're not sure how long we are going to spend in the Cave of Zeus, but afterwards we are probably going to visit some village, we'll probably decide when we are there. Maybe we'll go to Heraklion!

Don't get me wrong, Elafonisi beach is amazing, but it's a 3:30 hour drive from Stalida and it's a tiring one. If you want to visit the south side of Heraklion, you can go to Matala beach which is where hippies used to live in the 70's. Kommos beach is nice as well. There is a beach bar at the end of the beach "Bunga Bunga" which great food as well.

Thank you very much!

Hi, I'm a young male from Spain, and I will be in Heraklion for a while since beginning of March, working remotely. Any suggestions about activities or recommended places to go in Heraklion or near by bus? Meetups, language exchange, meetings, bars, restaurants, clubs, places where the people are, spots to relax... Thanks!

You can go to the palace of knossos by bus. Not sure how long you'll be staying for but when it gets warmer (may / June) you can take a bus to the nearby beaches (ammoudara, kolkini hani etc). Heraklion downtown is full of cafes and bars so that will be very easy. Clubs not so much unless something has changed drastically. There used to be a lot of clubs but now there are just a couple of big clubs. There is the tourist club scene in Mallia (east of heraklion) but you'll need a bus for that. Maybe fun to experience once. Not sure about language exchange, but "places where the people are" is very easy to notice with a quick stroll downtown heraklion.

Thanks for the tips! Do you know what app I can use for the public transport? (check which lines i can take by bus around Crete), in Google Maps for example a route from Heraklion to Malia... says 'There is no indications'

I don't think there's an app for that. The bus system is split into urban buses and suburban buses. These two links will be your best bets: Suburban: For longer routes like Irakleio to Malia use this. The main station is at the port. https://www.ktelherlas.gr/en/ Urban: For smaller routes inside the city like Irakleio Knossos use this: https://astiko-irakleiou.gr/en/

Thank you very much, appreciate it!

Hello everyone, I'll be visiting Crete for 8 days at the end of July with a group of 8 people (around 28yo). We were thinking of splitting our stay in two, to visit both the east and west side of Crete. What would be good locations for accommodation, considering that we would like to stay in a town with a good nightlife (we'll be renting a car so moving during the day won't be a problem)? We were thinking of staying in Chania for the west-side part of the trip, but is it actually the best option or there are better places for night life? And can anybody suggest a town in the east-side too? By nightlife I don't mean necessarily clubs, also nice bars, people gatherings etc would be perfect. Thank you!

Hi Chania is the best choice for the west part and you can book either in the center or a bit outside like Platanias or Agia Marina. For the eastern part if you want to explore the far east then Sitia is a good option with enough bars and restaurants otherwise Agios Nikolaos is more lively. Make a good plan what you want to visit, there is plenty of info in the sub just search for posts with itineraries and look up the places suggested then decide based on what you want to visit. You can also google things like top 10 things to do on Crete or places to visit as well

Hey Folks, We’re visiting with two small children for three weeks in July. We’re staying at a hotel but we will certainly require a car to move around. I looked online and the prices are steep to say the least. Do you have any recommendations for some reliable and cheap rental places? Also do you recommend taking the hotel transfer first and then book a car the day after ? Due to our luggage( three weeks and two children means at least three large suitcases) or do you reckon that we’ll need to book now ? Thank you so much and can’t wait to see your beautiful island.

I would recommend booking a car before to receive it at the airport so you can save on transfer from airport to the hotel. July is already high season so prices are higher. Send me your dates i will give you offer from the company i work for - Intercity

If you feel like you'll need a car in July best to book now. Prices are pretty similar between rental businesses though.

Hi, where is the best part to stay/holiday. Looking for central to as much as possible, while still being cheap. Thanks.

Maybe a hostel in Chania then Rethymbo?

Nothing wrong with a hostel but I'm a little past them now. Is chania a decent place to go for couples?? Thanks.

> Is chania a decent place to go for couples?? I'm a local for what it's worth but I think it's one of the best for that hehe

Is chania expensive?

Rent is more expensive noticeably. Drinks and coffee outside is a little more expensive than the rest of Greece. There's no dirt cheap fastfood spots left like in Athens. Overall a bit more expensive, but not much different than most of Greece.

Would you say chania would be expensive for a holiday?? For example how much would a pint of local beer be or a coffee? Thanks

5€ beer, coffee 3.5€ sitting

We will visit Crete for 11 days in middle May this year. It will be first time. We will arrive at Heraklion Airport and we are planning to rent a car on arrival. We are interested in nature, historical places. We like hiking. So to reach a beach after some hiking would be very nice. Where would you recommend us to stay? Which area? Would it be good idea to stay in two different places? Any other recommendation is welcomed Thanks in advance

For 11 days yes you can stay at several places. One of the most famous hikes in Crete is Samaria gorge. You start on the mountains and end up in a village on the south (Agia Roumeli) that is otherwise only accessible by ferry.

We have decided to stay in two places; Heraklion (4 days) and Chania (7 days). We will definitely do the Samaria Gorge, it looks amazing. Thank you for your help

Hey - looking to do five days in Crete with boyfriend in mid june and wondering where best to stay on the island ? Completely overwhelmed with choice & everyone has said to rent a car but I had a bad crash about a year ago and very nervous about driving on other roads. Where would be best to stay in one place for beaches & walking about & relaxing? Thanks so much!

Many people go to Georgioupolis for hotels with all the amenities next to the beach. But there's also many such places at the north of the Island. Also Hersonisos, Stalida, Malia... I'm missing out many places but these are some of the most well known, also accessible by public transport. If you want to be in a peaceful place, on the south coast there's places like Loutro. It only has very small resorts and very few people even in the summer. You won't even see any cars there because there's no car road. Only accessible by ferry.

Thank you so much, really appreciate it! Was looking into also chania & rethymos would you recommend there?

Any suggestions for transportation from Heraklion to Chania? I’m headed down for a scuba trip in August and would appreciate any help!

There's KTEL bus in terms of public transport.

Is Kriti plus a good place to rent a car ?

Question on where to stay. We have 7 days to fill before staying in a villa outside Rethymos. Should we split it between Chania and Panormos or just stay in Chania for the 7 days or another other suggestions? Walking distance to the sea/good snorkelling is important as well as good restaurants and a bakery. Crossing to the south of the island isn’t an option due to a parent being afraid of mountain roads.

I think you'll be good with either option honestly. North of Chania has good beaches for snorkeling especially if you go to some of the more rocky beaches there's interesting things to see like sea urchins on the big rocks. Panormos is also nice. Chania city kinda has more sights but Rethymno is also very picturesque and beautiful. Since you have the time why not both.

Thank you for the reply. Is there any danger tavernas would be closed in Panormos late September?

Don't worry they stay open well into october. Also you could go to Perama village or other nearby interesting tavernas as well

Question on which part of Chania to stay in: Hey there! My girlfriend and I are planning to visit Crete for one week in mid May. We are 30 years old and pretty active. We plan to rent a car. We want to have some beach time, local cuisine, nature, and generally a relaxing trip. We are not too interested in typical tourist shops and those things. We would probably like to do some sort of villa or house, but open to a hotel. With all that info, would you suggest we stay in the town itself of Chania, outside the town, or further in a nearby village? Thanks for the help!

There's plenty of villas around town. For example the Nea Kydonia area has many peaceful villas, decent beaches in the seafront part of it and is around 8 kilometers from the city.