Do you dream of a holiday in Crete? The legendary birthplace of Zeus, the most touristic Greek island and the place in Greece with the most internationally awarded beaches, Crete, is the ultimate place to have amazing vacation whatever you want to do. The island is ideal for all types of travellers: for history lovers, families, youngsters who want to party all day, and couples who want to relax by the sea. These are the most useful tips for your holidays in Crete.
When to visit Crete
Crete attracts thousands of tourists each summer, so if you want to spend some time away from the crowds, we recommend you traveling during the off-season (October to April). The weather is still sunny and warm, and you can explore the authentic side of the island. If you like water activities, such as swimming, sunbathing and doing water sports, you should visit Crete in the summer. However, keep in mind that July and August are the hottest months, and the temperature can be over 40 degrees.
How to travel around Crete
As Crete is a large island, be prepared for long distances between the towns, the villages, the beaches and other points of interest. There are some buses that connect the prefectures to each other, as well as local buses that connect the touristic locations inside the same prefecture. If you want more freedom and like to travel independently, then renting a car in Crete is the most obvious choice and gives you the opportunity to discover places away from mass tourism.
What to eat in Crete
The Greek cuisine is famous all over the world, and its most exciting part is the Cretan cuisine. Such as in whole Greece, on the island, you can eat fresh fish, seafood and delicious meat plates, tasteful vegetable dishes and pies. Souvlaki is the ultimate street food in Greece, nutritious and very cheap. In Crete, you can taste renowned dishes, such as dakos (barley rusks with fete cheese, tomato and olive oil), and drink raki, the grapes-based alcoholic beverage, which you can find in every tavern, restaurant and café around the island.
What to see in Crete
We recommend you focusing in one prefecture during your vacation in order to explore it in depth and not to miss anything. Each prefecture has wide variety of things to offer, such as traditional towns (Chania and Rethymnon), authentic villages (for example Sfakia and Anogia), ancient sites (the most famous are Knossos and Phaistos, but there are also many other significant historical sites) and exotic beaches, such as Preveli, Palm Forest of Vai, Matala, Falassarna and Balos Lagoon. If you rent a car in Heraklion, Rethymnon or Chania, you can make longer distances, but still, it is impossible to see the whole island in less than 2-3 weeks.
