In a nutshell
- Crete is one of the most popular destinations in Greece — and for good reason. Whether you’re after beaches, culture, or adventure, this island delivers.
- This Crete travel guide covers everything you need to plan your trip: costs, flights, rental cars, where to stay, food, safety, and more.
- Our top tip: rent a car and book at least two different accommodations — one in the northeast, one in the northwest. That’s exactly what we did, and it made all the difference.
Is a Vacation in Crete Right for Me?
Crete is an absolute all-around vacation destination. On this Greek island, there’s truly something for everyone.
You can enjoy a relaxed beach vacation at your resort or spend your days at the most beautiful beaches in Crete and soak up that turquoise water.
You can explore Cretan culture, see the top sights, and visit the most beautiful places in Crete.
You can also get really active and do amazing excursions or cool activities in Crete, like a gorge hike or an off-road safari.
And you don’t have to do any of it alone — Crete is also a fantastic destination for the whole family, with great things to do on a family vacation in Crete with kids.
Where Is Crete Located?
Crete sits in the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Greek mainland. To the northeast lies Turkey, Cyprus to the east, and Egypt and Libya to the south.
After Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica, Crete is the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean and the largest island in Greece.
What makes Crete special is its elongated shape. The island stretches 254 km from west to east but is only 60 km wide from north to south.
When Is the Best Time to Travel to Crete?
The best time to visit Crete is generally between April and October. During these months, daytime temperatures are usually above 68°F (20°C) and rainfall is minimal.
The best time for you personally depends mainly on what you want to do there.
We’ve put together a dedicated article covering which months are best for a beach vacation, lots of sightseeing, hiking, or a trip with kids.
How Much Time Should You Plan for Your Crete Vacation?
We spent one week in Crete and found that you can already pack in a lot and get a great first impression of this beautiful island in that time.
However, if you want to see all of the top sights in Crete, do a cool excursion or two, or take on a longer activity, we recommend staying two weeks in Crete.
Our tip: Even for just one week, it’s worth booking two accommodations. Start with one in the northeast of the island, then move to one in the northwest. That’s exactly what we did, and we loved being able to explore both corners.
Getting There and Flights to Crete
There are a huge number of direct flights to Crete from across Europe, and from a wide variety of airports. The average flight time from Central Europe is around 3.5 hours.
Crete has two airports: the main airport in Heraklion, the capital city, and the smaller Chania Airport.
Flights to Heraklion, Crete
Most flights go to Heraklion. During peak season you’ll find a huge number of options, but during the off-season the selection drops off significantly.
Flights to Chania, Crete
The selection of flights to Chania is more limited even during peak season.
The best way to find flights to Crete is through the flight search engine Skyscanner.
Find flights to Crete on Skyscanner
Entry Requirements for Crete
Entering Crete is very straightforward. EU citizens just need a national ID card or passport. Travelers from outside the EU should check the current entry requirements for Greece before they go.
How Much Does a Vacation in Crete Cost?
How much a Crete vacation costs is highly individual. Your expenses depend heavily on where you stay, where you eat, and especially how many excursions and activities you do.
One of our top Crete travel tips: flights and hotels are significantly cheaper in the off-season than during peak season. Generally speaking, Crete is still a bit more affordable than most Western European countries.
To give you a rough idea, here are some of the most important prices.
- Double room in a good hotel during peak season: €150
- Rental car per day during peak season: €45
- Lunch at a taverna: €9
- Dinner at a good restaurant: €13
- Greek coffee at a café: €3
- Beer at a beach bar: €4
- Admission to Knossos: €18
- Cool boat day trip: €25–140
- 4-hour quad tour: €55
Currency and Payments in Crete
Throughout Greece, including Crete, you pay in euros. Most restaurants and shops also accept card payments.
Depending on your bank, you may be able to pay with your regular debit card without extra fees — it’s worth checking ahead of time.
One practical pointer for your Crete vacation: always carry some cash. There are plenty of markets and small street stalls where card payment isn’t an option.
How Much Should You Tip?
How much tip you leave in Greece depends on where you’re eating. At a simple taverna, it’s fine to round up or leave a euro or so.
At a regular restaurant, a tip of around 10 percent is customary.
Accommodations in Crete
Crete has a huge range of places to stay, with options for every budget. In summer during vacation season, you can find a nice, affordable double room for around €80.
A solid mid-range hotel during the same period starts at around €150. Prices for a double room at a more upscale hotel start at roughly €300 per night.
In the off-season — especially in April and from late October onward — you can score incredible deals. Sometimes you can snag a luxury hotel for just €150. That’s honestly one of our favorite things about visiting outside of peak season.
We’ve put together our top 14 hotel recommendations and the best places to stay in Crete in two dedicated articles. There, we also give you the best hotel picks for each resort town — covering all price ranges.
We’ve also handpicked some fantastic hotels for different needs. We especially love hotels with direct beach access.
In our dedicated articles, we also highlight the best boutique hotels, the most beautiful adults-only hotels, and the coolest family hotels for a vacation with kids.
Getting Around and Renting a Car in Crete
Our top recommendation for your Crete vacation: definitely rent a car. It gives you incredible flexibility and lets you visit tons of sights and do great excursions entirely on your own schedule.
Renting a car in Crete is also not that expensive. Prices run around €45 per day during peak summer — and less in the off-season.
We compare rental car deals on Discovercars and have always been happy with the results. The site is easy to navigate and lets you compare value for money directly.
Find the best rental car on Discovercars
As an alternative to a rental car, there are also public transportation options and guided tours.
For short distances — say, from popular resort towns to Chania or Rethymno — you can easily take a bus. For longer distances, though, we wouldn’t recommend it.
Guided tours make more sense in those cases — for example, if you want to take an excursion to a beach. In our articles, we include a great tour recommendation for almost every sight, beach, and more.
Language and Communication in Crete
The official language is Greek, but you’ll get along just fine speaking English. Crete has been a popular destination for European tourists for years, and many people working in tourism speak good English — and often other languages too.
We spoke English from the start and it worked out perfectly everywhere we went.
What Is There to Eat in Crete?
Our absolute favorite topic when it comes to Greece couldn’t possibly be left out of our Crete travel guide. Spoiler: the food in Crete is simply incredibly delicious.
Greek cuisine is so much more than just gyros, tzatziki, and coleslaw. There are also plenty of vegetarian dishes — way more variety than you might expect.
Here’s a list of dishes you absolutely must try during your vacation in Crete:
- Greek salad: The ultimate classic, made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, feta, olive oil, and seasonings.
- Baked feta: Our absolute favorite. The feta is typically baked in a small casserole dish with olive oil, tomatoes, and delicious spices.
- Meze: Think of these as Greek tapas — great for sharing, especially as a starter. You’ll get things like meatballs, grilled vegetables, or stuffed grape leaves. The variety is huge.
- Moussaka: Similar to lasagna but with potatoes instead of pasta. Usually made with ground meat. The vegetarian version features eggplant — and we actually like it even better.
- Eggplant: While in Crete, you simply have to eat eggplant. Whether it’s in moussaka, grilled, or rolled up and stuffed — absolutely incredible!
- Souvlaki: If you eat meat, you’ll love souvlaki. It’s a grilled meat skewer with a really great marinade — so good!
- Bifteki: We actually like bifteki even more. It’s a beef patty stuffed with feta cheese. Sounds good, right?
- Gyros: Classic gyros are of course available in Crete too. In Greece, it’s typical to serve gyros with tzatziki and fries wrapped in flatbread — though we prefer a sharing platter with gyros, bifteki, and souvlaki.
- Fish & seafood: Everything that comes out of the sea is seriously delicious in Crete — whether fish or seafood.
- Raki: At the end of a meal, almost every restaurant will offer you a raki as a digestif — often homemade. We enjoy one every now and then, but you can absolutely say no if you’d rather not.
Where to Eat in Crete
Our favorite spots to eat in Greece are tavernas — small, family-run eateries serving authentic, traditional Greek food.
Then of course there are the classic restaurants, often right on the beach. Alongside Greek specialties, these also offer plenty of international dishes like pizza or burgers.
In terms of quality, the two are usually pretty similar. Tavernas tend to be more casual, while restaurants have a slightly fancier atmosphere. That said, food at tavernas is usually a bit cheaper.
Is a Vacation in Crete Dangerous?
No, a vacation in Crete is not dangerous. Crime is very low, and it’s actually one of the safest travel destinations in the world.
Occasionally there can be earthquakes in Crete, but they’re generally very small, harmless, and perfectly normal for the region.
In recent years, severe storms have become more frequent in Greece, including in Crete. These remain exceptions, though, and shouldn’t put you off visiting.
