Crete, the largest Greek island, is like visiting a miniature version of Greece. The island offers everything from ancient history to stunning gorges and hiking trails with panoramic vistas. It has some of the best sandy beaches amongst Greek islands. And the local food, wine and products like olive oil, honey surpass all expectations. So history + nature + hiking + beaches + local cuisine, plenty of things to do in Crete!
One can easily spend a week to 10 days exploring Crete. We had all of 4 days in Crete and our itinerary was crammed with things to do and see here. So, if you are figuring what to do in Crete, dive in. Many of these places to visit in Crete are based on personal experience and some are based on reviews from fellow travellers.
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Best time to visit Crete
With its mild Mediterranean climate, Crete is a year-round destination. Crete is one of the warmest European places to visit in October. For warm beach weather, May until October is the best period to visit. Summer (June-August) offers hot, sunny weather ideal for beaches and swimming but with peak crowds.
Spring months (April and May) are great for exploring archaeological sites, hiking and enjoying pleasant weather. So is the autumn season (September and October). We visited Greece from mid May until early June, and that was excellent for lesser summer crowds and pleasant days for sightseeing.
What to do in Crete
1. Visit a Venetian Town
Venetian influence can be found throughout this island. Chania and Rethymno on the western side of Crete are the most prominent examples. Both Chania and Rethymno feature Venetian harbours, old towns, and architecture, representing a period of Venetian rule on the island.
We were based in Chania for our trip, and I recommend this town enough, both to stay as well as to explore. Chania has changed hands many times over the centuries, and today its old town is strewn with monuments left by Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman conquerors. Its beautiful old town has some of the restaurants and cafes to try. And don’t miss out on the promenade of the Venetian harbour that still serves as the old town’s main artery.
Reythmno is another Cretian town with a Venetian heritage. Many folks visit this town solely for the large Fortress that guards Rethymno from the top of an imposing headland of natural beauty. But if you stay back, you will discover cobbled lanes of Rethymno lined with picturesque tavernas, pottery shops, churches, historic fountains, boutiques and more.
2. Hike a gorge
Crete is full of stunning gorges with marked hiking trails. If you have time to hike only through one, it has to be Samaria Gorge. For an adventure enthusiast, Samaria Gorge hike has to be one of the top things to do in Crete. It is definitely one of the best hikes in Greece I did on my trip.
The Samaria Gorge hike starts at the mountain town of Omalos and ends at Agia Roumeli. The site map shows this as a 13.5 km trek but my Iphone marked it as 16 km (10-mile) when I finished the trail. The logistics of managing the Samaria Gorge hike by myself were too complicated and I had booked a tour for this.
There are other hiking trails in Crete. Kourtaliotiko Gorge hike is possibly the coolest thing to do near Rethymno. This challenging river trek involves walking in the riverbed, navigating boulders, and swimming in pools. It requires sturdy water shoes and good fitness. The trailhead is located in southern Greece, close to Preveli Beach. After a short stroll from the trailhead, there are 2 trails. One takes hikers to the top of the falls, and other leads adventurers down into the water.
3. Be in awe of the Minoan history
Knossos is the largest archaeological site from the Bronze Age on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest city. During our week spent on Greece mainland, we had visited many ancient ruins both in Athens and beyond. Even after visiting all those ancient splendours, I would list Knossos Palace as one of the best places to visit in Crete, if ancient Greek landmarks interests you.
I recommend booking a private guided tour to Knossos Palace. Most of the structures are not intact on this site, even after extensive restoration by archaeologists. So that visually Knossos Palace site may not be as much of a treat as Athens Acropolis or Delphi. Our guide was able to regale us with stories and lifestyle of the Minoans who were advanced in trade, building structures and many other things for their times.
You can also book a guided tour of Knossos Palace along with the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, with hotel transfers from Chania / Rethymno.
4. Spend a day (or two) at the beach
Chania doesn’t have a beach in town, but Nea Chora is a decent city beach within walking distance. If you are staying at Reythmno, from the old town, a sandy coastline stretches more than 7.5 miles to the Venetian harbor. It’s walkable and lined with hotels, tavernas, and beach clubs.
During our stay in Chania, for a beach day, we had a choice to go to Balos Lagoon for its crystal clear turquoise water. Or drive towards the southern part of the island which offers the best sandy beaches in all of Crete. We chose to drive to the Elafonisi Beach, famous for its pale pink sand and clear waters. We had not visited any sandy beach during our 3 days in Santorini, so were excited about beaches here.
Elafonissi is famous for its pink sand created by thousands of shattered seashells. There are also juniper studded mountains as a backdrop and crystal clear water, a gorgeous shade of teal. A bit further south, you can find Falasarna beach, which, together with Elafonissi, is often mentioned as one of Crete’s best beaches.
The east side of Crete also offers several beaches, though not as popular (and crowded) as the western side. There is the unique Vai beach with its palm forest, Istro beach with crystal clear waters, the popular and well-organised Elounda beach, and the golden beach of Chrissi Island.
5. Visit the Plateau of Windmills and the Cave of Zeus
The Lasithi Plateau in Crete has been inhabited since the Neolithic era. This fertile area, dotted with several villages, is also known as the plateau of windmills. You can spend an entire day here visiting windmills, monasteries, olive farms, and charming villages. I would definitely put this as one of the note-worthy places to visit in Crete if you are looking for something off-the-beaten path. During our visit to this area, we stopped at Seli Ambelou, the stone-built windmills here are one of the most remarkable set of windmills that survive in Crete.
And from here, we drive to the Diktaion or Psychro Cave. This cave, according to Homer, was the place where Rhea hid baby Zeus from his father Cronos. The Diktaion Cave, also referred to as the Cave of Zeus, has some interesting stalactites and stalagmites to view. Don’t be fooled by the wide entrance, it does get narrow and dark once you climb down the stairs. So it may get uncomfortable if you are claustrophobic.
If you don’t have a car, it is easy enough to take a guided tour to the Lasithi Plateau and the Diktaion Cave. The safari tour to this area gets high reviews. You can even combine a tour of Lasithi Plateau with Knossos Palace.
6. Enjoy local wine
Amongst Greek islands, Crete is the top choice for wine lovers, with a winemaking tradition dating back 4,000 years to the Minoan period. We enjoyed local wine in Chania restaurants and did not get to visit a winery. My favourite restaurant in Chania old town was Salis with a great location facing the harbour, fabulous food, and an extensive wine list.
One of the top things to in Crete for a wine aficionado is to visit a local winery. North-Central Crete is where most wineries operate. Some of the famous Cretan wineries on the western side to consider visiting are Dourakis winery and Manousakis winery. This Crete Wine and Olive Oil Tour from Chania to two family-run wineries gets great reviews.
There are several options from Heraklion: Lyrarakis winery, Digenakis winery, Domaine Paterianakis and Douloufakis winery.
7. Visit a monastery
Crete has a long religious history which explains the high density of monasteries, churches and chapels. The oldest monastery on the island and also the most popular one to visit is Arkadi Monastery. This monastery played an important role in the Cretans’ struggle for independence against the Turks in 1866.
Another monastery worth visiting in Crete is the Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada) located near Chania. This picturesque and active monastery is known for its stunning architecture and products like wine and olive oil.
Other monasteries that you could consider visiting are Toplou, Vossakos, and Preveli Monastery. You can combine a visit to Lasithi plateau and the Zeus cave with Toplou monastery. Having visited some of the monasteries in Meteora, we gave this a miss.
8. Explore Agios Nikolaos and its beautiful lake
Although Western Crete is where maximum number of tourists go to, the eastern side of Crete is fabulous as well. Eastern Crete offers a diverse experience, from the high-end resorts of Elounda to the laid-back charm of Sitia and the untouched beauty of southern villages.
Alongside the largest natural bay in Crete lies the charming town of Agios Nikolaos. This popular seaside resort has numerous restaurants, bars, and night clubs that give the place its characteristic cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Lake Voulismeni is a beautiful lake that is located in the heart of Agios Nikolaos town. It is a unique combination of fresh and salt water, offering a magnificent sight to visitors. Lake Voulismeni is known for the many myths surrounding it. One of the most widespread stories states that the lake has no bottom, while others associate it with goddesses of antiquity such as Athena and Artemis.
9. Try local cuisine and local products
Despite its size and distance from the Greek mainland, Crete’s food and wine gets lumped together with rest of Greece. The food we tasted during our trip to Crete was completely different. We were served raki, the local spirit after dinner meals. In Crete, eat fresh, local food dishes like Dakos (rusk salad), Kalitsounia (cheese pies), Graviera cheese, and fresh seafood. There are local specialities like Apaki (smoked pork), Gamopilafo (wedding pilaf), and sweets like Bougatsa.
The island has distinct olive oil, cheese, wine and pasture-raised lamb. Apart from local tastings, some of these would be great as local Greek souvenirs or gifts to take back home.
10. Dance to the tune of Heraklion
While not as renowned for wild parties as some of Greece’s other islands like Mykonos, Heraklion offers a vibrant and varied nightlife scene that caters to all tastes.
Plateia Eleftherias is a bustling place known as the central meeting point in Heraklion. You’ll find numerous bars and restaurants and live bands performing international and traditional music here. Then there is Liontaria, the Lions Fountain, which is beautifully illuminated every evening. Around the fountain area, you will find many lovely bars and tavernas, welcoming guests to spend a pleasant evening.
Locals and tourist go to bar and night clubs at Korai street, Chandakos street, and Milatou street.
Hope the above top 10 things to do in Crete make you put this picturesque island on your Greek itinerary like we did.
Planning a trip to Greece? Check out –
Itinerary Suggestions: Greece in 2 weeks, Greece 10-day Itinerary with kids
Greece Cities: 3 days in Athens, Athens 1 Day Itinerary
More on Greece: Best day trips from Athens, Complete Guide to Visiting Meteora, Best hikes in Greece
Greek Islands: Crete Itinerary, Beautiful Greek islands for a family holiday, Santorini Itinerary, One day in Mykonos
And finally, the Famous Greek Landmarks and a packing list for Greece
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What a trip! The pink sand and that water at Elafonisi Beach look so awesome!
Crete has always been high on my list. This is a great guide. I can’t wait to get there!
Crete certainly has much to offer, with its unique landscape, food and history. As you noted, it’s very different to anywhere else in Greece, and the locals are Cretan.
What a charming region, I would love to see the pink sand with those crystal clear waters. Thanks for sharing!
This brought back such great memories! I visited Crete as a teen and have wanted to go back ever since. Your guide captures everything I loved about the island—the mix of history, beaches, gorges, and incredible food. Reading about Venetian towns, Samaria Gorge, and Knossos makes me even more eager to return and explore it all again with fresh eyes. Crete truly has so much to offer!
I would like to go back as well, and explore the eastern part where we spent less than a day.
I’ve never been to Greece, but it’s on my bucket list! This post is a helpful guide to Crete. I’ll have to add it on my list! I feel like we hear much less about Crete compared to Mykonos or Santorini.
Great pics. I love that we come home with memories that live on in our photographs.
I have never been to Crete, but this looks magical. I love the combination of historical sites, plus natural beauty. It is totally my type of travel destination. Thanks for such a great guide.
Very interesting and detailed article! Thank you