Chania, crete greece - 05 12 2022: Venetian harbour of the pittoresk cretan town with colorful old houses; Shutterstock ID 2227253445; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi 2227253445

Crete

Crete is a tapestry of splendid beaches, ancient treasures and landscapes, weaving in vibrant cities and dreamy villages, where locals share their traditions, wonderful cuisine and generous spirit.

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  • Aerial drone view of an old Venetian fortress island and former Leper colony (Spinalonga, Crete, Greece); Shutterstock ID 1809885124; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi 1809885124

    Spinalonga Island

    Elounda

    Tiny Spinalonga Island became a leper colony in 1903 and catapulted into pop-cultural consciousness thanks to Victoria Hislop's 2005 bestselling novel The…

  • The main church of Arkadi Monastery, symbol of the struggle of Cretans against the Ottoman Empire , Rethymno, Crete, Greece.; Shutterstock ID 586702175; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi 586702175

    Moni Arkadiou

    Rethymno Province

    The 16th-century Arkadi Monastery, 23km southeast of Rethymno, has deep significance for Cretans. As the site where hundreds of cornered locals massacred…

  • Historical Museum of Crete

    Historical Museum of Crete

    Iraklio

    If you’re wondering what Crete’s been up to for the past, say, 1700 years, a spin around this engagingly curated museum is in order. Exhibits hopscotch…

  • Elafonissi beach with pink sand on Crete.

    Elafonisi

    Hania Province

    Tucked into Crete’s southwestern corner, this symphony of fine pink-white sand, turquoise water and gentle rose dunes looks like a magical dreamscape. As…

  • Turkish medieval fortress at Ancient Aptera in Chania, Crete, Greece.; Shutterstock ID 1575956149; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi 1575956149

    Aptera

    Hania Province

    The ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, about 13.5km east of Hania, spread over two hills that lord grandly over Souda Bay. Founded in the 7th century BC…

  • A man walks down to the water at Balos Lagoon. 1306866043 background, balos, bay, beach, blue, chania, coast, coastline, crete, crystal, destination, europe, freedom, fun, gramvousa, gramvoussa, greece, greek, happiness, happy, health, holiday, idyllic, island, lagoon, landmark, landscape, lifestyle, mediterranean, nature, outdoor, panorama, panoramic, paradise, relax, sand, scenic, sea, sightseeing, summer, sun, sunny, tourism, travel, trek, tropical, vacation, view, water, white

    Balos

    Hania Province

    The rugged Gramvousa Peninsula cradles the lagoon-like sandy beach of Balos, whose shallow, shimmering turquoise waters draw huge crowds in summer. This…

  • Chania, Greece - April 15, 2017: Exposition of Archaeological Museum of Chania, Greece. 651422344 exhibition,greek,art,past,aegean,exhibits,heritage,history,people,building,crete,interior,mediterranean,greece,museum,culture,archaeology,archaeological museum,exposition,chania

    Hania Archaeological Museum

    Hania

    The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from…

  • Tourists looking at the Phaistos Disc inside the archaeological museum of Heraklion in Crete that hold the most important and complete collection of the Minoan civilisation of Crete on the 28th of August 2022 in Crete, Greece. Many of the artefacts in the museum come from Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on the Greek island of Crete. (photo by Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images) 1245671474 aitchison, greek, heraklion, neolithic, phaistos disc, archaeological, artefacts, ceremonial, civilization, culture, explore, holiday, remains, statues, tourists, viewing

    Heraklion Archaeological Museum

    Iraklio

    This state-of-the-art museum is one of the largest and most important in Greece. The two-storey revamped 1930s Bauhaus building makes a gleaming showcase…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Experience the best of Crete with this guide to the island's top things to do.

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Transportation

Exploring the mountainous island of Crete is like navigating a small country. Here are our top tips for getting around Greece's largest island.

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Money and Costs

Crete is a very popular destination but that doesn't mean there aren't ways to visit on a budget. Here are some top tips to stretch your euros even further.

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Best Road Trips

These road trips in Crete will take you to mountains, beaches, monasteries, wineries, unspoiled villages and Venetian old towns.

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Articles

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es Vedra - The South - IBIZA Lonely Planet Magazine, Issue 117, September 2018, Ibiza A young couple watch the sunset over the island of Es Vedra.

Beaches

10 amazing places in Europe for a dose of winter sun

Sep 11, 2024 • 7 min read

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