Guide to Visiting Crete, Greece ¦ 2024 Guide

Kalimera, welcome to Greece, a country that needs no introduction. Long famed for its great beaches, food, wine and hospitality, over 30 million people visited this country last year, although most of them tend to visit the popular areas of Santorini, Mykonos, Athens and Ios. But today, we want to share with you one of our favorite places, which is Crete. This video is brought to you by Allianz Travel Insurance, our trusted insurance provider here in Greece and beyond. These days we don't travel anywhere without travel insurance because accidents, trip cancellations and delays are happening more and more often. This year we opted for the Allianz All Trips plan that keeps us covered for the entire year and it's especially good here in Greece because it also covers car insurance. If you want to learn more, hit the link down at the bottom in the description of the video and now let's go and explore Crete. Crete is the largest island in Greece and is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea. You can get to Crete by flying into either Heraklion International Airport or Chania International Airport, both of which offer connections to major cities in Europe and beyond. And the easiest way to get around the island is to rent a car. We recommend booking with an aggregator like Discover Cars, where you're going to find a lot of different local companies, which are much cheaper than some of the international brands. But keep in mind that driving in Greece is not for the faint of heart. Often find your encounter animals on the road and very narrow alleyways. One of the things we love the most about Crete is definitely the weather. The climate is just milder here, so the island enjoys a much longer tourist season. Accommodation, hotels, restaurants and activities stay open from about mid-April to end of October. But the sea? That always stays fresh and cool. Crete is a big island with a lot to see and do. To make the most of your stay, we recommend splitting your visit into two to three locations. The most popular spots are Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania and Agios Nikolaos. Heraklion is the capital and the largest city in Crete. It's home to a vibrant city center as well as the Venetian fortress and port and plenty of restaurants and shops to explore. The biggest attraction in the area is the Minoan palace of Knossos. It's a must for any history buff and offers great insight into Minoan civilization. But be sure to get here early. The site gets very busy with tour buses throughout the day. Get out of the city and get into the countryside. Walk the olive groves, meet the local farmers and have a sit-down meal to really taste the local produce. And further down the coast is our favorite area, Miradelo Bay, which consists of Ilouna to the north and the beautiful city of Agios Nikolaos right behind me. This area is all about beaches, good food and wine and slow seaside living. while in the Ilouna area, take a quick boat trip over to Spinalunga Island right here with a rich history of Venetian fortress. It's one of the top visited areas in Crete and it's absolutely beautiful views of the bay. Or come down to the south and take a dip in the beautiful Libyan sea here in Lelapetra, home to a Venetian fortress. It's one of many different cities on the southern coast of Crete that you should visit. Rethymno is another great destination to visit here in Crete. This very well preserved old town and the nearby beaches make it a great spot to spend a couple of days. One of the most unique things about Crete is the diversity of its terrain. There's mountains and canyons all over the island. It's a hiker's paradise. When you're in Rethymno, don't miss a chance to visit Kurtaliotiko Gorge, where we are right now. It's a great day trip from the city, but it's just one of the many gorges scattered around the island. And last but not least is Chania, the second largest city in Crete, with its old town, archaeological sites, and some of the most beautiful beaches in Crete. No matter where you choose to base yourself, make sure you spend at least a couple of days enjoying the beaches. There's lots of them dotted all around the coastline of Crete. And don't forget to spend some time on a boat. We're about to jump on a sailboat right now and head over to Dia Island from Heraklion, but there are many different boat trips you can take all across the island. Accommodation options on the island are plentiful. There's budget-friendly apartments all the way up to five-star luxury accommodation. If you're looking for a touch of luxury on a reasonable budget, consider one of the Grek Hotel properties, like this beautiful white palace, where we are right now. Well, we hope you've enjoyed our short tour of Crete. There is so much more to this island than we've been able to share in this video with you today. Some of our favorite memories have just been exploring the island, stopping at Tavernas, and finding secluded beaches. If you've liked this video, please click like below and subscribe to our channel. We've also attached a whole bunch of resources below to help you plan your next Crete trip. See you next time!