Discover Crete

Crete is the largest island in Greece, as well as the most populous; it is the fifth biggest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia in Italy, Cyprus and Corsica.

Crete, which is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea, was the cradle of the Minoan civilization, one of the oldest in Europe (it dates back to 2700 and 1425 B.C.E.).
Today it’s one of the most visited and appreciated touristic destinations in Greece thanks to its large cultural heritage.
Combined with the natural beautiful terrain that the island offers, these characteristics make Crete a very popular island that thousand of European tourists choose every year for their vacations.

Crete is the center of several legends between myth and history, such as the Minotaur, Minos and Theseus, which we know on account of Homer.
The end of Minoan civilization was probably due to a volcanic eruption that occurred around half of the second millennium B.C.E. near Santorin or Thera in the Cyclades.

Most popular destinations

Among the most popular destinations we have chosen the following:

• Candia or Heraklion , the capital. A few km from it you can visit the Knossos Palace.
• La Canea or Chania, with the Venetian harbor, the old town, the archaeological museum, the St. Nicholas church and the mosque of Giannizeri.
• Milatos,a picturesque fishermen village.
• Georgioupolis, a marine town next to the lake Kourna, sole lake in Crete. In the village of Georgioupolis we suggest staying at the Metropol Sea Hotel, a nice three-star hotel with direct access to the beach.

Tourism in Crete

Tourism in Crete has increased in the past few years, bringing more people to this splendid island in the Mediterranean.
Tourism is now the main economical source of the island.
The northern part is the most advanced for welcoming guests, while the southern part is quite untouched and “wild.”
You can check out our travel blog to find out a specific itinerary that will take you to uncouver some of the most beautiful places along the northern coast of Crete.

In Crete you can spend a relaxing holiday by the sea, like in any other seaside destination, or you can choose a more “natural” or cultural type of journey.

How to get to Crete

Visitors and tourists can easily get to Crete.
For those who opt for a flight, there are two international airports on the island: the most important one is in Heraklion, about 3 km from the center.
Otherwise, you can get to the Chania, much smaller but much less busy, especially in the summer months.
There are many flights to Crete departing from most main Italian cities such as Milan, Rome, Bologna, Naples, Venice, etc.

In order to book a flight to Crete you can use our browsing system in collaboration with Skyscanner, one of the main websites that compare flight tariffs.
Another option is getting to Crete by sea with one of the many cruise ships that depart from the Pireo harbor in Athens.

How to move around Crete

The best way to move around on the island is by car: you can rent it at your site or you can book it before departing.
The high tourism demand contributed to the improvement of the roads, especially in the northern part of the island and along the coast.
The inland, which is much less popular and mainly a mountain area, has unpaved and narrow roads, and it lacks traffic signals.