3 magical memories for your Crete lovelist
Wherever you travel in Crete – from the western region of Chania, through Rethymno, Heraklion and on to the eastern shores of Lassithi – you’ll find an irresistible story of beaches, culture, mountains, valleys, villages, wine routes and people. And somehow, once you’ve sampled it all, it becomes your story.
Legendary beaches & hidden gems in Crete
When it comes to beaches, you’ll probably already know what Crete is capable of. It’s not for nothing that the exotic blue water and soft white sands of Balos and Elafonisi, on the westernmost coast, regularly feature in Top 10 lists of breathtaking beaches. But on an island of 1,000km of coastline, there are endless beaches worthy of discovery, all along the popular north coast but in the lesser-known south too.
An extraordinary cultural legacy
Crete’s long and very proud history of invasion, rebellion and trading on an island at the crossroads of all ancient Mediterranean civilisations has left a historical and archaeological legacy that is quite simply extraordinary.
We start with the Minoan civilization, which flourished here from 3000-1200 BC – with the world-renowned palaces of Knossos (near Heraklion), often referred to as Europe’s oldest city.
And then there’s Spinalonga, the tiny island in the Gulf of Elounda that merges Venetian, Ottoman and Greek history and a unique way (from playing a role in the Cretan revolt against the Turks to being used as leper colony).
Discover the Cretan way of life
If you really want to get to know Crete – its people, traditions, food, legendary lifestyle – head to its villages. Whether in the mountains or along the coast, there are villages all around Crete with locals going about their business, seemingly untouched by time.
Little more than 30km outside Chania, the collection of Apokoronas villages offers just that. Amongst them are the semi-mountainous Vamos, with its collection of preserved mansions, and beautifully preserved Gavalochori, a settlement of 400 people complete with a 14th-century oil press and a folklore museum. Or how about heading to the south coast town of Hora Sfakion, from where you can catch a boat to the neighbouring – and carless - village Loutro.