{"id":54361,"date":"2026-03-17T20:51:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T19:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greece-moments.com\/?p=54361"},"modified":"2026-03-30T12:52:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T10:52:05","slug":"crete-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greece-moments.com\/en\/crete-holiday\/","title":{"rendered":"Crete Holiday: Our experiences after three months on the island"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three months in Crete<\/strong> spread over two trips, traveling by car, with nearly 4,000 kilometers on the odometer and a young daughter in tow. We crossed the island from west to east, swam in secluded coves, drank raki in mountain villages, and asked ourselves more than once why we should ever leave. In short: Crete has won us over, and we\u2019ll be back.<\/p>\n

\"Kreta
A relaxing vacation in Crete<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In this post, we\u2019ll share our honest experiences from our<\/strong> Crete holiday<\/strong> with you. What makes the island so special, what kind of traveler it\u2019s truly suited for, which regions we loved, and which ones didn\u2019t quite win us over. So you\u2019ll know what to expect before you book your holiday on Crete.<\/p>\n

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#1 Where is the island of Crete?<\/h2>\n

The island of Crete is located in the very south of the Aegean Sea<\/strong>. The small islet of Gavdos, just south of Crete, is even considered the southernmost island in Europe. The sea south of Crete is called the Libyan Sea. Crete has no major neighboring islands; Santorini, to the north, is about a four-hour ferry ride away by car ferry.<\/p>\n

\"kreta<\/p>\n

By the way, many people ask us whether Santorini <\/strong>is worth a day trip from Crete<\/strong>. Our honest answer: No, you can really save yourself the stress and the money. With a travel time of 1.5 hours each way on the (expensive!) high-speed catamaran, you usually have less than five hours on Santorini to see just a small fraction of the island amid the crowds.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning a Greek island-hopping<\/a> trip from Crete to Santorini, you should definitely plan for at least one or two overnight stays\u2014it\u2019s simply more relaxing, and you\u2019ll really get to experience the island. Or you can just stay in Crete, since there\u2019s plenty to discover there anyway.<\/p>\n

#2 How big is the island of Crete?<\/h2>\n

The island of Crete is 254 km long<\/strong> and has a maximum width of 60 km. With an area of 8,336 km\u00b2, Crete is the largest Greek island and even the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

\"Kreta
Palm forest at Vai Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It takes at least five hours by car to travel from the idyllic palm-lined Vai Beach in the east of the island to the Balos Lagoon in the far west. To explore as many of Crete\u2019s highlights as possible, a vacation on Crete with a rental car<\/strong> is well worth it. Alternatively, organized tours are offered all over the island, which you can book via GetYourGuide<\/em>*, for example:<\/p>\n

\u27b2 To the organized island tours*<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Tours<\/a>
*Advertisement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We also underestimated the distances during our own visit, and we say this as people who have already traveled to over 50 Greek islands. Although we spent a full two months on the island, even that time wasn\u2019t quite enough to truly explore everything from west to east.<\/p>\n

When vacationing in Crete<\/strong>, focus on one region<\/strong> for example, the western part of Crete and explore it thoroughly. For the west, a direct flight to Chania is ideal, with accommodations somewhere between Chania and Kissamos in Western Crete<\/a>, or alternatively Paleochora<\/a> if you prefer a quieter, more authentic atmosphere.<\/p>\n

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#3 Getting There and Airports<\/h2>\n

Crete is home to three airports. The two international airports, Heraklion HER<\/strong> (Nikos Kazantzakis Airport) and Chania CHQ<\/strong> (Ioannis Daskalogiannis Airport), are served by direct flights from all over Europe during the season. Heraklion is served by Condor, Eurowings, TUI, and EasyJet, among others, while Chania is served by Condor, Eurowings, and Ryanair. Flights to Crete also depart from Athens during the winter. In addition, there is the domestic airport Sitia JSH in the east, which is accessible only via Athens.<\/p>\n

\"G\u00fcnstige
Cheap flights to Crete<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A quick note upfront: The airport in Heraklion is getting a bit long in the tooth, but please don\u2019t let that deter you. A new airport near Kastelli is in the planning and construction phases, but it will be a while before it\u2019s completed\u2014likely not until 2027 or 2028.<\/p>\n

Which airport is better for you depends on the location of your accommodation. As a rule of thumb: if you\u2019re staying in the west, fly to Chania. If you\u2019re staying in the north, east, or south, fly to Heraklion. Approximate flight times to Crete<\/strong>:<\/p>\n