25 Best Things to Do in Crete (2026)
Crete is the largest island in Greece and one of the most diverse destinations in the Mediterranean. Here are 25 of the best things to do, covering the full island from west to east.
Western Crete (Chania Region)
1. Walk Chania Old Town at Sunrise
The Venetian harbour of Chania - with its 16th-century lighthouse, colourful mansions and the minaret of the Mosque of the Janissaries - is at its best before 08:00 when the day-trippers have not yet arrived. Walk the full harbour arc (20 min), then have coffee in the Splantzia district.
2. Hike the Samaria Gorge
Europe longest gorge (18 km, 5-7 hours, May-October). Take the first KTEL bus from Chania at 06:15 to be at the top of the gorge by 08:00, before the crowds. End at the Libyan Sea village of Agia Roumeli; take the boat to Chora Sfakion and bus back.
3. Swim at Elafonissi
The pink-sand lagoon at the southwestern tip of Crete is unlike any beach in Europe. The pink colouring comes from crushed coral and shell. The lagoon is knee-deep and warm; the islet beyond is sandy and wild. Drive 75 km from Chania or take the summer KTEL bus.
4. Boat Trip to Balos Lagoon
Daily boats from Kissamos port combine the Gramvousa Venetian fortress (Venetian castle on a rocky island) with Balos lagoon - one of the most cinematically beautiful beaches in Greece. Book in advance in July-August.
5. Visit Falassarna at Sunset
The widest beach in Crete (2 km of golden sand) faces due west. There is nowhere better in all of Crete to watch the sun descend into the Ionian Sea. Bring a bottle of Cretan wine.
6. Explore the Agora Market in Chania
The 1913 covered market hall is one of the best food markets in Greece. Olive oil, graviera cheese, thyme honey, wild herbs and the best raki you will ever drink. Go on a Tuesday or Thursday for the freshest produce.
7. Visit Seitan Limania (Devil Ports)
A hidden fjord of impossibly turquoise water in white limestone cliffs near Akrotiri (25 km from Chania). 20-min cliff walk from the car park. No facilities; goes deep immediately. Avoid in rough wind.
8. Stay a Night in Loutro
The car-free village of Loutro on the south coast is accessible only by boat. White cubic houses, a turquoise cove, no noise. One of the most peaceful overnight experiences in Greece.
Central Crete (Rethymno Region)
9. Climb the Fortezza in Rethymno
The 16th-century Venetian fortress on the headland is one of the best-preserved in the eastern Mediterranean. Walk the entire circuit of the walls for panoramic views over the old town and the sea.
10. Walk Rethymno Old Town
Rethymno has the most authentically layered historic centre in Crete: Venetian mansions, Ottoman minarets, an original Venetian lighthouse and the Rimondi Fountain (still flowing since 1626). Allow 2 hours.
11. Kayak to Preveli Beach
Preveli is unique: a river lined with native Phoenix palms flowing through a gorge into a Libyan Sea lagoon. Hire a kayak from Plakias (8 km one way) or drive to the Preveli Monastery and walk 15 min down. Swim in the freshwater river lagoon under the palms.
12. Visit Arkadi Monastery
One of the most significant sites in Cretan history. The 16th-century Baroque church is exceptional. The 1866 powder magazine - where hundreds of Cretan families chose death by explosion over surrender to Ottoman forces - is profoundly moving.
13. Drive the Amari Valley
The hidden valley between the Ida and Kedros mountains: untouched Byzantine chapels, ancient olive groves, the village of Thronos (Minoan and Roman ruins immediately behind the kafeneion), pottery workshops. One of the most beautiful drives in Greece.
Heraklion Region
14. Knossos Palace
The largest Minoan palace (c. 2000 BC) and the most important prehistoric site in Europe after Stonehenge and the Acropolis. Allow 2 hours; hire a licensed guide. Visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum the same day (combined ticket).
15. Heraklion Archaeological Museum
The only museum in the world that tells the full arc of Minoan civilisation. The snake goddesses, the Phaistos Disc, the bull-leaping fresco, the Minoan gold jewellery - all originals, all extraordinary. Allow 2 hours.
16. Drink Wine in the Peza Zone
The Peza PDO wine region (15-25 km south of Heraklion) produces exceptional Vidiano (white) and Kotsifali-Mandilari (red). Lyrarakis and Douloufakis wineries both accept visitors; book ahead. Combine with a lunch at one of the Archanes village tavernas.
17. Drive to Matala Beach via Phaistos
Combine the second-largest Minoan palace (Phaistos, 60 km SW of Heraklion) with the hippie cave beach of Matala (15 km further south). The Phaistos site is less restored and less crowded than Knossos; the views over the Messara Plain from the western court are extraordinary.
18. Explore the Heraklion Venetian Walls
The 15th-century walls encircle the old city (4 km circuit) and are among the best-preserved Venetian military architecture in the world. Walk the full perimeter (1h), including the bastion where El Greco was born.
Eastern Crete (Lasithi Region)
19. Boat to Spinalonga
The complete Venetian fortress and abandoned leper colony (1903-1957) on an island in Mirabello Bay. Take the 10-min boat from Elounda or Plaka. One of the most atmospheric and historically layered sites in Crete. Allow 2 hours.
20. Hike the Valley of the Dead
8 km gorge walk from Zakros village to the Minoan palace of Kato Zakros and a small beach on the Libyan Sea. Named for the Minoan cliff-tomb burials visible in the canyon walls. One of the most dramatic gorge walks in Crete, with a fraction of the Samaria crowds.
21. See the Vai Palm Forest
5,000 native Phoenix theophrastii palms (the only naturally occurring European palm forest) behind a sandy beach at the eastern tip of Crete. Unique in Europe. Go in May, June or September; avoid the July-August crowds.
22. Visit Toplou Monastery
Fortress monastery 12 km north of Sitia, built to withstand pirate attacks. The "Great Is the Lord" icon (1770) is the finest piece of 18th-century Cretan religious art. Also produces excellent olive oil and wine.
23. Swim at Xerokampos
Three completely wild sandy coves on the far south coast of Lasithi, accessible via rough tracks from Ziros. No facilities whatsoever. One of the last truly unspoiled beach areas in Crete.
24. Walk the Ancient City of Lato
3 km above Kritsa village (itself 10 km west of Agios Nikolaos). A 7th-century BC Dorian Greek city on a saddle between two peaks. Free entry, no crowds, extraordinary view over Mirabello Bay. Combined with the Byzantine frescoes of the Panagia Kera church below Kritsa, this is a superb half-day.
25. Sunset at Agios Nikolaos Harbour
The most sophisticated small town in eastern Crete. Walk the harbour promenade at 19:00 as the sun sets over Mirabello Bay, have an ouzo at one of the harbourside cafes, then find a table at a proper fish restaurant. The pace of life in Agios Nikolaos at dusk is one of the quiet pleasures of the island.
Practical Tips
Car hire is essential for most of these experiences. Knossos (Bus 2 from Heraklion), Rethymno Old Town, Chania Old Town and Spinalonga (boat from Elounda) are manageable without a car. Everything else requires your own wheels.
Best season: May, June and September offer the best combination of weather (hot but not brutal), lower prices and fewer crowds. July-August is peak season: Elafonissi and Balos will have hundreds of people; Samaria will have queues at the entrance. Still worth doing, but manage expectations.
Combine regions wisely: Crete is large (250 km west to east). Do not try to visit Chania and Lasithi in the same day. A week gives you time for one thorough region; two weeks covers the island properly.
Food is part of the experience. Do not eat on the main waterfront strips in Chania and Rethymno. Walk one block inland. The quality and price difference is dramatic.
FAQ
Is Crete good for families? Excellent. The calm lagoons at Elafonissi and Stavros, Knossos (children love the mythology), the Aquaworld Aquarium near Heraklion, the Limnoupolis water park and the beaches near Platanias (Chania) are all family-friendly. Car hire makes logistics manageable.
Can I do Crete without a car? In Heraklion and Chania: yes. For beaches, gorges, monasteries and most of the island: no. KTEL buses connect the main towns well, but frequencies drop sharply for out-of-town destinations.
What is the most underrated thing to do in Crete? The Amari Valley drive (Rethymno region) - pristine villages, Byzantine chapels, ancient olive groves, almost no tourists. And eating in the mountain village of Theriso (18 km from Chania) on a Sunday lunch.
