Crete, the largest island in Greece.

Which Crete to choose?

Crete is a long, mountainous island: from Chania in the west to Heraklion in the centre is about 140 km by road, and the island carries on much further east. Don't try to see all of it in a week. Pick one half and stay in it.

• The west, from Chania. This is the most complete half for a first visit. The town has an old quarter of Venetian lanes around a harbour with a lighthouse, and one or two hours away by car are the Samaria Gorge (16 km downhill to the sea), the shorter Imbros Gorge, open all year, and the lagoons of Balos and Elafonisi. Allow four or five nights.
• The centre, from Heraklion. It is the capital, and its airport is the second busiest in Greece. About 5 km away is Knossos, the great Minoan palace, which since 2025 has been a World Heritage Site together with other palace centres on the island, such as Phaistos, Malia or ancient Kydonia, beneath Chania itself. If you are coming for the archaeology, sleep at least one night in Heraklion.

If you have a week, five nights in Chania and two in Heraklion before your flight home works well. What doesn't pay off is changing hotel every night.

How do you get there from Spain?

By plane. The usual way is to fly to Athens and connect: from there to Chania airport is about a 50-minute flight. In summer seasonal direct flights to Heraklion appear, such as Vueling's from Barcelona, but they change every year: look them up before taking the connection for granted. Chania airport is on the Akrotiri peninsula, about 15 km from the town, with a KTEL bus to the centre for €2.50 in half an hour. Heraklion's is about 5 km from the centre.

By ferry from Athens. If you are coming from Athens and are in no hurry, the overnight ferry from Piraeus to Souda, the port of Chania, leaves around 22:00 and arrives at dawn after 8 or 9 hours. It is run by Blue Star and ANEK, from about €52 for a seat and €86 for a cabin; with a cabin you save a hotel night. To Heraklion, Minoan Lines has daily ferries, also overnight.

Do you need a car?

For the towns, no: the old quarters are covered on foot and there is hardly any parking inside. For everything else, yes. Balos, Elafonisi, Falasarna or Imbros are one or two hours away on mountain roads, and the bus reaches few places or runs on timetables that don't let you come back late. Hire a car at the airport for the excursion days.

Without a car you can do part of the west: the KTEL goes to Kissamos about ten times a day and the boat to Gramvousa and Balos leaves from there; for Samaria there are early-morning buses in season and excursions with hotel pick-up. The return from Samaria is always by boat, from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion or Sougia, for €13 to €15.

When to go and what does it cost?

May, June, September and October. The Samaria Gorge is open from May to October, depending on the water: in 2026 it opened on 19 May, and it closes without warning if there is a flood risk. The ticket is named and is bought on the official NECCA portal. In July and August maximum temperatures go above 30 °C, more on the south coast, and in the afternoon the meltemi blows, whipping up the sea on the north coast. In winter the island doesn't shut down like the Cyclades: Chania and Heraklion stay lively, but Samaria, the boats to Balos and many beach hotels close.

Crete is mid-priced, cheaper than Santorini, with plenty of apartments and family-run hotels. What adds most is the hire car and, in August, accommodation.