Holiday in Crete

What makes Crete special as a destination?

Crete is the largest and most diverse island in Greece and a continent in miniature. Here, over 4,000 years ago, the Minoan high culture emerged, the oldest in Europe, whose palaces in Knossos, Phaistos, and Malia still fascinate today. The island delights with dramatic gorges like the 16-kilometer-long Samaria Gorge, dream beaches like Elafonisi and Balos, snow-capped mountains, and a hinterland that could hardly be more authentic. The four regions of Crete each offer their own character: Chania in the west with its Venetian harbor and the White Mountains, Rethymno with the best-preserved Renaissance old town in Greece and the Fortezza fortress, Heraklion as a vibrant capital with the Archaeological Museum and Knossos, and Lasithi in the east with the palm beach of Vai, the island of Spinalonga (once a leper colony, now a bestseller location), and the hippie paradise of Matala. Cretan cuisine is considered the best in Greece and the foundation of the famous Mediterranean diet: first-class olive oil, Dakos barley rusk with tomatoes and Mizithra cheese, snails (Chochlioi) prepared in various ways, lamb with Stamnagathi wild herbs, and the ubiquitous Raki (Tsikoudia) as a digestif and companion for every occasion. The Cretans are famous for their hospitality — a spontaneous meal with a Cretan family is one of the most unforgettable travel experiences in Greece. Crete is accessible year-round: in winter, the mountains invite hiking, in spring wildflowers bloom in the gorges, and the bathing season lasts from May to October.