If you plan to do so, check for tours including a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, the biggest Minoan collection you will be able to find on the island. There’s no shortage of luxurious resorts when it comes to this small village, all of them facing the tranquil Gulf of Mirabello and boasting exclusive beaches and rooms that open directly to the sea. A hotel in Agios Nikolaos is a great idea to visit the former leper island of Spinalonga or the exclusive resort town of Elounda. This is also the reason why most nudist beaches can be found on the southern coast. If you’re into sunbathing without a bikini, the southern beaches of Rethymnon are a great place to go.
Additionally, there are daily direct flights between Athens International Airport and airports on Crete, such as Chania and Heraklion. Because Crete is so big, you’ll need your own car or use public transportation to get around. In fact, this is one of the most incredible destinations in the entire Mediterranean Sea. There are many reasons why you might choose Crete over Santorini.
You are collected from Chania airport and transferred to your hotel, situated by the Venetian port of Chania. After your check in, our assistant will be at your disposal to go through the week’s program in details. Dinner will follow, at a picturesque and cosy local restaurant. This ridiculously detailed Greece travel guide shares the exact cost breakdown of flights, hotels, eating out, car rental, and more, so you know exactly how expensive it is to visit Crete. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can also use this day in Chania to take a day trip to one of Western Crete’s gorgeous, sandy beaches.
There are 24 of these green islands off of the northeastern coast of mainland Greece, but only four are inhabited — and if you’ve seen “Mamma Mia,” you know what they look like. Dark green pine trees, white churches, and lots of sand, rocks, and singing. Lush and green, the Ionian Islands (also known as the “seven islands” or “Eptanissia”) offer unique local culture, music, art, cuisine, and architecture. While the Ionians are known, first and Storage.Googleapis.com foremost, for Corfu, the six other main islands hold their own and attract their fair share of tourists, too. Outside of Heraklion is family-friendly, five-star, beachfront resort Amirandes, part of the national Grecotel chain . First-timers often describe their trip to “the Greek islands,” as if they were one monolithic entity, easily popped into and out of and in between, like boutiques in a mall.
A range of hotels, large and small provides plenty of accommodation alternatives. Hersonissos is the biggest seaside resort in Crete, 15 miles east of Crete’s capital, Heraklion. In recent times, it has changed dramatically with the growth of tourism. What was once a sleepy part of Crete is now the first place tourists look to for a Cretan holiday.
In Europe it can be 2x as expensive to rent an automatic vs a manual, so if you’re comfortable driving a manual that’s what you should get. We got an economy class automatic car and it was the worst of both worlds. More expensive and the shifting was so terrible that it felt like you were riding in a car with a person who just learned how to drive a stick shift. The local roads are narrow, often lined with cars parked on both sides. So when cars are eager to pass, you’re expected to move over to the right and drive on the shoulder while one or more cars try to pass you at the same time. It doesn’t seem like anyone respects the double lines dividing the two-way traffic.