Crete is Greece’s largest island and if you think you’re going to cover a lot of ground in a week, I’m here to tell you that it may feel like it but you’ll have barely scratched the surface of all the wonderful places that Crete has to offer. We spent a week in Crete and absolutely loved it but I do wish we were able to spend substantially more time there. This second part of my Crete series will be featuring our favorite towns and historical sites we were able to see during our time there. If you’re interested in some Crete beach information you can check out my first post in this Crete series by clicking here. I hope this mini guide will help you start planning your dream trip to Crete!
Old Town of Chania
First up is the Old Town of Chania which I’m sure you have no doubt heard about and have seen pictures of during your research of Crete, and for good reason. This is a must-see location during your time in Crete with its charming streets and alleyways. Take the time to walk through and admire the beautiful architecture and historical structures and definitely be sure to check out the Venetian Harbour and lighthouse. When we went to visit the town I was unfortunately not feeling very well and couldn’t stay out very long. If I could re-do it all over again I would have spent more time exploring every nook and cranny that I could and visiting more shops. I also would have enjoyed a nice long meal along the harbor. Visit Greece has a short and sweet article laying out all the different areas in the town to explore which you can find here. If your homebase is on the east side of Crete than I would recommend the old town in Rethymno for that charming atmosphere.
Sorry for the picture overload. The town has so many wonderful photo ops though, can you blame me?!
Kalyves
Kalyves is a charming small seaside resort overlooking Souda Bay not far from Chania. We stopped here for lunch and loved how quiet and calm it felt compared to some other towns we had been through and also the charming atmosphere. This would be a great place to make your homebase if you want a quiet central location that also has a beach and amenities such as restaurants, pharmacies, and shops. The beach is supposed to have calm waters too which is great for children. Definitely stop here for lunch and indulge in the fresh seafood if you have time!
Lunch with a view
Sougia
I mentioned Sougia in my Crete Beaches post so I’ll be reiterating that same information here as well. Sougia was a hidden south coast gem that we got to enjoy on our last full day in Crete. It’s the perfect village to spend time at if you’re looking for peace and quiet away from the tourist crowds and if you want a nice homebase location to great hiking trails. The bigger south coast town of Paleochora is also nearby, approximately an hour away if you are in need of more restaurants and shopping, a bigger sandy beach, and/or craving any nightlife. The beach is beautiful and long with incredibly crystal clear blue waters that are calm and perfect for swimming. It is a rocky beach but the rocks were actually pretty comfortable to lay out on and there are also some loungers on the beach. There was hardly anyone there when we went and the beach was the perfect place to reminisce on all of our adventures in Crete and how much we would miss the island. Based on my research, Sougia has roughly under 200 inhabitants but these seem to be older figures. Still, the village is very small but there are several accommodations and restaurants. There are tavernas on the beach as well and we enjoyed a delicious lunch at one. The drive to Sougia is also very beautiful but I found that pretty much every road trip we took on Crete was incredibly scenic and unique.
Lato
I wish we were able to fit in more historical sites during our time in Crete but the driving between locations took up a lot of the day. Still we managed to get a few in that I really enjoyed. The Ancient City of Lato near the town of Kritsa was probably one of my unexpected favorites. The site is situated on top of a hill with some of the most stunning views that I got to enjoy in Crete. Even the drive to the site was beautiful and there was hardly anybody there when we arrived in the afternoon. According to my research, Lato was one of the most important Doric city-states and was named after the Goddess Lato who was the mother of Apollo and Artemis. The excavated site is well preserved and there is plenty to explore. I really enjoyed walking around the ruins and taking in the peace and quiet. The site is a bit rocky and there are some uphill/steep parts so be aware of this when you come and wear appropriate shoes. Entrance fee was 2 Euros per person in May of 2018.
Aptera
The Ancient City of Aptera was another favorite historical site of mine and is also very close to Chania and Platanias which is where we stayed. Aptera was one of the most important and powerful city-states and the site is big with plenty to see so it is definitely worth your time in my opinion. There are plenty of ruins, interesting structures, a really cool cistern, an ancient theater that is well preserved, and a fortress (or otherwise known as the castle in some TripAdvisor reports) that overlooks Souda Bay. Entrance fee was 2 Euros per person in May of 2018.
Malia’s Palace
If I’m being honest I wasn’t a huge fan of the town of Malia in general which we briefly stopped at for lunch on our way to Malia’s Palace. It was at no fault of the locals but rather some of the more trashier party tourists running around wreaking havoc all over the place. Malia’s Palace was a great site to check out though if you’re in the area (although I kind of wish we had went to Phaistos instead) and it is the 3rd largest Minoan Palace in Crete. It really is mostly just a lot of ruins with not a lot of significant structures still standing but learning about the history was interesting and also trying to envision the palace back in its prime. The entrance fee was 6 Euros per person in May of 2018.
Psychro Cave (Cave of Zeus)/Lasithi Plateau
This was a fun stop for the novelty of it if you enjoy Greek Mythology (which we do!) but I will say the cave itself was not really anything spectacular or out of the ordinary compared to some other caves I have been to. It is really the history that you’re coming here for. This cave was supposedly Zeus’ birthplace although there is another legend of it being a different cave elsewhere as well. We mostly came here so we could drive through the Lasithi Plateau which is one of the most stunning drives we did in Crete and an absolute must if you have the time. GPS will direct you to a parking lot just at the foot of the path you have to take to the cave. There will be someone who will come to collect a small fee from you to park. From there you will go up the path which is pretty steep but not terrible. We weren’t aware of this little hike up but luckily it was no problem for us. Just be aware if you have elderly or children in your group and to wear shoes comfortable enough for the short climb. There will be some people offering donkey rides up for a fee which we passed on. Watch out for donkey feces on the path though! Once you get near the top be sure to stop and appreciate the view of the Lasithi Plateau below. That alone to me was worth the climb up. The fertile lush green valley with its pretty white windmills was just simply breathtaking. On your way down there is a little bar if you would like to stop for refreshments. We didn’t stop but the people working there and the locals sitting around the bar were super friendly towards us smiling and nodding hello as we headed back to the car. Gotta love that Greek hospitality! Entrance fee was 6 Euros per person in May of 2018 and I believe the car lot was about 2-3 Euros to park. *no flash photography allowed*
The gorgeous Lasithi Plateau
Knossos
Knossos was the largest Minoan palace in Crete and the history is definitely interesting but if I had to do it all over again I would probably skip it. I hate to be brutally honest about this site but I just wasn’t that impressed and feel that it is an extremely overhyped site. I liked that there was a good amount of things to see but it felt a little…almost too preserved if that makes sense. The restoration has given it a kind of fake and gimmicky vibe in my opinion but I will say the history is still intriguing so if you’re a history buff then make the time for it but come EARLY before the tour buses come around. The crowds were pretty crazy and definitely took away from the experience. We normally go to places very early but unfortunately got a late start in our day which is entirely our own fault but even just arriving around 11 it was packed so definitely get there close to opening. If you’re not a huge history buff and this site is pretty far from you I would not make a special trip out here for it. I feel there are far more interesting (and more affordable) historical sites all around Crete. The entrance fee to this place is expensive in my opinion at about 15 Euros per person (30 total for us). The Acropolis entrance fee is 20 Euros per person or 30 Euros per person for the Acropolis and SIX other awesome sites. I feel the Acropolis is far more extravagant, larger, more important, and vastly more interesting than Knossos so I’m not sure why the entrance fee is so high. I understand upkeep but I still feel it is a bit expensive. This is just my honest opinion which you might completely disagree with but hopefully I can help someone out who might be on the fence about visiting something completely out of their way just because it is “iconic” and on the mainstream tourist track.
These are just some of the places I felt were worth mentioning during our time in Crete. We did drive through Paleochora down south as well but ultimately returned to Sougia to spend our afternoon at because it was a little too crowded for us and we loved the quiet atmosphere of Sougia. Also I mentioned Elafonisi Beach in my Crete Beaches blog post which I wasn’t a huge fan of but I did like the area near the beach. It had a quiet and authentic vibe and the locals we interacted with were very friendly. We had lunch in the area and the food was incredible, the ladies were super nice, and it was surprisingly one of the more affordable meals we ate while in Crete. Lastly, we checked out Stavros and had lunch at a cute little restaurant in the area. The people were very friendly there as well and if you have the time you can stop at Stavros Beach or hit up the famous Seitan Limania beach which is about 25 minutes from Stavros. We unfortunately didn’t get to check out this beautiful spot but we are hoping to come back to Crete in the future as I still have so many gems on my list that I need to check off! Have you been to Crete? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Kelsie