Crete

By Jennifer Milano, traveled June 2023

Crete has been on my travel wish list for years. It’s one of those places I stared at on my world map and wondered what it was like to be there. My wish came true in June 2023, and I had my answer. Crete is incredible! This island is one of my favorite places I have ever traveled because it has everything I love: a crystal clear sea to swim in, the kindest of people, fantastic and healthy food, and affordability. The only downside of Crete for us was it is a long haul from New York. But the trip was well worth it and I can’t wait to go back someday!

Where to Stay in Crete

I had read that western Crete has the most beautiful beaches and is less touristy than eastern Crete. We started our eight-day trip in Chania, where we stayed for four nights. From Chania, we traveled south to Plakias, where we stayed two nights. From Plakias we drove to Elounda in eastern Crete, stopping at the Palace of Knossos on the way. We spent our last two nights at a resort in the Elounda area, which is known for its abundance of high-end resorts.

I loved our itinerary and would not change anything. However, Crete is big, and if you prefer not to move around a lot, you can happily spend your whole vacation in western Crete near Chania. There are plenty of day trips to do from Chania, and I think it is the prettiest part of Crete with the most incredible beaches.

• Domes Zeen Chania - I spent many hours researching where to stay in and around Chania (western Crete). I was torn between the old town and the beach just outside the city. In the end, I couldn’t have been happier about our choice to stay on the beach at the Domes Zeen Chania. The property boasts beautiful views, plenty of loungers at the pool and beach, a very good breakfast, and impeccable service. The staff could not have been kinder. There is a walking path to the center of Chania, which takes 35 minutes, or you can take a taxi. The cons of the hotel were our 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom unit was a bit cramped, the private plunge pool was too cold to use, and we did not like that the staff asked for a tip on the credit card bill at check out (this did not happen at the Domes of Elounda). We also did not want the half-board option as we prefer to dine out in the evenings, but we had no choice but to book it. Despite these few cons, I would return here in a heartbeat.

• Kymani Boutique Hotel & Suites - we loved our stay at this boutique hotel in Plakias (southern Crete). The staff is so friendly, the small pool area is relaxing, and the hotel is located just a 5-10 minute walk into town. The hotel is an excellent value.

• Domes of Elounda - we liked this hotel mostly because of the beach area, which consists of several small coves that give you a feeling of more privacy, and there are plenty of lounge chairs. The watersports staff is great, and my son enjoyed learning how to waterski. I loved that the staff took me over to the island of Spinalonga so that I could explore this former leper colony that was the setting of the novel I was reading (The Island by Victoria Hislop) (but given the three-minute ride, 60 Euros was a steep charge). Our son loved the outdoor gym. The adult pool is warm and quiety. Service was friendly, but not as warm as at the Domes Zeen Chania. The cons of this hotel were: trash on the beach ignored by staff, the resort is huge and takes 15 minutes to walk anywhere (golf cart rides are available on request; if you have young children be aware that the family pool is a long walk from the beach), and an annoying meal voucher policy that I have been told has since been revised to make it easier for guests.

What to Do in Crete

Crete is known for its pristine and unique lagoon-like beaches, ruins from the ancient Minoan civilization like the Palace of Knossos, historic towns with fortresses, and incredible hospitality. After we picked up our rental car near the Chania airport with the friendliest service I’ve ever experienced at a car rental agency, the agent asked us if we had any questions. I said, "yes, is everyone in Crete as nice as you are?” and he responded, “they had better be! We are known for our hospitality here.” That gentleman set the tone for our entire trip. Everyone we encountered on Crete was incredibly welcoming and kind. There is a lot to do on the island of Crete, but how we feel about a place after we’ve traveled there really comes down to the people we’ve encountered. The Cretans leave you feeling like you’ve just visited a really special place.

Must-visit Beaches in Western Crete

• Elafonissi is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited. It is famous for its pink sand, of which there is some, but the draw for us was the clear, lagoon-like waters of the Aegean. You can wade for hours in the shallow aquamarine water. 1 hour 20 minutes by car from Chania.

• Falasarna is another beautiful, more traditional sandy beach with clear blue water and plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas for rent. 1 hour by car from Chania.

• Balos is reachable only by car or by boat. We chartered a boat for the day from Creta Luxury Cruises, and Balos was our first stop. We hopped out of the boat in waist-deep water and walked to shore, then continued to walk through mostly ankle-deep clear water all around the lagoon. It was a bit windy when we were there, but worth the trip, and we especially appreciated having the lagoon to ourselves before any of the tour boats arrived!

Fortress

• After Balos, our boat took us to Gramvousa Island to climb up to the 16th-century Venetian fort overlooking the harbor. The views were spectacular.

Boat Trips

• We took two different private day trips by boat while in Crete. The first was from Chania with Creta Luxury Cruises, which took us on the pristine Axopar boat to Balos and Gramvousa. We had a great day out, jumping in the sea and swimming when we felt like it.

• The second boat trip was from Plakias with Plakias Boat Tours, which took us to Argilos Beach to coat our skin in clay and wash it off in the clear sea, the pretty village of Loutro where we had lunch, and to lots of coves and caves where we swam, paddleboarded, and snorkeled to our hearts’ content.

Minoan Ruins

• Palace of Knossos - we booked a tour last minute with Panos, who was a wonderful guide. We prefer short tours, and Panos listened to what we were interested in and altered the tour to suit our tastes. Knossos is known as the largest and most important site of the Minoan civilization, dating back to around 2,000 B.C. We learned a lot and were glad we saw Knossos, but we had not known that much of the site is a replication by a Brit who was careless with the restoration, using concrete and imagination rather than historical accuracy.

Cities, towns, villages, and islands

• Chania has a pretty old town with narrow streets to wander.

• Rethymno is like a mini-Chania.

• Loutro is a postcard-perfect whitewashed village on the sea in southern Crete.

• Agios Nikolaos is a pretty seaside village in eastern Crete.

• I loved wandering around Spinalonga island, just off the coast of Elounda in eastern Crete. Beautiful Spinalonga was a leper colony from 1903-1957. It is heartbreaking to think of the families who became separated for life when one of their members was sent across the sea from Plaka to live out their remaining days confined to the island. My experience visiting Spinalonga was enhanced by reading The Island by Victoria Hislop, a work of historical fiction.

Where to Eat in Crete:

The food in Crete is fresh, healthy, affordable, and incredibly good. Virtually all of our meals were excellent!

• Tamam in Chania is on a cute little street and has very good food. Sit outside and soak up the atmosphere.

• Periplous is a really good seaside restaurant in Chania.

• Evognia in Chania is a great spot for dinner.

• Salis in Chania is another great restaurant for dinner.

• Avli in Reythmno is worth checking out.

• Taverna Mariou in Plakias was a favorite of ours.

• To Xecharisto is a good spot in Plakias to grab a gyro.

• Archontiko in Agios Nikolaos was outstanding.

• Olondi Taverna in Elounda was also excellent.