The 12 best things to do in Crete
The beaches are beautiful on Greece's largest island, but the birthplace of Zeus has plenty to tempt visitors away from those golden sands. Crete's off-the-beaten-track sights, split into four very different regions, are best explored via exhilarating four-wheel drive safaris into remote mountain villages, or boat trips to tiny, shell-strewn islands. With many well-organised museums and more than a dozen world class archaeological sites, there are also innumerable ways to get to grips with the local history and culture, whilst a plethora of food-themed tours and activities offer a taste-packed insight into the celebrated Cretan diet.
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Best for culture
Spinalonga
Linger on The Island
A traditional wooden fishing boat whisks you over (sometimes choppy) waves from Elounda's pretty harbour to visit Spinalonga, a barren atoll in sheltered Mirabello Bay where Greece's lepers were kept in quarantine until 1957. You can easily spend an hour exploring the Venetian forts, tunnel and stone buildings of this island which was the setting for Victoria Hislop's poignant novel "The Island".
Insider tip:It's well worth hiring one of the personable professional guides who'll be waiting as you get off the boat: they know fascinating anecdotes about life on this island, which was already a place of exile during the Ottoman occupation. I'd recommend booking with Elounda Boat Cooperative .
Contact: 0030 69743 85854
Opening times: Daily, 9am-5pm (Apr 1st-Oct 31st)
Price:£
The arid inlet of Spinalonga morphed from Venetian fortress to leper colony - milangonda
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Visit a fascinating museum
If you only visit one museum, it has to be the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which houses the worlds best collection of artefacts hailing from Crete's mysterious Minoan civilisation. It's well presented with detailed labels in English: look out for the famous dolphin frescoes, the minutely detailed gold bee pendant from Malia, and the yet-to-be-deciphered Phaistos disc.
Insider tip: For better value, combine this visit with Knossos Palace and buy one ticket which gives entry to both. The amount of breathtaking artefacts on show here is astounding – plan to spend at least two hours.
Website: heraklionmuseum.gr
Price: ££
Over 5,500 years of Cretan history can be found in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Arkadi
Visit the seat of Cretan Revolution
A potent symbol of resistance for Cretans, Arkadi is an incense-scented haven of peace. This 17th-century monastery, hidden behind high stone walls, has a large courtyard surrounded by monachal cells and an elegant 16th-century church. Most moving is the old gunpowder magazine where local families fleeing Ottoman troops in 1866 blew themselves up, rather than surrender.
Insider tip: The monks are generally willing to show visitors around, and on special feast days they'll even share a tumbler of raki. Make sure to see the ossuary across from the monastery where some of the victims' skulls are conserved behind glass.
Website: arkadimonastery.gr
Price:£
Best for nature
Death Valley
Hike through the Dead's Gorge
Leave your vehicle in the cryptically signposted "Dead's Gorge" car park beneath the bustling mountain village of Zakros village, then hike down to Kato Zakros between towering, cave-pocked cliff faces where the Minoans once buried their dead. The trail winds down, over worn pebbles and stony outcroppings hung with pungent oregano, to the remote resorts' 16th-century BC Minoan Palace.
Insider tip: Hike early and plan to spend the day in this gloriously pretty (and gorgeously isolated) cove. There's a sprinkling of taverns lining the waterfront.
Contact:0030 28430 26897
Opening times:Daily, 8am-7.45pm in summer (varies in winter)
Price:£
The Kato Zakros site was the final resting place of ancient Minoans - PANOSKARAPANAGIOTIS
Samaria Gorge
Explore Europe's longest gorge
You'll need to be fairly fit to make the five-hour hike through the 16 kilometre-long (10-mile) Samaria Gorge, but it's worth it for the chance to spot feral kri kri goats and soaring griffon vultures. Enjoy the viewing platform before the trail plunges into the rubble-strewn gorge, which narrows to three metres at the claustrophobic cleft known as sideresportes (iron gates).
Insider tip:An easier alternative is to take a boat from Hora Sfakion to Agia Roumeli and hike through the bottom end of the gorge. Alternatively, spend the night in Agia Roumeli and explore this stunning gorge in the cool of morning. Accommodation in Agia Roumeli is fairly basic but Artemis Studios is one of the best and closest to the gorge.
Website: samaria.gr
Price:£
It may not be the easiest walk but tackling the Samaria Gorge is certainly worth it - STANCIUC
Forage Crete
Search for your supper
Get off the beaten track and learn about the Cretan diet on a foraging expedition with biologist Dr Haris Saslis of Forage Crete. Leaping from crag to crag, personable Haris imparts anecdotes about mountain goats, local flora – and London's Kew Gardens where he used to work – whilst guiding participants to harvest edible wild green xorta (green leaves).
Insider tip:Don't eat too much beforehand – after the foraging expedition participants cook their own surprisingly filling lunch so leave space for the flaky filo pastry pies stuffed with dock leaves and steamed wild asparagus drizzled with olive oil.
Website: ecotourscrete.gr
Price:£££
Best for families
Minoan Theater
Meet the Minoans
If you've ever wondered what the mysterious Minoans were really like, this carefully choreographed performance might give you some idea. Based on expert evidence and purporting to offer an accurate historical experience, the colourful three-hour show introduces you to King Minos and other mythical characters, whilst demonstrating ritual dances of the time, including bull-leaping.
Insider tip:It's worth booking the Minoan Night Experience which includes a meal based on olive oil, wine, honey and other elements of the Minoan diet.
Website: minoantheater.gr
Price:£££
Safari Club
Set out to spot wildlife
Heading for the hills on a safari adventure is a great way to explore corners of Crete where only goats get to roam. The Minoan trail winds through high flung villages to Zeus's cave (with stops for raki tasting en route), whilst the Preveli route thunders between Spili's picturesque lion head fountains and shops to palm tree-lined beaches.
Insider tip: Bring binoculars to spot the wildlife that haunt these more remote regions: impressive griffon vultures (their wingspan is over two metres) hang above the crags of Patsos Gorge and deer-like Kri Kri goats hide out near Samaria's gorge.
Website: safariclub.gr
Price:£££
If you trek the Minoan trail you'll be able to see Zeus' cave up-close - ABBPHOTO
Chrissi Island
Voyage to Golden Island
A boat sails once a day to visit the pristine, sea daffodil-studded dunes, gold sand beaches, ancient salt pans and Minoan remains on eastern Crete's Natura 2000-protected Chrissi Island. Apart from dozens of parasols dotting the shell-strewn beach, shade is provided by a small forest of juniper trees – some are more than 300 years old. According to new conservation laws, however, boats can only approach to within 50 metres of the beach and you'll have to swim the rest of the way.
Insider tip: Umbrellas, food, water and even souvenirs are for sale/rent on the island, but they're expensive so it's a good idea to bring your own – even the showers are charged for. At the height of summer beaches are crowded – especially at weekends.
Website: cretandailycruises.com
Price:££
Escape to an even more tranquil part of Crete by taking a boat across to Chrissi Island - FilippoBacci/FilippoBacci
CretAquarium
Hang out with big fish
A real unsung gem, Crete's Thalassokosmos aquarium is one of the largest centres for marine research, technology and entertainment in the Mediterranean. Housed amidst houses and barracks of the atmospheric abandoned American base at Gournes it's easily overlooked, so keep an eye out for the signs. Plan a couple of hours to visit all the different tanks: there are 60 of them containing everything from local to tropical species – there's even a small shark tunnel and a breezy open-air cafe overlooking Gournes'sandy beach. It's also well worth booking a behind-the-scenes tour where you'll get up close and friendly with the different fish.
Insider tip: Close to several sandy beaches and a string of cafes and tavernas, the aquarium also sits next door to Dinosauria Park (a quirky dino-themed attraction which includes a fossil exhibition and animatronic dinosaur models). Bring your swimwear and make a full day of it.
Website: cretaquarium.gr
Price:££
Best for food lovers
Crete Urban Adventures
Meet and eat with locals
Cretan food specialties abound, but it can be tough to seek them out without insider help. Local born guides with Crete Urban Adventures lead gourmet walking tours through Heraklion's busy backstreets and herb-and leather-scented bazaars to visit the city's oldest custard pie bougatsa shop, meet the man behind Heraklion's best tripe restaurant, and plenty more (expect lots of mezes en route).
Insider tip: Make sure to ask to see the statue (and hear the tale) of Crete's star-crossed lovers from the celebrated 17th-century poem Erotokritos.
Website: intrepidtravel.com
Price:££
Crete Urban Adventures lead gourmet walking tours through Heraklion's busy backstreets
Heraklion's wine routes
Meet and eat with locals
Surrounded by tousled fields of vines, the wineries producing some of Greece's best bottles are within easy reach of Crete's lively capital. To sample some of the wines that have been produced here since Minoan times, there are two waymarked routes to choose from.
The western route goes into the fertile foothills of the Psiloritis mountains where most of the dry and sweet Dafnes reds are produced, whilst the eastern route wends its way through fields producing Archanes reds, as well as the Peza vineyard, origin of the PDO Peza white and red wines.
Insider tip:It's worth taking a few days to explore the wine roads, stopping off en route to visit the sites of Gortyna and Phaistos and the world's oldest wine press at Vathypetro.
Website: heraklionwines.gr/en/wine-routes
Price:Free
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
