What to see in Crete for the first time: 10 interesting places and attractions

Crete is the most popular island in Greece for beach vacations, with a season that lasts from May to October. Stunning nature, picturesque bays, warm seas, beautiful beaches for every taste, and generous Greek cuisine – all of this attracts travelers from around the world. But your vacation can also be very interesting! We have selected the 10 main attractions of Crete that will help you discover the island in all its diversity!

Chania

Travelers compare this former capital and second-largest city of Crete to small Italian coastal towns. Here, you'll find numerous alleys to get lost in, charming houses with flower-covered walls and windows facing the sea, and fishermen supplying ingredients to local restaurants. Chania attracts numerous visitors primarily with its unique atmosphere and architecture, which blends Venetian, Ottoman, Byzantine, and Greek cultural influences.

In addition to the Old Town, we recommend including the Janissaries Mosque in the port area (now an exhibition hall), the Firkas Fortress, where you can take beautiful photos, the largest church in Crete – the Church of Saint Francis (which houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania), as well as preserved villas of noble Venetians, such as the Renieri Palace. About an hour's drive from Chania is the famous Elafonisi Beach with its pink sand.

• How to get there: KTEL buses leave Heraklion every hour, taking you to Chania in three hours for €16 without transfers. Alternatively, you can drive there yourself, reaching your destination in just two hours.

Samaria Gorge National Park

The Samaria Gorge is one of the longest canyons in Europe. The hiking trail, about 16 kilometers long, starts on the Omalos Plateau, located at an altitude of 1,230 meters above sea level, and ends in the coastal village of Agia Roumeli. A brisk walk can cover this distance in 4.5 hours, but if you’re not in a hurry, you can spend the entire day here. We recommend starting as early as possible to cover most of the trail in the cool morning and avoid the crowds (about 1,000 people take this route daily!). Also, if you start your walk after lunch, you’ll only be able to reach a certain point and then will have to turn back.

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to 65% on the website.

• Hours: May 1 - October 15 (the season may open or close earlier or later, depending on weather conditions), from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Cost: €5 (free for children under 15).
• Address: Old National Road Chanion-Kissamou, Agioi Apostoloi, Chania.
• How to get there: Driving is not the best option, as you'll leave your car at the park's entrance but exit at a different location. We recommend using public transport: take a bus from Chania to Omalos, ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion, and then take a bus back to Chania.

Dictean Cave

Greece has 8,500 caves, with 3,000 of them located on Crete, so why are tourists drawn specifically here? Smart marketing – the locals of Crete actively support the legend that Zeus was born here. While it’s only been proven that he was worshipped here for many years – as evidenced by figurines of the deity and ritual objects found during excavations – tourists still include the cave in their must-visit list.

When planning your trip to this Crete attraction, choose comfortable footwear: from the parking lot or bus stop, you'll need to walk uphill about 800 meters (or ride a donkey for €10-15), and inside, slippery steps await you. Be sure to bring a jacket – it's damp and cool underground year-round.

• Hours: April-October from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, November-March from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
• Cost: €6 (free for children under 18).
• Address: vicinity of the Lassithi Plateau, near the village of Psychro.
• How to get there: The most convenient way is by car (coordinates: 35.164958, 25.447567) or as part of a tour group (around €30). Public transportation is less convenient: there is a bus from Heraklion to the Lassithi Plateau (about €7 one way), but in summer it runs once a day, and the rest of the year — twice a week.

Monastery of Agia Triada (Holy Trinity)

One of the wealthiest and largest in Greece. Visit the main church of the complex — the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the museum housing valuable books and icons, and then take a walk through the inner courtyards — cozy, quiet, and green. Before leaving, be sure to stop by the shop, where they sell olive oil, wine, and raki made by the monks from ingredients grown on-site, as well as honey from their beehives.

• Hours: Daily from 8:00 AM until sunset.
• Cost: €2 (free for children under 18).
• Address: Akrotiri Peninsula, Chania Prefecture.
• How to get there: By car (coordinates: 35.5608, 24.1353), it's a half-hour drive from Chania.

Knossos Palace

One of the largest and most beautiful complexes on Crete (180 by 130 meters, 1,000 rooms) was built with all the technological advancements of the time: rooms were heated using hot water supplied through pipes, and there was a sewage system.

This is one of the most recognizable attractions in Crete, visited by most tourists. The proper presentation is key — it is believed to be the famous labyrinth where the Minotaur dwelled. Proponents of this theory point to the palace's very intricate layout and its enormous size.

• Hours: Daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
• Cost: €15 (free for children under 18). For €16, you can purchase a combined ticket valid at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum as well. On March 6, April 18, May 18, the last weekend of September, October 28, and the first Sunday of each month from November 1 to March 31, entry is free for all visitors.
• Address: Τ.Κ. 71409, Knosos (Prefecture of Iraklio).
• How to get there: By car (coordinates: 35.297883, 25.163118) or by city (blue) bus, which departs from the center of Heraklion every 10 minutes (about €1.5 one way). There are also guided tours (usually including visits to the Cave of Zeus and the Lassithi Plateau), costing from €40.

Gramvousa Island and Balos Lagoon

Gramvousa consists of two small, currently uninhabited islands, which territorially belong to the city of Kissamos. On one of them is a fortress built between 1579 and 1584 to protect against sea attacks. The fort changed hands between Greeks and Turks several times before Cretan rebels finally recaptured it, after which they settled there. They engaged in raids on passing ships, and for many years, Gramvousa was a pirate stronghold.

Tourists come here not so much to touch history as to enjoy the views and relax on the beach in Balos Bay, often referred to as the "Cretan Maldives". From the fortress walls, you can see the meeting point of three seas: the Ionian, Cretan, and Libyan, where the water periodically changes color.

How to get there: First, you need to get to the port of Kissamos, which can be reached by car (coordinates: 35.5176799, 23.6370052) or by KTEL bus (about €5). From there, boats will take you to the island in about an hour, departing one to four times a day, depending on the season (ticket costs about €20).

Heraklion Archaeological Museum

One of the most significant museums in Europe and the best in the world dedicated to Minoan art. It houses surviving parts of the frescoes from Knossos Palace and other valuable artifacts found during excavations across Crete. Overall, the exhibition covers 5,500 years of the island's history, from the Neolithic to the Roman period.

• Hours: April 15 - October 31 from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, November 1 - April 14 from 8:00 AM (or 11:00 AM) to 3:00 PM (or 5:00 PM), depending on the day of the week.
• Cost: €5-10 (depending on the season). For €16, you can purchase a combined ticket valid at Knossos Palace as well. On March 6, April 18, May 18, the last weekend of September, October 28, and the first Sunday of each month from November 1 to March 31, entry is free for all visitors.
• Address: Xanthoudidou Street 1, Heraklion.

Malia Palace

The third largest Minoan palace on Crete, built around the same time as Knossos. Many significant finds from the Minoan period were discovered here, including the famous gold bee pendant, which is kept in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

• Hours: Daily from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
• Cost: €6 (free for children under 18). On March 6, April 18, May 18, the last weekend of September, October 28, and the first Sunday of each month from November 1 to March 31, entry is free for all visitors.
• Address: Τ.Κ. 70007, Malia (Prefecture of Iraklio).
• How to get there: From Heraklion, you can drive to Malia, then turn onto the Old Road and head east to the sign for "The Minoan palace and city of Malia," or take a bus (about 40 minutes, ticket costs about €2).

Spinalonga Island (Kalidon)

In 1584, the Venetians built a fort here — one of the most important and heavily fortified defensive points in the Mediterranean. From 1903 to 1957, it housed a leper colony where those afflicted with leprosy were sent to die. Despite its sad history, the ghost island is now included in many travel guides and is popular among lovers of unique excursions in Crete.

• How to get there: By boat from the port of Agios Nikolaos (closest to Heraklion), Plaka, or Elounda.

Mount Ida (Psiloritis)

The highest peak on the island (2,456 meters above sea level). It holds significant sacred importance for Greeks, as, according to legend, Zeus spent his childhood here. You can visit the Cave of Zeus, see the dome-shaped houses "mitata" on the Nida Plateau, and the Church of Timios Stavros located at the highest point, as well as take a hike along the marked trail, enjoying picturesque landscapes and visiting small mountain villages along the way.

The route to the summit is 6 kilometers long, with the same distance to be covered on the way back.

• How to get there: The most convenient way is by car (coordinates of the starting point for the hike: 35.241517, 24.777947).