Do your Greek travel daydreams involve tiny, tranquil islets with a single taverna? Beautiful, quaint, and… a little too quiet. Here’s a more exciting dream: Spend time exploring Crete, the largest of the Greek islands.

Crete offers ancient palaces, dramatic gorges, seductive beaches and delectable dining. You could easily spend weeks exploring Crete’s lively cities and natural wonders. This five-minute Crete travel guide highlights a few of the best sights, hotels, and restaurants to experience.

3 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance for Greece

1. You need to protect your travel investment. Don’t risk losing your money in case of a last-minute cancellation! Trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits can reimburse your unused, prepaid, non-refundable expenses if you have to call off your trip (or cut it short) for a covered reason.
2. Emergency medical and medical transportation benefits are a must. In Greece, “first responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment,” the U.S. Department of State warns. “U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance.”¹ Emergency transportation benefits can pay for a medically necessary, approved evacuation or medical repatriation following a covered illness or injury.
3. You can save big on rental car protection. Renting a car is the best way to get around Crete, although driving the winding roads can be tricky to navigate. Car rental rates include mandatory liability coverage, but collision and theft damage can cost as much as $38 per day.² The OneTrip Rental Car Protector from Allianz Travel Insurance provides reliable, affordable protection for just $11 per calendar day.

What’s the best travel insurance plan for Greece? OneTrip Prime is our most popular plan for vacations, and it covers kids 17 and under for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent (not available on policies issued to Pennsylvania residents). OneTrip Prime includes the Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, which adds covered reasons to select benefits for certain losses related to COVID-19 and any future epidemic. (Benefits vary by plan and are not available in all jurisdictions)

Before you leave, download the Allianz TravelSmart™ app so you can access your policy and 24-Hour Hotline Assistance from your phone, anytime.

3 of the Best Things to Do in Crete

1. Fall in love with the city of Rethymno. This port city is a heady mix of architecture and cultures: the Venetian Rimondi Fountain, the Ottoman Neratze Mosque, the Egyptian lighthouse. Spend the day strolling and shopping, then enjoy dinner on the waterfront in the Venetian Harbor.
2. Find your own secluded beach. There are plenty of touristy beaches on Crete, but the most beautiful are more remote. Consider the pink-sand Elafonisi beach, in southwest Crete; Preveli, a palm-lined beach only accessible by a steep trail; or Seitan Limania, a hidden cove between dramatic cliffs.³
3. Visit the Palace of Knossos. Built by the ancient Minoans around 1720 BC on the site of an even earlier palace that was destroyed by an earthquake, Knossos is a sprawling stone complex. You can see the original throne room, thought to be the oldest in Europe, and colorful restored frescoes.⁴

3 of the Best Hotels in Crete

Blue Palace Elounda calls itself a “bohemian luxe resort,” which is a bit of a contradiction — but luxe it certainly is, with 52 suites, four private villas and 142 private pools. Enjoy stunning views of the Aegean and Spinalonga, an island whose dark history as a leper colony was brightened by the community spirit of its residents.⁵

A beloved, budget-friendly boutique hotel in Crete is Civitas Suites Hotel, in Rethymno’s Old Town. Guests love the water views, vintage vibes and great rates.

Lagoon-style pools, overwater bungalows, and swim-up rooms: Stella Island Luxury Resort & Spa has every watery amenity you could want. One of the best resorts in Crete, this adults-only spot is close to the lively city of Heraklion.

3 of the Best Restaurants in Crete

When dining on Crete, you’ll encounter many familiar Greek dishes, such as dolmades (grape leaves rolled around rice and vegetables), horiátiki saláta (the classic salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives and feta) and souvláki (grilled pork or chicken). Don’t miss your chance to taste less familiar specialties, like fried snails (chochlioí) and boiled goat (gída vrastí).⁶

There are countless fine restaurants in Crete, but here are just a few of the best. Peskesi, located in an old sea captain’s mansion in Heraklion, gets all its produce from a nearby 60-acre farm. The traditional Cretan dishes are made with creativity and care, “and there is pure theater when Syglino, smoked pork chop, is bought to the table in a paper bag with smouldering thyme and sage leaves,” says Fodor’s.⁷

To Antikristo is named for the traditional antikristo (“across the fire”) method of cooking meat on skewers placed around open flame. This unprepossessing restaurant in the suburbs of Chania is a master of the art, serving exceptional lamb, pork and side dishes.

For seafood, try Zefyros, a charming spot next to the lighthouse in Rethymno. Whether you order shrimp, sole, calamari or mussels, everything will be freshly caught and prepared to perfection.

What Do I Need to Travel to Crete?

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