Matala Beach & Caves
Sandy bay overlooked by cliffs honeycombed with ancient caves.
Sandstrände · Phaistos
Dein Kompass für Kreta
Strände, Sehenswürdigkeiten, Dörfer und ehrliche Insidertipps und der einfachste Weg, alles zu buchen.
What do you love?
Choose what you like to do in Crete and see the best places right away.
33 Orte
Malia Beach
Long sandy beach with shallow water and the busiest nightlife strip on Crete behind it.
Sandstrände · Chersonissos
Agia Pelagia Beach
A sheltered sandy bay with turquoise water and a lively little resort behind it.
Sandstrände · Malevizi
Hersonissos Beach
The busy town beach of Hersonissos, sand, sunbeds and a promenade full of cafes.
Sandstrände · Chersonissos
Ammoudara Beach
Heraklion's long town beach, kilometres of sand and shallow water with every facility.
Sandstrände · Heraklion
Georgioupoli Beach
A sandy beach of more than 10 km that starts at a pretty river village.
Sandstrände · Apokoronas
Stalida Beach
A long sandy beach between Hersonissos and Malia, a bit more relaxed and family friendly.
Sandstrände · Chersonissos
Agia Marina Beach
A long resort beach west of Chania, with artificial coves that keep the water calm.
Sandstrände · Platanias
Book this experience
See all: Beaches
Welcome to Crete
An island that feels like a small country
Crete is the biggest Greek island and honestly feels more like a small country than an island. In one day you can swim in a turquoise lagoon, walk through a gorge, eat in a mountain village where the menu is whatever grandma cooked, and watch the sunset over a Venetian harbour.
The island is split into four regions. Chania in the west has the wild beaches like Balos and Elafonisi and the White Mountains. Rethymno is all about its old town, Arkadi monastery and the quiet south coast. Heraklion in the middle is home to Knossos, the big museum and the busiest airport. Lasithi in the east has Spinalonga, Elounda and palm beaches like Vai.
CreteCompass puts it all in one place: places to go, things to do, how to get around, local services and the practical stuff you need on the island, written by people who live here.
Why people love Crete
A few reasons we never get bored of this island.
Beaches for every mood
Lagoons, pink sand, palm forests and tiny coves you only reach on foot or by boat.
4,000 years of history
Minoan palaces, Venetian harbours, Ottoman mosques and monasteries in the hills.
Food that tastes like home
Olive oil, cheese, raki and dishes cooked the same way for generations.
Mountains and gorges
Hike the Samaria gorge, cross a plateau or drive up to a village above the clouds.
Local guide
Practical info and stories about Crete, from people who live here.
Useful info
Useful information & emergency numbers
Emergency numbers, hospitals, money, plugs, water, time zone and local etiquette.
Useful info
When to visit Crete
Month-by-month: sea temperature, wind, crowds, hiking season and festivals.
Useful info
Where to stay in Crete
The best bases in each region for beaches, culture, families and nightlife.
Top picks
Crete in 7 days: the classic route
A one-week road trip from Chania to Elounda, with the essential beaches and sights.
Culture & history
Cretan culture & traditions
Hospitality, music, mantinades, raki and the feasts that keep village life going.
Culture & history
Crafts & arts of Crete
Weaving, pottery, knives, lyra makers and where to see them.
Culture & history
Crete’s economy
Tourism, olive oil, greenhouses, wine and why Crete feels so self-sufficient.
Culture & history
Towns & municipalities
How Crete is divided, its four regional units and the main towns in each.
Nature
Islands around Crete
Gavdos, Chrissi, Gramvousa, Spinalonga, Dia and the islets worth a boat trip.
Useful info
Location & climate
Where Crete is, how big it is and what the weather is like through the year.
Culture & history
A short history of Crete
From the Minoans to the Battle of Crete, the story behind the sights you visit.
Nature
Nature & wildlife
Kri-kri goats, vultures, wild herbs, palm forests and where to see them.
Nature
Geology: mountains, gorges & caves
Why Crete has so many gorges and caves, and the best places to see them.
Culture & history
People & population
How many people live in Crete, where they live and a bit about the Cretan dialect.
Food & wine
Cretan wine
Native grapes, wine regions and how to visit wineries.
Food & wine
Cretan food: what to eat
Dakos, kalitsounia, staka, snails, gamopilafo and the dishes you have to try, region by region.
Food & wine
Cretan products to taste and take home
Olive oil, graviera, pichtogalo, xygalo, thyme honey, dittany, mountain tea, raki and more, and where they come from.
Getting around
Getting around Crete
Rental car, KTEL buses, taxis, transfers and boats, and what works where.
Getting around
Getting to Crete
Airports, ferries from Athens and the islands, and how to choose where to land.
Getting around
Flights & airports
Heraklion, Chania and Sitia airports, and which one to fly into.
Getting around
Airport transfers & taxis
Pre-booked transfers, taxi ranks, fixed fares and when a taxi beats a rental car.
Getting around
Ferries & island hopping
Overnight ferries to Athens, fast boats to Santorini and the little islands off the Cretan coast.
Getting around
Car rental in Crete
Local or international company, which insurance you really need and the small print that catches people.
Getting around
Driving in Crete
Road rules, local habits, mountain roads and rental-insurance pitfalls.
Getting around
Scooter, motorbike & ATV rental
Licences, helmets and the best places to explore on two wheels or a quad.
Getting around
Bike & e-bike rental
Cycling in Crete, from easy e-bike rides along the coast to serious mountain biking.
Getting around
Buses in Crete (KTEL)
How the KTEL buses work, the main routes and tips for tickets and timetables.
Kretas Klassiker
Alle Knossos Palace
The largest Bronze Age site on Crete and the ceremonial and political heart of Minoan civilisation.
Ausgrabungsstätten · Heraklion
Chania Old Venetian Harbour
Crete’s most atmospheric waterfront: lighthouse, mosque and Venetian arsenals.
Festungen & Burgen · Chania
Balos Lagoon
Turquoise shallow lagoon at the tip of the Gramvousa peninsula, framed by pink-tinted sand.
Lagunen · Kissamos
Elafonisi Beach
Famous pink-sand beach and wade-across islet on the south-west corner of Crete.
Sandstrände · Kissamos
Samaria Gorge
Europe-famous 16 km gorge hike through a national park, from the White Mountains to the Libyan Sea.
Schluchten · Sfakia
Spinalonga Island
Venetian sea fortress that later became a leper colony until 1957.
Festungen & Burgen · Agios Nikolaos
Falasarna Beach
Long, wide sandy beach on the west coast and Crete’s favourite sunset spot.
Sandstrände · Kissamos
Preveli Palm Beach
River-mouth beach with a palm forest, below the historic Preveli monastery.
Sandstrände · Agios Vasileios
Geheimtipp
Seitan Limania
A dramatic zig-zag cove squeezed between sheer cliffs on the Akrotiri peninsula.
Versteckte Buchten · Chania
Geheimtipp
Anogeia
Proud mountain village on Psiloritis, famous for lyra music, weaving and shepherd cuisine.
Dörfer & Städte · Anogia
Geheimtipp
Triopetra
Quiet south-coast beach named after three rocks rising from the sea.
Versteckte Buchten · Agios Vasileios
Geheimtipp
Red Beach (Kokkini Ammos)
A wild beach of reddish sand behind the cliffs of Matala, reached by a short hike.
Versteckte Buchten · Phaistos
Demnächst
AlleBook ahead
Tours, transfers, rental cars and ferries from partners we trust.
Touren & Aktivitäten
Activities & attraction tickets
Klook
Mietwagen
Compare local rental companies in Crete
Localrent
Flughafentransfer
Fixed price and your driver waits for you
Welcome Pickups
Flughafentransfer
Private transfers at a fixed price
Kiwitaxi
Fähre buchen
Ferries to Athens & the islands
Ferryhopper
Unternehmen eintragen
Tavernas, rentals, taxis, shops and guides: reach travellers while they plan their day in Crete.