Cherry Festival
A village celebration of the cherry harvest with sweets, raki and Cretan dancing.
Add to calendarNightlife in Crete
Bars, pubs, clubs and beach bars, from the harbour of Chania to the strips of Hersonissos and Malia.
Going out in Crete
Crete has nightlife for every taste: lively bar streets in the resorts, cocktail bars by the Venetian harbours, student bars in Heraklion, beach bars at sunset and Cretan nights with live music in the villages.
Where to go
Hersonissos and Malia on the north coast are the busiest resort areas, with bars and clubs that stay open late in summer; the hill villages above Hersonissos, like Piskopiano and Koutouloufari, are quieter with bars and tavernas. In Chania and Rethymno the bars are in the old town lanes and around the harbour. Heraklion is a university city with cafes and bars that are busy all year. Agios Nikolaos has bars around the lake and the harbour.
When
Greeks go out late: bars fill up after 23:00 and clubs after midnight. The resort season runs from about May to October, and many resort bars close in winter, while the cities stay lively all year.
Must do's
Hersonissos Nostos Irish Cafe Bar
An Irish style pub with Greek hosts in the hill village of Piskopiano above Hersonissos, open every season since 2001.
Chania Chania Old Venetian Harbour
Crete’s most atmospheric waterfront: lighthouse, mosque and Venetian arsenals.
Rethymno Rethymno Old Town
Venetian lanes, a fortress and a long beach.
Bars, pubs & clubs
See the full agendaJune 2027
Wine festival of Dafnes
About ten nights of local wine, food and music in the heart of Heraklion's wine country.
Add to calendarJuly 2027
Cretan Diet Festival
A week of tastings, cooking demonstrations, local producers and folk music in Rethymno.
Add to calendarAugust 2027
Myzithropita Festival, Kritsa
Kritsa bakes its sweet cheese pies for a summer night of music in the schoolyard.
Add to calendarOlive Oil Festival
Producers from the Sitia area present their olive oil with tastings, food and music.
Add to calendarShepherd and Cheese Festival, Zoniana
The shepherd village next to Anogia shows how cheese is made and shares it with everyone.
Add to calendarWine Festival of Vouves
Two nights of local wine and lyra music in the village of the ancient olive tree.
Add to calendarKreatotourta festival, Meskla
On the eve of the Dormition, Meskla bakes its meat and cheese pie and serves it with music.
Add to calendarGraviera Festival
Anopoli in Sfakia celebrates its graviera cheese with honey, lamb and music.
Add to calendarSultanina (Raisin) Festival
Piskokefalo celebrates the grape harvest with sweet wines and raisins.
Add to calendarKakavia (Fish Soup) Festival
Open-air cauldrons of fishermen's soup cooked by the sea for everyone.
Sitia harbour · Treis Ekklisies
Add to calendarSfakian Pie Festival, Chora Sfakion
Free sfakiani pites with honey, raki and dancing on the harbour of Chora Sfakion.
Add to calendarPotato Festival, Tzermiado
The Lasithi plateau's biggest event: three days of potatoes, music and dancing.
Add to calendarSeptember 2027
October 2027
Chestnut Festival
Roasted and boiled chestnuts, honey, pork and new wine in the chestnut villages of western Crete.
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Adult clubs (18+) (9) Adults only. Shown only in their own list.
Good to know
- Take a taxi or arrange a lift back: never drink and drive, and not on a quad or scooter either.
- You must be 18 to buy alcohol in Greece.
- Opening times change with the season; check the bar's own page before you go.