Nightlife 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 agendaNo events in this period yet.
Adult clubs (18+) (1) 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.