15 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Visiting Crete

After several trips to Crete, we’ve made both smart and not so smart choices. We’ve rented cars, taken the bus, gotten sunburned, saved money, and discovered little places we never would have found if we’d stayed in the tourist areas. Here are the 15 things I wish someone had told me before I visited Crete for the first time.

Table of Contents

Rent a Car if You Want to See More Than the Tourist Areas

If you’re looking to save money, taking the bus in Crete is a great option. If I remember correctly, it cost no more than €3.50. That said, we always rent a car. You can only see so much by bus since it follows a fixed route. Whenever we have a rental car, we usually spend some time driving around after visiting our planned destination for the day. Some of the most beautiful places we’ve discovered in Crete were places we never intended to visit. Google Maps is great, but sometimes it’s even more fun to ignore it.

Unfortunately, we didn’t do that this time. The rest of the family wasn’t quite on board with my «let’s see where this road goes» approach. We always manage to find affordable rental cars, and this time we rented a seven seater through KM Auto Rentals for €60 per day. We only needed it for one day.

When we visited Balos, we took a taxi for the final stretch. The ride cost €85. Before we got out, the driver said he could call around and see if he could get us a cheaper price for the return trip. He came back with an offer of €70. We didn’t exactly think €70 sounded like a bargain, so we politely declined and took the bus back instead. It was a bit slower, but much kinder to the holiday budget.

Always Carry Some Cash

Personally, I still miss using cash. In Greece, I think it’s a good idea to carry some with you. While most restaurants and shops accept cards, you’ll still come across places that only take cash. That’s usually when you’ve found the best ice cream in town or finally tracked down the little family run taverna everyone keeps recommending.

Travel Outside July and August if You Want to Avoid the Worst Heat

The time before this, Crete was apparently hit by a serious heatwave, but luckily we avoided that this year. Based on our experience, travelling in the middle or towards the end of June is usually a safe bet if you want to avoid the most extreme temperatures. By July, the thermometer often climbs well above 30°C. Some people love it. Personally, I start thinking air conditioning might be humanity’s greatest invention.

Choose the Right Beach if You’re Travelling with Kids

We’ve visited Elafonissi, Falassarna, and Balos, at least those are the ones that come to mind while writing this. I’d say all three are great for children aged five and up. Balos doesn’t offer much shade, but if you’re driving there yourself, you can always bring a beach umbrella and whatever else the little ones might need.

Personally, I probably wouldn’t recommend Balos with very young children. I think Elafonissi and Falassarna are easier choices. And of course, the beaches around Agia Marina and Platanias are excellent too, as long as there isn’t a red or black warning flag.

Walk One Street Away from the Beachfront for Better Food

Let’s talk about tourist traps. Most restaurants along the beachfront are fairly touristy, but that doesn’t mean the food is bad. We’ve had plenty of good meals there. Our best tip is simply to walk one or two streets away from the main strip. You’ll often find lower prices and more authentic local food. We always look for restaurants where Greeks are actually eating. If the menu is available in fourteen languages and someone is standing outside trying to wave customers in, we usually keep walking.

Compare Prices Before Renting a Car

There are plenty of car rental companies along the roads in Crete. What we usually do is visit several of them and compare prices. This time, we found the cheapest deal online first, then went into the office, showed them the offer, and asked if it was still valid. Luckily, it was.

One important tip is to inspect the car carefully before driving away. If possible, take photos of every side of the vehicle when you collect it. It only takes a minute and could save you a lot of hassle later.

As for when to book, many people like to reserve months in advance. We usually book the day before we’ve decided to rent after comparing prices from different companies.

Don’t Underestimate the Greek Sun

Sunscreen is important. Not because it helps you tan better, but because your skin will hopefully last a few more decades. If you’re someone who prefers avoiding sunscreen, at least use a beach umbrella or wear lightweight clothing. The Greek sun doesn’t really care what we think about UV rays.

Mosquitoes haven’t been a major problem for us, but on some evenings it’s still worth having a little insect repellent handy.

Avoid Peak Holiday Season if You Can

If you don’t enjoy visiting places during the busiest holiday period, I’d recommend travelling just before the school holidays begin or shortly after they’re over. We usually leave a few days before Norwegian schools break up for summer. At that point, the island hasn’t quite been flooded with tourists yet.

That said, these days it’s almost impossible to avoid tourists altogether.

Two Weeks Feels Just Right

How long you should stay in Crete depends entirely on your own travel style. For us, we’ve found that two weeks is perfect when travelling with children and extended family. We’d love to spend four weeks there one day, but that will probably have to wait until all the kids are fully independent.

The Chania Region Is Still Our Favourite

We’ve mostly stayed on the Chania side of Crete, and it’s definitely the part of the island we love the most. We also feel it’s the most family friendly, although that’s just our personal opinion. Here you’ll find places like Agia Marina, Platanias, Chania Town, Balos, Elafonissi, and Falassarna.

We love the combination of beautiful beaches, charming villages, and plenty of places to explore. That doesn’t mean the rest of Crete isn’t worth visiting. This is simply the area we always seem to return to.

All Inclusive Isn’t Always the Best Choice

We’ve stayed in Hersonissos once, but to be completely honest, I don’t remember much about that trip. It was quite a few years ago, and apparently my memory decided to take a holiday too.

We stayed at an all inclusive hotel, and all inclusive is fantastic if your only goal is to relax. The problem is that when breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and dessert are all waiting just twenty metres away, it’s surprisingly easy to never leave the hotel.

We had a wonderful time. My mother in law paid for the trip, and we were travelling with our son, so it was a very different kind of holiday than we usually take. That’s probably why I don’t have much to say about Hersonissos itself.

Bed and Breakfast or All Inclusive?

Personally, we much prefer small bed and breakfast style hotels. Large all inclusive resorts tend to feel a bit too touristy for our taste. Besides, it’s incredibly tempting to spend your entire holiday at the hotel when absolutely everything you need is under one roof.

Pack Lighter Than You Think You’ll Need

Packing… well, my partner always follows more or less the same packing list. Over the years, I’ve learned to pack a little smarter, and I’ve created my own packing checklist that changes slightly after every trip. It always includes:

Passport
Laptop (which I almost never use, but you never know)
Mobile phone
Earphones
Chargers
USB charging station
Swimwear
Underwear
A good book
Sunscreen
Mosquito repellent

…and, of course, all the other things you’re absolutely convinced you’ll need.

Internet Is Rarely a Problem, but Check Your Hotel

Thinking back, we’ve stayed at hotels where you had to pay extra for Wi Fi. It was a long time ago, so I can’t remember which hotel it was or how much it cost. At Achilles, however, the Wi Fi coverage in the rooms is excellent, and we’ve never had any issues.

Tap Water Is Usually Safe, but the Taste Varies

Tap water in Crete is generally safe to drink in most places, but many visitors still prefer bottled water because the taste can vary from area to area.

We’ve used tap water for making coffee and tea in our hotel room without any problems. And honestly, I seriously doubt the ice cubes in most restaurants are made from bottled water. So far, at least, we’ve never had any stomach issues.