Old Venetian Port of Chania

Sehenswert

Venetian-built between 1320–1356, this busy harbor includes a restored lighthouse, shops & eateries.

Preveli Monastery

Historisch

Set near the top of a mountain and offering extensive views over the Libyan Sea, the 17th-century Preveli Monastery makes a nice day trip from nearby towns and cities, like Rethymnon or Georgioupoli. Highlights include the courtyards and terraces, the mountain spring, and the small air-conditioned museum with a collection of religious artifacts. You'll also find a host of friendly cats here waiting to greet visitors. A small fee is charged to enter the monastery, and modest dress is required. Skirts are provided for women if their clothing does not extend down past their knees.

Knossos Palace

Sehenswert

Circa-1600-BCE royal palace, reconstructed in the early 1900s & linked to the myth of the Minotaur.

Heraklion Archaeological Museum

Museum

Artifacts spanning 550 years are displayed across 27 different halls. Things to keep an eye out for are beautiful 3,500-year-old frescoes from Knossos, and the glazed ceramic Snake Goddess dating from 1600 BC. Another item of note is the Phaistos Disc. Dating from 100 BC it is a clay disc bearing a curious spiral of symbols. The pride of place goes to the Minoans, with their enchanting frescoes depicting proud and slender young men and women in vivid shades of terracotta-red, ochre yellow, and cobalt blue.

Rethymnon

Historisch

Midway between Chania and Heraklion, Rethymnon's lovely old town is made up largely of Venetian-era buildings, though there is some evidence of the year spent under Turkish rule (1669-1898) such as the towering minaret. A perfect place to day trip from the resorts of the north coast, Rethymnon has everything you need to justify leaving the beach for a day. Many historic buildings have been turned into small boutique hotels, shops, and restaurants. Wandering the shady, twisty streets and alleys in a quest to find the perfect photo followed by a long lunch on the ancient Venetian Harbour is a fine way to while away an afternoon.

Balos Beach

Strand

If you've been looking at postcards as you wander the shopping districts, you'll likely have seen a photo of Balos. The array of greens and blues as you look down on the beach is unforgettable. Best reached by boat from Kissamos port, Balos is a wild beach on the northwestern peninsula of Crete. Similar in nature to Elafonissi, the beach is connected to an offshore island resulting in shallow lagoons and calm waters. Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana visited this beach with their private yacht, and once you arrive, you'll see why they stopped by. Beautiful, soft, white sand and impossibly clear turquoise water draw you into this small slice of paradise.

Elafonissi Beach

Strand

Located a couple of hours' drive from the popular tourist city of Chania. This famous white- and pink-sand beach is noted for the pink crushed seashells that line the shore, giving it a slight tinge of rose color that contrasts beautifully with the turquoise glow of the sea. It's one of the most impressive pink sand beaches in the world. Divided by a narrow strip of sand are two shallow lagoons, ideal for wading and floating about. The sand here is soft, unlike many of the pebble beaches so common in the Mediterranean Sea.

Voulisma Beach

Strand

One of the most spectacular beaches on Mirabello Bay, if not the entire north coast. A long curving stretch of sand with towering cliffs in behind set in a wide bay will have you whipping out your camera. The light blond sand combined with the clear water makes for a spectacular shade of turquoise. This is a perfect place for swimming, even if you are not a strong swimmer. The water is warm and shallow well out into the bay.

Vai Beach

Strand

You may think you are driving to the end of the world as you make the trek to Vai but it will be worth the effort. Set at the very easternmost area of Crete, this beach has one of Europe's largest palm groves, reputed to have over 5,000 trees. Only "discovered" in the mid 1970s when a Bounty chocolate bar television commercial was shot here, the beach is completely undeveloped; the only exceptions are sun beds and umbrellas. Clear water, soft sand, and unending views out over the sea will make the long journey worthwhile.

Falasarna

Strand

The beaches of Falasarna have all the same things going for them as their famous counterparts of Elafonisi and Balos, minus the crowds and the difficulty in getting here. Only about an hour from Chania and reached via good roads, the beaches of Falasarna are wide and sandy with aquamarine blue waters. The five beaches that make up this area are large, and you'll have no trouble finding a patch of sand, or if you prefer, you can rent a chair and umbrella. Near one end of the beach, a rocky inlet has a small swimming area well worth checking out.

Matala Beach

Strand

One of the most interesting and most visited beaches on the south coast of Crete. The beach is a huge arc of sand with a rock wall on one side riddled with ancient caves that look down on impossibly blue waters. Matala makes for a great day trip from destinations on the north coast, like Heraklion or Rethymnon. You can lounge in the sun, swim, explore the ancient caves, and have lunch at a seaside restaurant. Afterwards, do a bit of souvenir shopping at one of the shops along the pedestrian-only walkways behind the beach.

Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Meal & Drinks

Restaurant

Take in the sun, wind, and waves of the Mediterranean on this catamaran sailing tour from Rethymno. Tuck into a delicious Greek meal or try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding.

Chania

Besichtigung

Chania is the main town in Western Crete, and was the capital of the island until 1971 when it moved to Heraklion. Overlooking the Aegean Sea and backed by the White Mountains, which are snow-capped in winter, the old town's appearance dates from the centuries spent under Venice (1204-1645). Chania is a lovely place to explore on foot. A warren of romantic alleys with pastel-colored buildings enclosed within the remains of 16th-century defensive walls, the town extends to a pretty fishing harbor. The Municipal Market, built in 1911, is worth a look for its fresh seasonal produce and gifts such as Cretan cheese and honey.

Clock Tower

Sehenswert

The Palace of Knossos

Wahrzeichen

Knossos is the most important archeological site on Crete. A pre-Greek Bronze Age culture and the first maritime power in the Mediterranean, the Minoans were named after the legendary King Minos. Knossos, near the city of Heraklion, is believed to have been the palace of King Minos. The Minoan palace is a monumental residential complex that centers on a vast courtyard, where it seems they staged ""Bull-Leaping,"" an activity that involved running towards a bull, grabbing it by the horns, and somersaulting over it.