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Where to Stay in Crete

Greece › Crete › Best Towns
Updated: May 22, 2026 • By Santorini Dave
Questions? dave@santorinidave.com

My Favorite Hotels in Crete

Quick Tips

  • Best first-time base: Chania is the easiest recommendation for a first trip to Crete. It has the prettiest old town, the best restaurant scene for visitors, and convenient access to western Crete. Rethymno is the best alternative, with similar Venetian charm, fewer crowds, and a long sandy beach right in town.
  • Best for pure luxury: Elounda has Crete’s best collection of high-end resorts, with sea views, private pools, spas, beach clubs, and easy boat trips to Spinalonga. It is ideal for honeymoons, relaxed family stays, and travelers who want a true resort holiday. The downside is that it is expensive, less walkable than Chania or Rethymno, and not a convenient base for exploring the rest of the island.
  • Rent a car if you want to explore: Crete’s buses are good between Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and many north-coast towns, but they are limiting for beaches, villages, wineries, gorges, and the south coast.
  • Book early for summer: The best hotels in Crete sell out early for July, August, and early September. May, June, late September, and early October are the best months for good weather, lower prices, and fewer crowds.
Central Heraklion.

View of the port in Heraklio, Crete.

Map showing the location of the best hotels on the island of Crete in Greece.
1. Casa Delfino • 2. Serenissima • 3. Avli • 4. Royal Senses • 5. Nostos Beach • 6. Hotel Sofia • 7. Olive Green • 8. GDM Megaron • 9. Nana Princess • 10. Elounda Beach • 11. Porto Elounda • 12. Elounda Peninsula • 13. Minos Beach Art • 14. Mantraki • 15. Petra Mare

The Best Areas to Stay in Crete

Crete is Greece’s largest island, and it feels less like a single island than a small country. You get Venetian harbor towns, serious archaeological sites, mountain villages, long sandy beaches, luxury resorts, winery country, remote south-coast villages, and some of the best food in Greece. The catch is distance. Crete is big, roads can be slow, and choosing the wrong base can turn a good trip into a lot of driving.

The best places to stay for most first-time visitors are the main towns along the north coast: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Elounda, and Agios Nikolaos. They have the best mix of hotels, restaurants, transport, and access to beaches and sights. For a week in Crete, I usually recommend two bases. For 10 to 14 days, three bases is better.

My two sons in Chania, Crete.

My two boys exploring the Chania port.

Crete is divided into four regional units. From west to east, they are Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and Lasithi. The west has the prettiest old towns and the most famous beaches. Central Crete is best for history, wineries, food, and practical travel connections. Eastern Crete is quieter and more spread out, with rugged landscapes, low-key coastal villages, and the island’s best luxury resorts clustered around Elounda.

Chania (Best First-Time Base): Chania is the most beautiful town in Crete and the easiest recommendation for a first trip. The Venetian Harbor, Egyptian Lighthouse, narrow lanes, boutique hotels, and excellent restaurants make it the island’s most atmospheric base. It is also the best town for visiting western Crete highlights like Elafonisi, Falassarna, Balos, and the Samaria Gorge.

The tradeoff is crowds and logistics. Chania Old Town is busy from June through September, many hotels are in pedestrian lanes, and parking can be annoying. Stay inside the Old Town for romance and atmosphere. Stay just outside the walls or near the Nea Chora side if you want easier parking, better value, and beach access.

Rethymno (Best All-Rounder): Rethymno is the most underrated base in Crete. It has a lovely old Venetian-Ottoman town, a huge Fortezza, a real local feel, and a long sandy beach that starts right in town. It is not quite as postcard-perfect as Chania, but it is easier, calmer, and more practical for many travelers.

Rethymno works especially well for families and couples who want old-town charm plus beach time without needing a car every day. It is also the best single base if you want to explore both Chania and Heraklion (though I still prefer changing hotels if you have a full week or more). The downside is that it does not have an airport, so you will arrive through Chania or Heraklion and transfer from there.

Heraklion (Best for History, Food, and Transit): Heraklion is not the prettiest place in Crete, and I would not choose it for a beach holiday. But it is useful, interesting, and better than many travelers expect. It has the island’s best archaeological museum, easy access to Knossos, great restaurants, a busy ferry port, and Crete’s main airport.

Stay in Heraklion for one or two nights if you are arriving late, catching a ferry, visiting Knossos, or want a more urban, local slice of Crete. It is also a good base for Archanes, central Crete wineries, and day trips to Phaistos or Matala. Do not stay here expecting whitewashed island lanes or resort calm. Heraklion is a working city, and that is both its charm and its drawback.

My family in Heraklio, Crete.

My wife, brother, and two sons enjoying the rooftop pool at GDM Megaron with the Heraklio ferry port just visible in the background.

Elounda (Best Luxury Resorts): Elounda is the best place in Crete for high-end resort stays. The coastline is beautiful, the sea views are excellent, and the top hotels are some of the best in Greece. This is where you come for private pools, beach clubs, spas, boat trips, long lunches, and a five-star resort experience.

Elounda is not the right choice if you want nightlife, old-town wandering, or easy access to Knossos, ferries, or flights. It is also expensive, and the best resorts are often designed so well that guests barely leave them. That can be perfect for a honeymoon or relaxed family trip. Spinalonga, the historic island fortress, is the key nearby sight and a worthwhile day trip.

Agios Nikolaos (Best Eastern Crete Town): Agios Nikolaos is a better choice than Elounda if you want a real town with restaurants, cafes, shops, and evening walks. It is built around Lake Voulismeni, has a scenic waterfront, and feels more lively and independent than the other resort areas.

Other Good Places to Stay in Crete: Matala is fun and scenic on the south coast, especially for a short stay, but it is not a great base for seeing the whole island. Plakias and Paleochora are good for beaches, hiking, and a slower south-coast trip. Archanes is excellent for food, wine, and village atmosphere near Heraklion. Mochlos is a quiet, charming seaside village in the east, best for repeat visitors with a car. These are not usually where I send first-timers for their only base, but they can be wonderful as part of a longer trip.

My Practical Advice: Do not try to see all of Crete from one hotel. Chania to Elounda is a long drive, and the famous beaches are often slower to reach than they look on a map. For 3 to 5 days, stay in Chania or Rethymno. For one week, split west and east, or west and Heraklion if history is a priority. For 10 to 14 days, combine Chania, Rethymno or Heraklion, and Agios Nikolaos or Elounda.

The best months for Crete are May, June, September, and early October. July and August are hot, busy, and expensive, especially in Chania Old Town, Elounda, and the famous beach areas. Book the best hotels 4 to 8 months ahead for summer, earlier for family rooms, luxury resorts, and small boutique hotels in the old towns.

The Best Places to Stay in Crete

Best beach hotel in Crete.

The Elounda Beach Hotel is our favorite beach resort in Crete. Fantastic!

Map of Crete ferry ports and boat terminals.

Best Areas in Crete for…

  • Best Place in Crete for First-Timers: Chania
    Chania is the easiest recommendation for a first trip to Crete. It has the island’s most beautiful Old Town, a gorgeous Venetian harbor, excellent restaurants, and the best access to west Crete’s big sights: Elafonisi Beach, Falassarna, Balos Lagoon, and the Samaria Gorge. Stay in the Old Town for atmosphere and easy evening wandering. Stay just outside the walls or near Nea Chora if you want easier parking, better value, and a beach within walking distance.
  • Best Places in Crete for Sightseeing: Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, and Agios Nikolaos
    For sightseeing, choose a base that matches the region you want to explore. Chania is best for western Crete, including Samaria Gorge, Balos, Falassarna, and Elafonisi. Heraklion is best for history, with Knossos Palace, the Archaeological Museum, Koules Fortress, and easy access to Archanes, central Crete wineries, and longer trips to Phaistos. Rethymno is the best central base, with its own beautiful Old Town and fortress, plus good access to both the north and south coasts. Agios Nikolaos is best for eastern Crete, including Spinalonga, Kritsa, the Lasithi Plateau, and Voulisma Beach.
View of Chania, Crete's harbor from the rooftop bar at Casa Delfino

View of Chania’s harbor and Old Town as seen from Casa Delfino, the best hotel in romantic Chania.

  • Best Places in Crete for Families: Chania, Rethymno, and Hersonissos
    Chania works well for families who want character, restaurants, and easy day trips, though the Old Town is awkward with a stroller and parking is limited. Rethymno is the most convenient family base, with a walkable Old Town and a long sandy beach right in town, so you can sightsee in the morning and swim in the afternoon without much effort. Hersonissos is not my favorite Crete town, but it is useful for families who want big resorts, water parks, kid-friendly activities, and everything organized around an easy beach holiday.
  • Most Romantic Places in Crete: Chania, Elounda, and Rethymno
    Chania is the most romantic town in Crete, especially if you stay in the Old Town and spend evenings around the harbor and backstreet restaurants. Elounda is best for couples who want luxury resorts, sea views, spas, private pools, and a slower hotel-focused stay. Rethymno is a quieter alternative to Chania, with intimate boutique hotels, atmospheric lanes, and excellent restaurants.
My two sons in Crete.

My two sons having lunch in Chania.

  • Best Places in Crete for Beach Lovers: Platanias/Agia Marina, Elounda, Matala, and Bali
    Platanias and Agia Marina, just west of Chania, are the best choices if you want an organized beach holiday with hotels, beach bars, restaurants, and easy access to Chania Old Town by bus or taxi. Elounda is best for calm water, sea-view resorts, and easy swimming, though many of the best beach setups belong to hotels. Matala is the best south-coast beach base with personality, thanks to its caves, sunset views, and compact village feel. Bali, between Rethymno and Heraklion, has several sheltered coves and works well for couples and families who want calm water without much driving.
  • Best Places in Crete for Nightlife: Heraklion, Malia, and Hersonissos
    Heraklion has the best year-round nightlife, with cocktail bars, cafes, clubs, and a local student crowd around the pedestrian center. Malia is the loud party choice, with clubs, cheap drinks, and a young summer crowd concentrated around the strip. Hersonissos has a broader resort nightlife scene, with beach clubs, waterfront bars, and late-night venues that range from relaxed to rowdy.
Exterior view of the 5-star GDM Megaron , the best hotel in Heraklio, Crete

The 5-star GDM Megaron sits near the harbor and Koules Fortress. This is the best luxury hotel in Heraklio.

  • Best Places in Crete for Food: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and Inland Villages
    Crete is one of the best food destinations in Greece. Chania is the easiest place to eat well, with everything from polished restaurants to old-school tavernas like Chrisostomos and Tamam. Rethymno is excellent for atmospheric restaurants in historic buildings, with Avli the best-known name. Heraklion is underrated for food because it serves locals first, not just tourists. For the most memorable meals, drive inland to villages such as Drakona, home to Ntounias, or Archanes, where local wine and traditional cooking are the draw.
  • Best Places in Crete for a Local Vibe: Heraklion, Archanes, Anogeia, and Hora Sfakion
    Heraklion is the best city for seeing everyday Crete, with busy markets, coffee culture, local restaurants, students, workers, and late-night energy. Archanes, just south of Heraklion, is one of the best inland village stays, especially for food, wine, and restored traditional architecture. Anogeia is a proud mountain village known for music, history, and strong local identity. Hora Sfakion is a rugged south-coast port with ferry links, hiking access, simple tavernas, and a much wilder feel than the north-coast resorts.

The 20 Best Places in Crete for Tourists

Chania

Lighthouse and harbor of Chania, Crete
Chania location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Chania is one of the most beautiful towns in Greece, with Venetian, Ottoman, and Egyptian layers wrapped around a gorgeous old harbor. The waterfront and lighthouse get the photos, but the best part is the car-free Old Town behind it, where boutique hotels, courtyard restaurants, wine bars, and tiny lanes create the most atmospheric base in Crete. It is romantic, lively, and ideal for first-timers, especially if you want good restaurants and easy day trips to Elafonisi, Falassarna, Balos, and the Samaria Gorge. Chania is not a true beach town, but Nea Chora is an easy walk for a swim, and the bus or taxi ride west to Agia Marina and Platanias is simple. Stay in the Old Town for atmosphere; stay just outside it if you want easier parking, better value, and less noise.

Rethymno

Rethymnon harbor and Egyptian lighthouse in Crete
Rethymno location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Rethymno is no longer the overlooked middle stop between Chania and Heraklion. It is one of Crete’s best all-round bases, with a beautiful, mostly pedestrianized Old Town, a small Venetian harbor, good restaurants, and a long sandy beach running east from the center. It feels more compact and manageable than Chania, and in peak season it feels a little less crowded too. Stay in the Old Town for atmosphere, restaurants, and evening wandering; stay along the beach road for larger hotels, pools, and easier swimming. Rethymno works especially well for 2 or 3 nights, or as a central base between Chania and Heraklion, though travelers relying on flights will need to arrive through one of those two airports.

Heraklio

Almost sunset at the fortress facing the marina in Heraklio, Crete
Heraklion location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Heraklion has improved a lot in recent years and is now more than just an airport-and-ferry stop. It is Crete’s capital and busiest city, with a lively pedestrian center, strong restaurants and nightlife, the island’s main ferry port, and the primary international airport. It is the best base for Knossos and the Archaeological Museum, and it also works well for Koules Fortress, central Crete wineries, Archanes, and longer day trips to Phaistos or Matala. The downside is that Heraklion is not especially pretty, not a beach town, and can feel gritty compared with Chania or Rethymno. Stay here for history, food, nightlife, and easy transit, but not for a classic beach-holiday feel.

Elounda

Spinalonga island at Elounda, Crete
Elounda location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Elounda is Crete’s best base for a luxury resort holiday, with the island’s strongest collection of high-end hotels spread along the coast between Agios Nikolaos, Elounda village, and Plaka. The village itself is smaller and more practical than glamorous, but the waterfront is the main appeal, with fishing boats, casual tavernas, cafes, small shops, and an easy evening stroll around the sheltered harbor. Stay in Elounda for sea views, spas, private pools, easy boat trips to Spinalonga, and relaxed days where the hotel is a big part of the trip.

Agios Nikolaos

Lake Voulismeni in Agios Nikolaos, Crete
Agios Nikolaos location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Agios Nikolaos is one of my favorite towns in Crete. It’s far enough away from the package holiday beaches to be considered low-key, yet is little more than an hour’s bus ride from Heraklion Airport. It’s a cozy, compact town overlooking the magnificent Mirabello Bay in Crete’s mid-north-eastern region. Trendy restaurants, bars, and cafés cluster around the town’s showpiece – a little sea-connected lake that serves as the centerpiece of an undeniably picturesque and postcard-pretty, lived-in yet popular holiday resort. Ag Nik is ideally situated for excursions to Eastern Crete with plenty of car rental outlets and a bus station with regular connections in most directions. Its beach scene runs generally northwards segueing into the thumb-like peninsula 2.5kms from the center where the town’s best hotels can be found, and more coves and budget accommodation can be found as you follow the coastline further northwards. Closer to town a couple of cozy beaches can be found on either side of the marina. Agios Nikolaos will appeal to people who like the quieter nightlife and relaxed, unhurried dining and swimming.

Hersonissos

A little boat at Hersonissos Beach in Crete
Hersonissos location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Hersonissos is loud, brash, and built for travelers who want everything easy, busy, and close at hand. The main resort strip of Limenas Chersonisou is packed with shops, fast food, tour offices, rentals, bars, and package-holiday hotels. The waterfront is lined with hotels, narrow organized beaches, calm water, cafes, and predictable restaurants. Independent accommodation is limited in July and August, and most visitors arrive on package deals. It is not my favorite Crete base, but for nightlife, convenience, and a no-planning beach holiday, it does what it promises.

Malia

Sun Beach in Malia, Crete
Malia location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Malia is Crete’s best-known party town, so know what you are booking. It began as a quiet agricultural village, but the long sandy beach and easy access from Heraklion airport turned it into a magnet for young, nightlife-focused travelers. The strip between the old village and the beach is lined with pubs, clubs, cafes, tattoo parlors, fast food, mini-markets, rental shops, studios, and budget hotels. The beach has plenty of loungers, bars, watersports, and package-holiday energy all summer. Come here for cheap fun, nightlife, and easy beach days; avoid it completely if you want a quiet or traditionally Cretan stay.

Kolymvari

Kolymvari Beach in Crete
Kolymvari location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Kolymvari sits 25 km west of Chania, just beyond the busier resort strip, and feels quieter, more local, and more spread out. The village has a through road, small port, practical shops, ATMs, rental offices, tavernas, and a long beach with organized sections at one end and much quieter stretches farther along. A few excellent hotels, including luxury and adults-only options, have lifted the area without overwhelming it. Kolymvari works well for independent travelers, couples, and families who want a calm beach base with easy day trips to Chania, Falassarna, Balos, and west Crete villages. It is not lively or especially pretty, but for a relaxed, good-quality Cretan holiday, it is a very solid choice.

Anogeia

Aghios Yakinthos Church in Anogeia, Crete
Anogeia location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Anogeia, 37 km west of Heraklion and 55 km east of Rethymno, is one of Crete’s strongest mountain villages, set below Mt Psiloritis and deeply proud of its traditions. It makes a good day trip, especially for travelers interested in music, food, local crafts, and village life beyond the beach resorts. The main road winds between upper and lower Anogeia, with small shops, tavernas, simple rooms, and the occasional burst of live Cretan music. It is even better during a feast, wedding, or the Yakinthia cultural festival, usually held in late July. Stay overnight only if you want a slow, inland Crete experience; otherwise, visit as part of a mountain-and-village day trip.

Archanes

The main street through Archanes with a tree-filled square in Crete
Archanes location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Archanes, 16 km south of Heraklion, is one of the best inland villages in Crete and an easy escape from the coast. It has cobbled lanes, leafy squares, restored neoclassical buildings, good wine, artisanal shops, and restaurants aimed at Cretans rather than tourists. The village works well as a day trip from Heraklion, especially with Knossos or a winery, but it is also worth a night or two if you want a slower food-and-wine stay. Accommodation is small-scale and often charming, with restored stone houses and courtyard-style guesthouses. Archanes is not a beach base, but for village life, local food, and central Crete atmosphere, it is one of the island’s best choices.

Bali

Bali Beach and village in Crete
Bali location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Bali is a sheltered north-coast beach village about halfway between Heraklion and Rethymno, easy to miss from the highway but much prettier once you drop down to the sea. It is really a string of small bays, with tavernas, cafes, bars, and simple hotels spread between Livadi, Bali, Mythos, and Karavostasi beaches. Karavostasi is usually the best beach, but the appeal is having several swim spots close together without needing a car every day. Bali works well for families and couples who want an easy, compact beach stay with enough variety for a week. A rental car is helpful here.

Sitia

A busy beach in Sitia, Crete
Sitia location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Sitia is the best base for exploring far eastern Crete, 70 km east of Agios Nikolaos and within easy reach of Toplou Monastery and Vai Beach. It is a real working town with a compact center, a long waterfront, good-value restaurants, a beach near the port, and a relaxed local feel. The port has ferry links to Karpathos and Rhodes, and the small airport gets some seasonal flights, though most visitors arrive by road. Accommodation is mostly simple hotels, studios, and apartments rather than luxury resorts. Sitia is too far east for a first-time Crete base, but for repeat visitors, road-trippers, and travelers who want quieter eastern Crete, it works very well.

Ierapetra

Seaside promenade in Ierapetra, Crete
Ierapetra location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Ierapetra is southern Crete’s most useful town, set directly south of Agios Nikolaos in a fertile region known for fruit, vegetables, and greenhouse farming. It is not a classic resort town, which is the appeal: locals outnumber tourists, meals are good value, and the long seafront promenade is easy, relaxed, and free of holiday noise. There is a tidy beach near the fortress and restaurants, though better beaches require a car or boat, especially the popular trip to Chrissi Island when services are running. Accommodation is mostly family-run hotels, apartments, and simple town stays rather than boutique resorts. Ierapetra works best for independent travelers, road-trippers, and repeat visitors who want a comfortable night or two on the south coast without feeling like they are in a packaged beach resort.

Matala

View of Matala Beach in Crete from one of the cliffside caves
Matala location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Matala is Crete’s most famous south-coast village, known for its beachside caves, 1970s hippie history, and Joni Mitchell connection. Today it is a busy but still likable mini-resort, with one main organized beach, caves at the edge of the bay, waterfront cafes, restaurants, shops, rooms, studios, and a campsite. It gets a lot of day-trippers, so staying one to three nights is the best way to enjoy it after the buses and tour groups leave. Prices are high in summer, and the village is too small for big resorts, which is part of the appeal. Buses run from Heraklion and Rethymno, but a car makes it easier to combine Matala with Phaistos, Agia Galini, or other south-coast stops.

Hora Sfakion

The harbor of Hora Sfakion in Crete
Hora Sfakion location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Hora Sfakion is a small south-coast port best known for ferries to Loutro, Agia Roumeli, Sougia, and Paleochora. It is not a polished beach resort, and that is the point: this is rugged Sfakia, with a fiercely independent local identity, simple rooms, harbor tavernas, lamb dishes, local wine, and a couple of pebbly beaches for cooling off. Most travelers pass through after hiking the Samaria Gorge, but it is worth staying overnight once the day-trippers leave and the village settles down. Direct buses connect Hora Sfakion with Chania, and the coastal ferry makes it a useful stop on a south-coast itinerary. Stay here for ferry logistics, hiking, and a taste of real Crete, not for sandy beaches or nightlife.

Palaiochora

Wooden pathway to Palaiochora Beach in Crete
Palaiochora location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Paleochora is one of the best bases on Crete’s southwest coast, about 77 km from Chania and set on a narrow peninsula with beaches on both sides. The west side has the main sandy beach, while the east side has a smaller pebbly beach, and most restaurants, cafes, shops, and rooms are within an easy walk. It has enough life for a week-long stay but still feels independent rather than resort-built. Accommodation is mostly small family hotels, studios, apartments, and simple guesthouses. Buses connect Paleochora with Chania a few times daily, but a car helps for nearby beaches, villages, and exploring the wilder southwest.

Plakias

Plakias Beach in Crete
Plakias location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Plakias is a low-key south-coast village resort about 30 km south of Rethymno, easy to reach by bus or rental car. It feels more like a lived-in community than a package-holiday enclave, with a good year-round agricultural valley behind it and a summer crowd of independent travelers, Cretans, Greeks, families, and backpackers. The long village beach curves around the bay, while better and more intimate swim spots are close by at Damnoni, Ammoudi, and Schinaria. Food is a strength, nightlife is limited to a few relaxed bars, and evenings are more about walking, eating, and lingering by the sea. Accommodation is mostly small hotels, studios, and apartments, making Plakias a great base for a quieter south-coast stay with easy access to beaches and Rethymno.

Myrtos

Beachfront taverna in Myrtos, Crete
Myrtos location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Myrtos is a quiet south-coast village best for travelers who want to escape the north-coast crowds and stay put for a while. It is not near a major airport, port, or main sightseeing route, which is exactly why repeat visitors like it. The village is compact and relaxed, with a long grey-sand beach, clear Libyan Sea water, a simple seafront promenade, fish tavernas, and unpretentious Cretan restaurants. Come here with a swimsuit, a book, and no urgent plans.

Kissamos-Kastelli

Kastelli Kissamos town in Crete, Greece
Kissamos-Kastelli location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Kissamos is a relaxed, practical base at the far western end of Crete, best for travelers with a car who want easy access to Falassarna, Balos boat trips, west-coast villages, and quieter beaches. Many visitors only pass through on the way to the port 3 km outside town, where Gramvousa and Balos cruises depart, but the town itself is useful and good value. It has a breezy seafront promenade with restaurants and cafes, a small jetty, and a decent beach just west of the center. Accommodation is low-key and affordable. Kissamos is not especially pretty or lively, but it works well if you want western Crete without Chania’s crowds and prices.

Kato Zakros

Kato Zakros in Crete overlooking the beach
Kato Zakros location on a map of Crete in Greece.

Kato Zakros is one of Crete’s great hideaways, a tiny beachside settlement at the island’s far eastern edge. It is not really a resort or even a proper village, just a handful of tavernas, rooms, and holiday houses below the larger village of Zakros. The big draws are the quiet pebbly beach, clean water, the nearby Minoan palace ruins, and the Gorge of the Dead, an atmospheric walk through ancient rock tombs. There is very little to do, which is the point: swim, read, eat, sleep, walk the gorge, and enjoy the silence. Accommodation is limited, so book ahead, and come only if you genuinely want remote, slow, low-key eastern Crete.

Summary: My Favorite Hotels in Crete

• Luxury: Casa Delfino
• Midrange: Olive Green
• Budget: Mantraki
• Beach: Elounda Beach
• For Couples: Avli
• For Families: Porto Elounda
• Best Pool: Elounda Peninsula
• New Hotel: JW Marriott
• Chania: Casa Delfino
• Rethymno: Avli
• Heraklio: GDM Megaron
• Elounda: Elounda Beach
• Agios Nikolaos: Minos Beach Art

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave in Athens, Greece Santorini Dave was started in 2011 when I posted a short guide to visiting Santorini with kids. Now, my site publishes regularly updated guides to Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Crete, Athens, and all of Greece.

Questions? Email me at dave@santorinidave.com.