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Minoa Palace Resort & Spa, Crete

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Crete

Updated 1 October 2026 · 14 things to do

Pictured: Minoa Palace Resort & Spa

Crete is big enough to fill a dozen holidays. Europe's oldest civilisation built palaces here four thousand years ago, Venetian traders left harbours of pastel houses, and the mountains are cut by gorges you can walk for a whole day. Then there are the beaches: pink sand, turquoise lagoons and palm-fringed river mouths.

Don't try to see it all from one base. Pick the west (Chania, Rethymnon) for beaches, gorges and old towns, the centre (Heraklion) for the Minoan sites, or the east (Agios Nikolaos, Elounda) for calm bays and Spinalonga, and take day trips from there.

Don't miss

  1. 1Knossos
  2. 2Chania old harbour
  3. 3The Samaria Gorge
  4. 4Balos Lagoon
  5. 5Spinalonga

Ancient Crete

Minoan palaces older than anything in mainland Greece.

  1. Knossos

    Landmark

    The south propylaeum of the Minoan palace at Knossos
    Photo: Marc Ryckaert (MJJR), CC BY 3.0

    The great Minoan palace just outside Heraklion is the legendary home of King Minos and the labyrinth of the Minotaur. Partly reconstructed (controversially) by the archaeologist Arthur Evans, its courtyards, staircases and copies of the original frescoes bring a 4,000-year-old civilisation vividly to life.

    Tip: Arrive at opening time to beat the heat and the tour groups, and combine it with the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion.

  2. Heraklion Archaeological Museum

    Museum

    A Minoan procession fresco in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum
    Photo: Jebulon, CC0

    Home to the finest Minoan treasures anywhere: the original Knossos frescoes, the snake goddess figurines and the mysterious Phaistos Disc. Seeing it before or after Knossos makes the site make sense.

  3. Phaistos

    Landmark

    The central courtyard of the Minoan palace at Phaistos
    Photo: Jebulon, CC0

    The second great Minoan palace sits on a ridge above the Messara plain in the south, unreconstructed, quieter than Knossos and with sweeping views to the mountains.

Old towns

  1. Chania old harbour

    Neighbourhood

    The lighthouse at the entrance to Chania's Venetian harbour
    Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Crete's prettiest town wraps around a Venetian harbour with a lighthouse at its mouth and a crescent of pastel houses and tavernas along the quay. Behind it, lanes of old mansions hide boutique hotels, leather workshops and some of the best food on the island.

    Tip: Walk out along the breakwater to the lighthouse at sunset for the classic view back over the town.

  2. Rethymnon old town

    Neighbourhood

    Rethymnon old town seen from the Fortezza
    Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A maze of Venetian and Ottoman lanes, fountains and minarets, guarded by the huge hilltop Fortezza, with a long sandy beach right at its edge.

  3. Agios Nikolaos

    Neighbourhood

    Lake Voulismeni in the centre of Agios Nikolaos
    Photo: Cayambe, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A stylish harbour town in the east built around Lake Voulismeni, a small, deep lake joined to the sea by a channel and ringed by cafés.

Beaches and lagoons

  1. Balos Lagoon

    Beach

    The turquoise lagoon and white sand of Balos
    Photo: Olaf Tausch, CC BY-SA 3.0

    On the remote Gramvousa peninsula in the north-west, a shallow lagoon of white sand and every shade of turquoise lies beneath a rugged headland. Reach it by boat from Kissamos or by a rough track and a downhill walk.

  2. Elafonisi

    Beach

    Pink-tinged sand and shallow water at Elafonisi
    Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0

    In the far south-west, warm shallow water laps a beach tinged pink by crushed shells, with a little island you can wade across to. It's a protected area, so leave the sand where you found it.

  3. Preveli Beach

    Beach

    The palm-lined river mouth at Preveli beach
    Photo: Uoaei1, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A river flows out of a palm-lined gorge onto a sandy beach on the south coast, an unexpectedly tropical scene beneath the cliffs.

  4. Falassarna

    Beach

    A long, wide beach on the west coast, famous for its sunsets and big, clear water.

  5. Matala

    Beach

    Caves carved into the cliffs at Matala
    Photo: Jebulon, CC0

    A bay on the south coast where caves carved into the cliffs, once Roman tombs, became home to a hippie colony in the 1960s. Today it's a laid-back beach village.

Nature and adventure

  1. The Samaria Gorge

    Nature

    The rock walls of the Samaria Gorge
    Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0

    One of the longest gorges in Europe runs from the White Mountains down to the Libyan Sea. The walk is a full day, through pine forest and between towering rock walls, ending at the village of Agia Roumeli, where a ferry takes you onwards along the coast.

    Tip: The gorge is open in the warmer months only. Wear proper shoes and carry water; organised trips handle the transport.

Day trips

  1. Spinalonga

    Day trip

    The island fortress of Spinalonga off Elounda
    Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A small island fortress off Elounda, built by the Venetians and later a leper colony until the 1950s, made famous by Victoria Hislop's novel The Island. Boats leave from Elounda, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos.

  2. Arkadi Monastery

    Landmark

    The church of the Arkadi Monastery
    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0

    A fortified monastery in the hills above Rethymnon and a powerful symbol of Cretan resistance against Ottoman rule, with a beautiful Venetian church at its heart.

Where to stay in Crete

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Crete →

Getting around

A hire car is the best way to explore: Crete is big and the best beaches and villages are spread out. Buses link the main towns along the north coast, and boat trips are the easiest way to reach Balos and Spinalonga.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn are ideal for walking and sightseeing, with warm sea into October. High summer is hot, so plan sights for the morning and beaches for the afternoon.

Questions about visiting Crete

What is Crete best known for?
The Minoan palace of Knossos, the Venetian old towns of Chania and Rethymnon, beaches like Balos and Elafonisi, and the Samaria Gorge.
How many days do you need in Crete?
A week from one base lets you see one region well. Ten days to two weeks, split between the west and the centre or east, covers the island’s highlights.
Is Knossos worth visiting?
Yes, especially with a guide or after seeing the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. Go early to avoid the heat and the crowds.
Do you need a car in Crete?
It helps a lot. Crete is large and many of the best beaches and villages are hard to reach by bus. Organised tours and boat trips cover the big sights.

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