Crete Holidays: A Local's Guide to Greece's Largest Island
The island that welcomes more UK holidaymakers than any other — two airports, dozens of resorts, and far more than beaches and buffets. Written by someone who actually lives here.
Published by Eleni on 5 June 2026 · Last updated 5 June 2026
How we put this guide together
This guide was researched, written and approved by the GoToBeach product team. It draws on first-hand local knowledge, supplier information, guest feedback and publicly available sources. Our author, Eleni, lives on Crete.
Resorts, flight routes and facilities can change by season, so please confirm the current details with us when you book.
Crete is the island I call home. I live in Malia, on the northern coast, and as GoToBeach's Greek Islands Specialist I have spent years watching British families, couples and groups of friends fall for the same island I did.
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and, year after year, the one that welcomes more UK holidaymakers than any other. Between June and September it can be genuinely hard to find space here — the best hotels fill early — so in this guide I want to show you why this magnificent island is worth booking, and share a few local tips you won't find on every holiday page.
When most people picture a Crete holiday, three things come to mind first: all inclusive resorts, Greek food, and beautiful beaches and sea. Crete gives you all of that in abundance. But the island has far more to offer, and the longer you stay the more it reveals — mountain villages, Minoan history, hidden coves and some of the finest food anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Getting to Crete: Heraklion, Chania and Sitia
We usually divide Crete into two halves, and the reason is simple: the island has two major airports. The eastern half is reached through Heraklion, the western half through Chania. I always fly into Heraklion myself, mostly because I live just along the coast in Malia. Heraklion is generally the busiest airport on the island — it sits close to the centre of Crete, which makes it convenient for a long stretch of popular resorts, so most airlines prefer to fly here. For most UK holidaymakers, your choice of airport simply follows your choice of resort.
| Airport | Good to know |
|---|---|
| Heraklion (HER) | The island's busiest airport, near the centre of Crete. The widest choice of airlines and the most convenient base for the popular eastern resorts. The one I use. |
| Chania (CHQ) | Serves the west of the island and is favoured by low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Wizz Air. Greece's national carrier, Aegean Airlines, flies to both Chania and Heraklion. |
| Sitia (JSH) | A small airport in the north-east, used almost entirely for charter flights. |
Not sure which side of the island is for you? Here's the quick version:
| If you want… | Choose… |
|---|---|
| Lively resorts and family hotels | Heraklion side |
| Venetian harbour and scenic beaches | Chania side |
| A mix of both, halfway along the coast | Rethymno |
| Upmarket resorts and a quieter feel | Elounda / Agios Nikolaos (east) |
Where to Stay in Crete: The Heraklion Region
The Heraklion side is the most popular part of Crete, and it is the area I know best. Resorts such as Malia, Hersonissos, Stalida (Stalis) and Gouves are hugely popular with British holidaymakers. Because the architecture here is almost entirely low-rise and horizontal, the resorts spread out gently along the coast rather than rising into tower blocks — it gives the whole area a relaxed, open, distinctly Greek feel.
Alongside the large, well-known all inclusive resorts — names like Creta Maris, Lyttos Mare, Lyttos Beach, Ikaros Beach and Arinna Beach — you will also find a wonderful choice of smaller boutique hotels. And then there are the bars, tavernas and restaurants, which give each resort its own character: lively and sociable in Malia and Hersonissos, calmer and more family-paced in Stalida and Gouves. Heraklion city itself is well worth a day, with its harbour, market streets and superb archaeological museum.
Where to Stay in Crete: The Chania Region
The west of the island, around Chania, has a different character. Chania town is, for many visitors, the most beautiful in Crete — a Venetian harbour ringed with restaurants, narrow lanes full of little shops, and a lovely golden light in the evenings. The beaches out west are extraordinary: the Balos lagoon and the pink-tinged sands of Elafonisi are among the most photographed in all of Greece, while Falassarna is famous for its sunsets. Rethymno, roughly halfway between Chania and Heraklion, has its own handsome old town and makes a lovely base if you want to explore both ends of the island.
Beyond the beach: a local's Crete
The beach and the pool are only the beginning. This is the part I most want British visitors to discover.
Cretan food and drink
This is where Crete really wins me over. Look out for dakos — a barley rusk topped with grated tomato, soft mizithra cheese and a generous pour of Cretan olive oil — along with slow-cooked lamb, fresh grilled fish, and kalitsounia, little cheese-and-herb pastries. The olive oil here is some of the best in the world, and the Cretan diet is famous for it. My one tip: almost everywhere you eat, the meal ends with a small carafe of raki (the local spirit, tsikoudia) brought to your table for free with something sweet. Accept it — that is hospitality, Cretan style.
History and culture
Just outside Heraklion lies Knossos, the great Minoan palace and one of the most important archaeological sites in Europe, best paired with the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. In the east, near Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, the little fortress island of Spinalonga has a haunting history and an easy boat trip out to it. Inland, the Lasithi Plateau is dotted with old stone windmills and traditional villages — from my home in Malia I can be up there, in a completely different Crete, within the hour.
Nature and the outdoors
The Samaria Gorge, in the White Mountains behind Chania, is one of Europe's longest walking gorges — a roughly ten-mile descent through dramatic scenery down to the Libyan Sea. It is a proper day out and not for everyone, but unforgettable if you are up for it. For something gentler, the island is full of mountain villages, monasteries and quiet coves that most package holidaymakers never see, all within easy reach of a hire car.
Best time to visit Crete
Crete has a long, generous season. May, June and September are my personal favourites — warm sea, comfortable heat and far easier to find good hotels. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, with the liveliest resort atmosphere but the tightest availability, so if you want a top hotel in peak summer, book early. The shoulder months of April and October are lovely for couples and walkers who prefer things quieter and cooler, with many resorts still open and prices softer.
Who Crete is for — and who it isn't
Strong fit for
- Families wanting easy all inclusive resort life with beaches and pools close at hand
- Couples who like to mix beach days with food, history and a little exploring
- First-timers to Greece who want a big, well-developed island with great flight choice
- Food lovers and walkers who want more than just the resort
- Anyone after a long season, from spring right through to October
Less suitable for
- Travellers chasing a tiny, undeveloped Greek island with no resorts at all
- Anyone after a pure city break rather than a beach-and-resort holiday
- Short-break visitors — Crete rewards at least a full week
- Those who want everything within walking distance and no hire car at all
Once you have a feel for the island, two of our other guides take you from region to hotel: our pick of the best family resorts in Crete, and our round-up of the best all inclusive hotels in Crete. You can also browse every Crete holiday we offer, or the wider Greek islands.
Booking & protection
Booking your Crete holiday
Low deposit: a deposit of just £30 per person, plus the cost of your flights, secures the holiday at the time of booking — flights are dynamically priced, so seats are confirmed straight away. The remaining balance (hotel, transfers and any extras) is then spread across instalments up to departure.
Financial protection: your package is ATOL protected under licence 11211 (Caria Holidays Ltd). ATOL covers the failure of the package itself; it is not travel insurance and does not cover operational disruptions, so we always recommend taking out appropriate travel insurance as well.
Our price policy: if you find the same package on a like-for-like basis elsewhere, send it to us and we'll review it under our price policy.
Frequently asked questions
Which airport should I fly into for Crete?
It depends on your resort. Heraklion is the busiest airport and the most convenient for the popular eastern resorts such as Malia, Hersonissos and Stalida. Chania serves the west of the island and is favoured by low-cost carriers. There is also a small charter airport at Sitia in the north-east.
Where is the best place to stay in Crete?
There is no single answer — it depends on your holiday style. The Heraklion region (Malia, Hersonissos, Stalida, Gouves) suits families and lively all inclusive holidays; the Chania region in the west suits couples and scenic beaches; Rethymno is a good middle-ground base; and the Elounda and Agios Nikolaos area in the east is known for its more upmarket resorts.
Is Heraklion or Chania better for a Crete holiday?
Heraklion is usually better for lively resorts, family hotels, shorter transfers to Malia, Hersonissos and Stalida, and a wider choice of all inclusive resorts. Chania is often better for couples, scenic beaches, the Venetian old town and a more romantic west-Crete feel. The best choice depends on your resort style, flight options and how much exploring you want to do.
Which part of Crete is best for families?
The Heraklion region is the most popular with families — resorts like Hersonissos, Malia, Stalida and Gouves have long sandy beaches, large all inclusive hotels and plenty going on, all with low-rise, easy-to-navigate layouts.
Which part of Crete is best for couples?
The west around Chania tends to suit couples, with the beautiful Venetian old town, stunning beaches like Balos and Elafonisi, and a more relaxed feel. Rethymno, between Chania and Heraklion, is another lovely choice.
Are Crete holidays all inclusive?
Many of the large resorts on Crete offer all inclusive boards covering meals, snacks, drinks and entertainment, though the details vary by hotel. There is also a strong choice of boutique and bed-and-breakfast options if you prefer to eat out in the tavernas.
When is the best time to visit Crete?
May, June and September offer warm weather, lovely sea temperatures and easier availability. July and August are hottest and busiest, while April and October are quieter and cooler — ideal for couples and walkers.
Is Crete good for first-time visitors to Greece?
Very much so. It is a large, well-developed island with excellent flight choice from the UK, a huge range of hotels and plenty to see, so it is an easy and reliable introduction to Greece.
Do I need a hire car in Crete?
Not for a beach-and-resort holiday, as the main resorts have everything close at hand. But Crete is a big island with wonderful inland villages, gorges and historic sites, so a hire car for a day or two opens up a side of the island most visitors miss.
How long is the transfer from the airport?
It depends entirely on your resort, as Crete is a large island. Heraklion sits near the centre, so many of the popular eastern resorts are a relatively short drive, while western resorts are usually best paired with Chania airport. We will confirm your transfer time when you book.
Is my Crete holiday financially protected?
Yes. Every flight-inclusive package booked through GoToBeach is ATOL protected under licence 11211, which covers the financial failure of your travel company. ATOL is not the same as travel insurance, so we recommend arranging suitable cover as well.
About the author
Eleni is GoToBeach's Greek Islands Specialist and lives in Malia, on Crete. She helps UK travellers choose the right Greek island, resort and hotel for the way they like to holiday — and writes from first-hand local knowledge of the island she calls home.
Thinking about Crete?
Tell us your dates, your party and the kind of holiday you want, and we'll match you with the right resort — across the Heraklion and Chania regions — with our £30pp-plus-flights deposit and instalments to departure.
See Crete hotels & prices →This guide was written by Eleni, GoToBeach's Greek Islands Specialist, who lives on Crete, and published on 5 June 2026. Resorts, flight routes and facilities can change by season. We recommend confirming the specifics with a GoToBeach specialist before booking. If you are reading this after the publication date and believe any detail has changed, please email us at hi@gotobeach.co.uk.
Questions or ready to book? Email hi@gotobeach.co.uk.
GoToBeach is a trading name of Caria Holidays Ltd, Enfield, UK. ATOL protected — licence 11211. Hotel details are selected, contracted or reviewed by our product team and were correct at the time of writing; please confirm current details when you book.