Eastern Crete
Greece Travel Secrets’ potted guide to Eastern Crete and why you should
consider it for a holiday, including seeing Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, Vai Beach
and Zakros.
The Lasithi Plateau in Eastern Crete
Eastern Crete has seen some of the densest tourism
development on the island, particularly in the north between Irakleio and Agios
Nikolaos on the Gulf of Mirabello, where bustling resorts have gobbled up the
coastal landscape.
Beyond the gulf, however, the far eastern region holds some
of the most stunning scenery on the island, from rugged mountains to an
unexpected palm beach.
North-Eastern Crete
Crete’s main centre of package tourism lies east of the
capital, Irakleio, stretching along the north coast to Malia. Here a string of
resorts have all but usurped the old villages with cheek-by-jowl hotels,
apartments, restaurants, bars, travel agencies, and souvenir shops.
Agios Nikolaos in Eastern Crete
Around Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos, set prettily around a little lake, is
another bustling centre. Amid this hedonistic coastal strip, the ancient palace
of Malia and the Minoan town of Gournia anchor this changing landscape to the
past.
Far Eastern Crete
A short drive inland takes you into another world. The
provincial hill town of Neapoli is a gateway to the windmills and timeless
farming villages of the Lasithi Plateau, High in the Dikti Mountains is the
Diktean Cave, birthplace of the Greek god Zeus. At Kritsa, the fresco-covered
Church of Panagia Kera is an artistic jewel.
The Panagia Kera Church in Kritsa
Sitia and Beyond
A stunning coastal drive, not to be missed, brings you
further east to Sitia, with its attractive waterfront and relaxed pace. From
here you can strike out across a starkly beautiful mountainous landscape to
reach the monastery of Moni Toplou, the palm-fringed Vai Beach, and the remains
of the Minoan palace at Zakros.
Zakros
South-Eastern Crete
Ierapetra, Europe’s southernmost town, is the largest on the
south coast, with some fine beaches in small untouristy resorts on either side.
Here on the south coast it’s a total contrast to the busy resorts on the north
coast.
Our Pick of the Crete Guides
Other Crete pages
Crete festivals and events include Carnival Easter, Whitsun, Christmas, many other religious feast days and public holidays.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Central Crete including hotels in Matala, Ayia Galini, and Zaros.
Chania is the main city in Western Crete with a lovely setting and a beautiful harbour as well as several museums.
Keramos Studios in Zaros on Crete is an inexpensive two-star hotel/guesthouse with one of the best breakfasts on the island using food from the family’s farm.
Matala Beach on Crete is a guest blog for Greece Travel Secrets from the We Love Crete website, inviting you to Awaken Your Inner Hippy in Matala, Crete.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to eat in Western Crete with tavernas and restaurants in Chania, Rethymnon, and Paleochora.
Visiting Knossos near Iraklion is one of the best things to do on Crete, and this page has a history of the site with visitor information.
Studies have shown the Cretan Diet as one of the healthiest in the world, involving lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, and moderate amounts of wine.
This Amari Valley drive in southern Crete starts and ends in Ayia Galini, takes four to five hours and cover 100 kilometres or 62 miles.
This drive along the west coast of Crete and inland from there will take a whole day and starts and ends in Kastélli Kissámou, west of Chania.
Crete's capital and largest city is Irakleio, also called Iraklion or Heraklion, a large and busy place with good restaurants, museums and historical buildings.
Is someone from Crete a Greek or a Cretan? They are both, of course, but most will tell you that they are Cretan first and Greek second.
The Diktean or Diktaean Cave, also known as the Psychro Cave, near the village of Psychro in eastern Crete, is said to be the birthplace of Zeus.
The Stilianou Winery near Knossos on Crete uses only Cretan grape varieties, with every bottle numbered, and aims for quality rather than quantity.
The most famous Cretan writers and artists include the painter El Greco and the author of Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Irakleio, the capital of Crete, including nearby beach resort hotels and accommodation in the city centre.
The best things to do on Crete and top things to see include the Samaria Gorge, the Minoan Palaces at Knossos and Phaistos, the towns of Chania and Rethymnon.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in western Crete, including both luxury and inexpensive hotels in Chania, Rethymnon, and Paleochora.
Western Crete has some wonderful golden sand beaches as well as mountain villages, monasteries, caves, and archaeological sites to discover.
Sir Arthur Evans is the archaeologist famous for the excavations he made at the royal palace of Knossos on Crete.
These shopping tips for Crete include advice on buying souvenirs like ceramics, icons, jewellery, leather, weavings, wood carvings, and food and drink.
Cretan music is part of the island’s soul and visitors will hear live music wherever they go, with several distinctive Cretan musical instruments and songs.
This olive grove walk from Limnes to Vrises on Crete also takes you through orchards and gives close-up views of some of the island’s windmills.
Greece Travel Secrets page on Phaistos or Faistos, the site of one of the finest Minoan palaces on Crete and is where the mysterious Phaistos Disc was found.
Driving on Crete is the best way to see Greece’s biggest island and here is our driving advice and some information about Greek driving regulations.
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