The island of Crete is the largest Greek island, and quite possibly the most unique. It is not quite as alluring as Santorini or Mykonos. However, in Crete, it is possible to step into small towns and villages where the 10,000th tourist of the day has yet to arrive by tour bus.
While exploring the island, we rented a car in Crete and were able to snap dozens of beautiful photos, enjoy traditional Cretan meals, fantastic wine, sweeping views, ancient ruins, and isolated bays. Even pictures of Crete do not do it justice.
It is a beautiful island that requires some work to crack into its hidden gems.
Experiencing Crete requires escaping mass tourism on the northern beaches of the island. All inclusive resorts, significant hotels, beach bars, “Tavernas,” ATV rentals, and mega clubs all dominate this region as do many visiting Europeans who are anything, but Greek. However, with effort, there are plenty of things to do in Crete, and the island holds some beautiful sights and stunning beaches to be seen and experienced.
Beautiful Photos of Crete, Greece
Quick Greek Travel Tips
- ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank You’ in Greek: “Yasou” and “Efharisto”
- Currency: Euro – (EUR) – €
- Visa: Schengen visa. Which is 90 days in the European Union out of 180. Many nationalities are granted this on arrival for free. Check with your embassy to see if that is you.
- Weather: The weather in Greece is a Mediterranean climate. This means winters are mild and rainy, while summers are warm and dry with plenty of sunshine throughout the year.
- What to Pack: Warm weather clothes and a swimsuit, don’t forget a good pair of clothes to go and a jacket for cool nights. Read about what to wear in Greece.
Plan and Pack for Greece
Waterproof Speaker
This all depends on where you’re heading to the beach, but a portable Bluetooth speaker is great to have when you’re in a group. We travel with a small BOOM speaker and take it with us when it feels appropriate. We say this because it’s often best to leave it at home on small secluded beaches so not to annoy anyone else with your music — no one’s that good of a DJ.
Rainbow Sandals
Want to fit in in Greece? Get yourself some Rainbow brand sandals, seriously everyone around you will be wearing them – and for a good reason. They are uber comfortable once you break them in and last forever!
Beach Tote!
No matter what you will need a beach bag when heading to the beach. This is to throw in anything like towels, a book, a speaker, sunglasses, snacks, and sunscreen. As full-time travelers, we often use our daypacks for trips to the beach since a tote is unnecessary.
Sunscreen
Skin cancer is for real! Don’t forget your SPF when traveling around Greece. We recommend ordering some online before leaving the house as you will need it underneath the sun in the summer.
Sunglasses
Make sure to protect your eyes from the sun. There are a lot of options for sunglasses and everyone should own at least a pair. It’s best to make sure they do have UV protection for the health of your eyes.
Travel Towel
Most hotels will provide you with a towel, but they often aren’t suitable or allowed on the beaches. I like to travel with a microfiber towel because they are light and fold up small, and they also don’t cling on to sand our dirt. Here are a few of our favorite travel towels.
