Crete holidays

Relax and discover

Rethymnon

Local culture: You could happily spend hours wandering around the flower decked streets of the beautiful Old Town. Whilst exploring make sure you take a trip to the Venetian fortress, built to defend the town and still an impressive landmark. There are plenty more Venetian relics to stumble upon, including the lighthouse, a loggia, several churches and numerous grand mansions.

Walking: The world famous Samaria Gorge is the most important natural monument in Crete. Organised hikes begin at the 1200m high Omalos plateau before descending to the seaside village of Aghia Roumeli. It usually takes around 6 hours to cover this 16km trek and is not for the faint hearted.

Eating out: Lining the harbour front are restaurants offering delicious food and beautiful sea views whilst the Old Town hides intimate, traditional tavernas within its network of quaint and narrow streets. It is no surprise that sampling the local seafood is a must, choose the day’s special for mouth wateringly fresh dishes.

Evening atmosphere: After knocking back the local wine and Raki in a taverna, head to bars and cafes in the Old Town or harbour front. If you want to party into the small hours, follow the music floating on the warm summer’s breeze, from nightclubs tucked away in Rethymnon’s labyrinthine old town.

Elounda

Local culture: Elounda is known as being a glamorous playground of the rich and famous, fortunately this doesn’t mean that it feels any less authentic. Those who want to know more about local history should pay a visit to the folklore museum in Aghios Nikolaos, a veritable treasure trove of fascinating historic relics.

Beaches: For an island blessed with golden sands, it won’t come as a surprise that life often revolves around the beach. Elounda has two beaches, both easy to reach and offering plenty of lunch and ice cream options. If you don’t mind driving to get off the beaten track, you’re in for a treat. Crete has hundreds of beaches to sample, everything from secluded coves to party hotspots.

Water sports: Whether you fancy a nice relaxing pedalo ride along the beautiful coast line, or prefer whizzing across the waves on a banana boat, there’s a water sport for you. To see a different side of Crete head underwater. With PADI diving schools offering scuba and snorkelling, it doesn’t mater whether you’re an expert or first timer.

Evening atmosphere: Evening activity is centred around the gorgeous little harbour, lined with cafes and tavernas. You’ll be well entertained for as long as you want, from appetisers at around 7pm through to after dinner drinks in the small hours.