Interactive Map of Crete
Explore the top landmarks and excursions around Heraklion, from the Koules fortress and the archaeological museum to Knossos, Phaistos and the Lasithi plateau. Click any marker to learn more.
Crete landmarks
Day trips & excursions
Agios Nikolaos: Base for Lasithi and Spinalonga Agios Nikolaos is the practical base for Lasithi: KTEL coast buses, boats to Spinalonga, and short drives to Kritsa and the Lasithi plateau. Balos and Gramvousa Boat from Kissamos or the dirt track to Balos? A clear verdict, the 1579 fortress on Gramvousa, and when the meltemi cancels the crossing. Chania: Crete's Venetian Old Town by the Harbour Chania is Crete's second city and its Venetian old town, the base for Souda, Akrotiri, Balos and the Samaria gorge trailhead. Crete Crete is 260 km long and four regions wide. Here's how long to stay, which base to pick, and how to get around the island. Elafonissi Elafonissi's pink sand is real but patchy, protected by law, and 76 km from Chania. What to actually expect, when to go, and how to get there. Elounda and Spinalonga Which boat to take to Spinalonga from Plaka, Elounda or Agios Nikolaos, and why the island is history, not just a photo op. Heraklion: Crete's Capital, Not Just an Airport Heraklion is Crete's capital, its history, its museum and its wine country — not a beach town or a layover between flights. Knossos: Minoan Palace and Replica Frescoes Near Heraklion Knossos near Heraklion: why its famous frescoes are replicas, what's original Minoan work, and when to go before the heat and the coaches. Lasithi Plateau Rusted windmills, not spinning ones, dot the Lasithi plateau. Plan the Dikteon cave descent, the cool high-altitude season, and why a car is essential. Preveli and the Kourtaliotiko Gorge Preveli's palm gorge burned in 2010 and is still regrowing — not the old postcard grove. How to visit from Rethymno or Plakias, May to October. Rethymno: A Venetian-Ottoman Old Town on the North Coast Rethymno's Venetian-Ottoman old town anchors its own region on Crete's north coast, with Arkadi, Margarites and the Psiloritis foothills nearby. Samaria Gorge and Agia Roumeli Samaria Gorge is a one-way 16km descent from the Xyloskalo to Agia Roumeli, a village with no road — you leave only by boat. Here's how it works. Agia Pelagia and Fodele Agia Pelagia is a beach resort near Heraklion airport; Fodele, El Greco's birthplace, sits just inland. Practical facts on both, no old-town promises. Archanes and the Dafnes Wine Country Archanes village and the Peza-Dafnes wine country near Knossos: indigenous grapes, walkable streets, and no theme-park wine tours. Arkadi Monastery Arkadi monastery, where Crete's 1866 siege ended in a mass explosion, sits in the Rethymno hills as a working monastery with a dress code. Gouves and Hersonissos Gouves and Hersonissos form Crete's busiest resort strip: 20 km of restaurants, nightlife and package beaches near Heraklion and Knossos. Ierapetra and Chrissi Island How to reach Chrissi island from Ierapetra, Crete's southernmost town, and what the protected, unhabited islet is actually like. Kissamos Kissamos is the boat port for Balos and Gramvousa, and a base for Falassarna, Elafonissi and Topolia. Not a charm town, but a useful one. Lake Kournas & Argyroupoli Lake Kournas is Crete's only natural freshwater lake, paired with nearby Argyroupoli's springs and plane trees in the Apokoronas region west of Rethymno. Loutro and Chora Sfakion Loutro has no road in or out - reach it by boat or on foot. Chora Sfakion is a Samaria gorge exit point, with ferries running May to October. Matala Matala on Crete's Libyan Sea coast: calm water when the meltemi hits the north, and short trips to Phaistos and Gortyna from the Messara plain. Plakias and Damnoni Why the Libyan coast around Plakias and Damnoni stays calmer than the north when the meltemi blows, and swims well May to October. Platanias and Agia Marina: Chania's Nearest Beach Strip Platanias and Agia Marina, the closest beach strip to Chania: when to swim, sunbed rules, getting there by car or KTEL, and what it isn't. Sitia, Vai and Zakros: Crete's Far East Vai's palm forest, Sitia's small airport and the Minoan ruins of Zakros: a practical guide to Crete's far eastern corner. Souda and Akrotiri: Beyond the Ferry Port Souda is Crete's overnight ferry port from Piraeus, not a beach resort. What Akrotiri offers nearby: a war cemetery, monasteries and quiet coast. Stalida and Malia: Same Strip, Different Nights Stalida and Malia sit on the same north-coast strip near Heraklion, sharing beaches and season but very different nights. Agia Galini Agia Galini is a small fishing port on Crete's Libyan coast, a quiet base near Phaistos and Matala, calmer than the north when the meltemi blows. Anogia and Mount Psiloritis Anogia is the natural gateway to Mount Psiloritis, Crete's 2,456m summit — no chairlift, no KTEL coverage, and a hiking season from May to October. Dia Island, Heraklion's Uninhabited Offshore Refuge Dia island off Heraklion has no beach clubs or ruins, only a kri-kri refuge reached by a booked boat trip, May to October. Falassarna Falassarna is a sand beach near Kissamos, famous for sunsets, reachable by paved road — no dirt track like Balos, no fragile dunes like Elafonissi. Frangokastello and the Imbros Gorge A Venetian fort on Crete's Libyan Sea coast, paired with the Imbros gorge, a shorter, less complicated hike than Samaria, open May to October. Georgioupoli Georgioupoli sits at a river mouth between Chania and Rethymno, with a long sand beach, easy KTEL access and Lake Kournas nearby. Kalyves and Almyrida: Quiet Family Bays Near Chania Kalyves and Almyrida are calm family bays near Chania, with sheltered beaches, boat rentals and easy access to Lake Kournas. Kolymvari Kolymvari is a quiet stop between Chania and Kissamos: a village and beach for a break, not a destination in its own right. Kritsa and Neapoli: Lasithi's Inland Villages Kritsa and Neapoli, two inland villages near Agios Nikolaos: what to expect, how to get there, and why a rental car beats the KTEL. Margarites and the Melidoni Cave A pottery village and a limestone cave in inland Rethymno: what to see, why you need a car, and the best season to go. Palaiochora: A Quiet Base for Crete's South-West Why base in Palaiochora: a quiet south-west port on the Libyan Sea, a Samaria exit point, and a calmer coast when the meltemi hits the north. Panormos and Bali: A Beach Stop, Not a Destination Panormos and Bali are easy KTEL beach stops on the Rethymno-Heraklion coast road, not old towns or ruins, and they are busiest in July and August. Phaistos and Gortyna Why Phaistos and Gortyna belong in the same Messara day trip: Crete's second Minoan palace and the actual Roman capital of the island. Sougia and Ancient Lissos Sougia is a quiet south-west Crete village beyond Samaria's third exit, with ancient Lissos a short coastal walk away. Spili and the Patsos Gorge Why stop in Spili before or after the Patsos gorge: lion-head fountains, a quiet Rethymno mountain village, and a shorter, easier hike than Samaria. Therisso Gorge and the White Mountain Villages South of Chania A quiet mountain drive south of Chania through the White Mountain foothills to the village where the 1905 revolution began. Topolia and the Elos Chestnut Villages A quiet mountain road through Topolia's rock tunnel to the chestnut villages of Elos, west Crete's honest rural detour away from the coast.