Highlights from a Family Trip to Crete

Guys, what a little paradise… for 10 days we pretty much lived in swimsuits, hopping from beach to pool to hike. With a generous dose of juicy red tomatoes, feta and Greek yogurt on the side. No surprise here, but Crete as a family vacation seriously delivered. Even more than the gorgeous scenery and delicious cuisine though, it was the locals who really made the trip. From the baker in a lost little town who snuck us some of the catered meal he was preparing (roasted goat and potatoes ), to our hotel owner who brought us a bowl of freshly picked figs when she heard we enjoyed them, the people are extremely warm and caring!

Below you will find our 10 day itinerary, as well as some tips on gear, etc. We put a lot of effort into this planning of this trip, and hope all of research can help other families enjoy this paradise!

Temperature

Even though we visited in August, the temperature was very manageable! Between all the ocean dips, pools, cool breezes and shade we were rarely hot.

City visits were harder, but still manageable, especially in the morning.

Pretty toasty at Knossos Palace BUT manageable! These little portable fans helped a lot.

Gear

It’s worth bringing water shoes for the rocky beaches, along with some snorkel masks - there are lots of cool fish to see! 

Rocky Beaches in Plaka

Getting around and crowds 

You will definitely need to rent a car to get to all the stunning sites! We also opted for a boat ride one day to get to some secluded beaches. 

Despite visiting in August, the crowds were manageable and we were surprised how empty the roads were once you get out of cities! I heard September and the spring are delightful too, with even less crowds.

We opted to move all around the island, staying in five different hotels. We have a child who gets car sick easily, it is seemed better to move around according to sites rather than have a home base and go back and forth, BUT you could definitely just stay near Chania for instance and use that as a home base.

Random 

• Crete is quite casual! I saw lots of people showing up the restaurants in swim suits. There is no issue in showing up to dine straight after the beach:)

• Greece has some of my personal fave cuisine, and as a vegetarian I love that there are sooo many options! Dining out is very affordable - our fave meal included several appetizers, wine, seafood mains for everyone and a complimentary dessert (because yes almost everywhere brings out ‘gifts on the house’ at the end of meals!) and cost… 42 euros! 

Day 1

We flew into the Heraklion airport, grabbed our rental car, and made a beeline for our first activity - the Knossos Palace. This is only about 15 minutes from the airport. 

Knossos Palace

Meal by Knossos - Persiphae 

This spot is about a 3 min walk to the palace - you can park in the shade and go directly from here. There is a little playground, and my son insists I share that they brought complimentary chocolate cake for dessert (turns out this is pretty common, but since this was the first time it happened we were quite excited!).

Knossos Palace - I had read mixed reviews on visiting the Knossos Palace, but since it is the largest Minoan palace and a major archeological site we went for it. We booked tickets in advance to avoid potential lines (not an issue in the end; 26 euros / adult, kids under 18 free). 

Honestly we could have skipped this - there is very little context and I was disappointed they did not provide a brochure or panels explaining the myth of the Minotaur for instance - it could be so much more interesting! We rented the interactive iPad guide at the entrance, but it was not great and seemed like 20 wasted euros. If you really want to go I would invest in a guided tour to help bring the visit to life and give context. 

 If you are visiting in the summer be ready  for heat - the sun is quite intense there! 

After the palace we drove one hour to our first hotel - Kasapliana Village, where we stayed three nights.

Kasapliana Village - this was one of the nicer hotels we stayed in and I LOVED IT. The hotel is a collection of very old buildings congregated around an ancient oil press, and everything has been restored in a very authentic way. There is a killer breakfast buffet, and the restaurant serves up excellent meals at lunch and dinner. The grounds boast an organic garden and gorgeous pool. LOVED.

Day 2

Arkadi Monastery

In the morning we drove about 15 minutes to this beautiful monastery that has a very sad story. Contrary to the Knossos palace, there was a great brochure available that gave plenty of context. We all agreed this was a great morning. 

Parking is easy, count about an hour, and admission is €4 per person.

In the afternoon we drove about an hour to the south side of the island to the Matala beach. 

Matala beach and city

We started with lunch in the city - plenty of casual options. The city is cute but quite touristy with lots of souvenir shops. 

Then we walked to the beach. This beach comes up on the top Crete beaches, and is unique thanks to being surrounded troglodyte limestone caves! It was quite crowded, and hot. We stayed maybe an hour or so. It was fine but not my fave experience… maybe it’s better outside high season! If you have a shorter trip, this could be cut, IMO.

• Park in one of the two covered parking lots in the town center, €5

• There are lots of umbrellas and chairs for rent, and there are some beachside restaurants.

Day 3 

Preveli beach - this is again a ‘must’ on Crete lists, and the drive was about an hour from the hotel. We LOVED this spot and consider it a must:)

This beach is known for being located at the intersection of the mouth of a fresh river flowing down from the mountains, and the sea. The water is a bit murky from the river current, so don’t count on snorkeling here. 

There is a long ‘staircase’ built into the mountain to get down to the beach. Count 15-20 mins and keep in mind that you’ll have to go back up afterwards! In July it was quite hot by the time we left around 1pm.

From the beach, walk through the chilly river through the palm trees. When you get to the back, there is a little waterfall. If you climb over it and keep going you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous pools in big stones, with palms all around. There is almost no one that continues past the first little waterfall! I would not go with kids under 5 or so. 

• Ideally go in the am to avoid crowds and heat

• Wear close toed shoes - there is a hike to access the beach!

• Bring water shoes - the beach is rocky, and the walk through the river will be easier.

• There is a restaurant on the beach (but we did not try it). 

• There is shade under the trees on the beach. 

On the way back we stopped in Spili for a late lunch, and then had dinner at the hotel. 

Day 4

This morning we left the Kapsaliana hotel. We spent the morning exploring Rethymno, one of the larger Cretan cities. It’s right on the coast and has an interesting mix of Ottoman and Venetian history. The city is built around the Venetian fortress, which provides fantastic panoramic views from its hilltop location (we enjoyed this visit but it was hot!). 

Don’t miss a stroll through the Old Town, a maze of townhouses, loggias, and fountains from the 16th and 17th century when it was all part of Venice.

Lunch - THEA THALASSA; Ioannou Melissinou 59, Rethymno 741 00, Grèce - 

This was a rec from Abroad Wife, and it was perfect! It is popular in the evening but very calm during the day. Those who ordered the catch of the day got to go in the kitchen to select their fresh fish! Great view, and the staff was very nice. And there was more complimentary chocolate cake for dessert! 

Afterwards we drove about an hour to our next hotel on the Falasarna beach. We stayed at the Panorama hotel, which had a great view of the beach and breakfast, AND accepted a single night stay. 

Falasarna beach, which, together with Elafonissi, is often mentioned as one of Crete’s best beaches. It is surrounded by mountains, and has some bigger waves (this might be hard with smaller children). The water is crystal clear, and the kids had a great time playing in the surf. 

For dinner we drive about ten mins to Alikia Falassarna, a casual ocean side restaurant with pretty views. We emailed to reserve email 3 days out. Not the best meal we had but I have a fond memory from here since the kids could climb on the rocks along the coast and the sunset was so pretty. 

Day 5 

This morning we drove 1.5 hours to the Elafonisi beach area - another must in Crete. Along the way we stopped at Voulolimni, a swimming crater connected to the ocean. It was not crowded and very pretty, with some fun snorkeling and cliff jumping. 

Before heading to the Elafonisi beach, we had lunch at Taverne Stomio Elafonisi. 

Recommended by our hotel, this was a huge hit! You dine in a garden in the shade of a huge tree. Animals are roaming freely - the kids loved seeing the chickens and chicks, cats and ducks that wandered, plus the donkeys, ostriches and a deer in the farm area around the restaurant. The food was very good, and the servings generous. So many complimentary surprises - loved the garlic bread with a tomato dip that they offered, along with the watermelon, ouzo and semoule cake. The souvlaki was a very good and a hit with the kids. About 10 minutes from Elafonisi beach. 

We spent the afternoon at the very popular  Elafonssi beach (Elafonissi Beach was recently named the best beach in the world by TripAdvisor). To avoid crowds, try to arrive early or late. Famous for its pink sand,  this beach is quite shallow and wave free, which makes it great for young children. We walked to the little island across from the beach, since it seemed less crowded. 

After the beach we drove to the next hotel, EVGE Crete. We had a little apartment, and there is a pool and a great breakfast served on the patio. We loved this spot, both for its accommodations but mostly thanks to the woman who runs it, Konstantina. She is a total gem and sooo kind, and she made so many wonderful recommendations for the rest of our stay! There was a nice breakfast spread brought to our patio every morning, along with a pool.

We had dinner near the hotel at Elaias Thea, a beautiful mountain restaurant with incredible views - best to reserve, try to go for sunset! 

Day 6

This was a big day, where we opted for a 6 hour private boat ride out to hard to access beaches.  We booked several months out with Cruiso al Paraiso, and left from the Kissamos port.

Our first stop was the Gramvousa Island, maybe one of my fave spots we visited in Crete. Gramvousa is a small island with a Venetian fortress, a pretty beach, and a shipwreck! 

We arrived early, maybe by 10am, which is key if you want to enjoy the island before the big tourist boats show up! We immediately did the 20 minute hike to the fortress at the top of the mountain - the views are splendid!! Then we went back to the beach for snorkeling and swimming out to the shipwreck. We left right as the big boats were pulling in!

Next stop was Balos, yet another stunning beach. Apparently the drive to the beach parking is quite arduous, and then there is a longish hike to reach the beach, so arriving by boat seems like the way to go here. We spent a couple hours swimming, and exploring all around the bay. We saw more pink sand, and some goats on the beach.

The last stop on the boat ride was a hidden little cove with the bluest water I’ve ever seen. We had it to ourselves, and the snorkeling was incredible ! We usually splurge on private boat rides just for this kind of experience, along with the fact you can beat the crowds in the morning. 

After the boat ride we had a late lunch at Gramvoussa Restaurant, which seems to be an institution. It is traditional greek cuisine, with veggies coming partially from their farm. We loved the complimentary fruit bar at the end of the meal!  Open everyday 1PM - 11PM.

Day 7

This morning we checked out of the EVGE hotel, and went straight to Afrata Beach. It was a Sunday morning and I loved that this tiny beach was filled with locals! It is a rocky beach, try to arrive early to nab some of the free beach chairs and umbrellas. There is a restaurant on the beach, which we didn’t try but I heard was good if you want to keep things simple. 

Afterwards we hopped in the car to drive to our next hotel, Metohi Kindelis .

This is a very unique hotel, located right in the outskirts of Chania, the most charming city we visited. The hotel is kind of a compound of restored homes on a family property. There are only two homes for rent, and each has their own enormous private pool area where you can eat meals, etc. The owners have a working organic farm and are growing avocados, oranges, pomegranates…! There is no breakfast BUT rooms are outfitted with kitchens and fully stocked with organic eggs, homemade yogurt and jams, bread, coffee, and fresh fruit. This hotel is wonderful if you are ecologically minded, don’t mind cooking your own breakfast, and want an authentic and calm experience :)

This evening we explored Chania a bit and reserved dinner at the very trendy Maimi. This dinner was ok but I think in the end I personally prefer the more local traditional spots in Greece but they had good pizza:) Definitely reserve in advance. 

Day 8

This was a bday celebration in our family so we wanted something fun for Lucie! We settled on a morning exploring the Kournás Lake, where you can rent paddle boats and kayaks and look for turtles. This is a popular spot, and it’s best to arrive early (like by 10am) to try and beat the crowds. Parking is easy and free. 

We rented the boats from Paddle Boats Korissia, which has an ideal location for searching for fresh water turtles on the opposite bank. This was probably one of our highlights of vacation - the kids loved sliding off the boating, and pedaling all over looking for turtles! 

Pedal boats are 15 euros for 3-4 people / hour; there are also boats with slides! We also rented a kayak for an hour for ten euros. There are free beach chairs and umbrellas for customers.

There are lots of restaurants around the lake, but we decided to leave to another city,  Georgioupoulis. This tiny city is adorable with lots of bougainvillea flowers and pretty ocean views. We had lunch at Nostos (no need to reserve), and then walked to the church out in the sea - wear water shoes, you will get wet!

Day 9 

Today was dedicated to exploring the beautiful and vibrant city of Chania more! 

Some highlights -

Shopping! I am not a big shopper but was very tempted by all the linen clothing, leather sandals, and olive wood utensils. Don’t miss walking through the leather street for pretty shoes and purses!

For breakfast, try a Bougatsa pastry, made of filo dough filled with fresh white cheese and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Yum! Bougatsa Iordanis was recommended by multiple people and it was delicious!

The city is known for its picturesque Old Town, which boasts narrow streets, Venetian architecture, and colorful buildings. The Old Town is also home to several landmarks, including the Venetian harbor, the lighthouse, and the Firkas Fortress.

Chania To do

Self guided tour here : https://creteinsider.com/things-to-do-in-chania-old-town-crete/

Day 10

This day we checked out of the Metohi Kindelis, and we started by driving to the small mountain city of Margarites, known for ceramics! There are about a dozen shops with artisans doing demonstrations. We purchased some pretty and affordable coffee cups as a souvenir. We had a quick lunch here which was fine but nothing worth noting:)

In the afternoon we drove to another highlight of the trip - a olive oil tasting and farm visit at Kleanthi Olive Oil Tasting Adventure.

This was SUCH a great activity - we all found the process very interesting, the guides were wonderul and the tasting was enormous! Honestly I was in shock when I saw the trays of fresh fruits, cheese and bread laid out in front of us! MUST DO!

Adults 16 euros, kids free, 1 hour, reserve via the website

This evening we checked into our last hotel, the Paul Marie hotel. This spot was a great deal and very pretty with bougainvillea in bloom everywhere! It is also 1/2 pension, with a breakfast and dinner buffet that was pretty decent. All in all an agreaable spot to stay with a big pool and well-located for exploring the eastern side of the island.

Day 11

This was another of our favorite days! We drove out to Plaka to catch a boat to Spinalonga, an island with a very interesting history, including being a leper colony.

Boats leave every 30 mins til 5PM, I think adults were around 15 euros round trip, and we bouth the tickets right on the pier.

On Spinalonga you can find out all about the lives of the lepers who were banished here from the early 1900s until the 1950s. You get to see the remains of the houses they lived in, the hospitals. The boat ride was quite scenic, and then once on the island there was a nice mix of hiking around and also stopping to read the history of the island.

We caught the boat back to Plaka, and then ate at a restaurant along the beach.

Next up we had time for one more beach so we stopped at Peninsula Spinalogkas, which was a bit hidden and pretty empty!

Our last stop of the day was heading to the cute city of Nikolaos for dinner with a view at

Gioma Meze. This spot was recommended by many people, and it did not disappoint! Loved everything here, including the pretty location perched up on a cliff. The city is cute and worth wandering around too. Don't miss the Minotaur mural:)

Day 12

This was departure day - boo! We flew out of Heraklion.

I hope this has inspired you to consider a trip to Crete, OR if you already have a trip planned that you have found some spots worth checking out!