When getting ready for your trip to Crete, you should also get ready to meet a new culture, unique and peculiar, fairly different from the usual Greece you are used to!
So read on to learn lesser-known details about the island and make the most of your adventure in Crete.
If there is one tip you have to remember from this list, it would be no other than renting a car. Crete is an island full of natural wonders and spectacular sites worth visiting.
So, if you want to explore as many places as possible, renting a vehicle is your best chance.
Although you can rent a car at the airport, it is often less costly to get it from a local rental agency in the city.
Just visit their office and ask for a vehicle to rent. They will give you options, and in less than an hour, you can hit the road.
It is time for that road trip you had in mind; there is no better way to discover Crete.
Crete is an all-year destination. Yet, there are times when the island is at its best. And this period is no other than September.
It is the time of the year when the hot summer temperatures give way to the first signs of autumn.
Although still hot, it is now possible to hike the mountains or walk around the city center at noon; this would be unthinkable during July.
At the same time, the sea is at its best: calm, warm, and less crowded. Although there are still tourists around, it is nothing compared to the crowds of August. You cannot but love September.
Your journey to Crete will most probably start at one of its main hubs: Chania or Heraklion where you can find the biggest harbors and airports on the island.
Although you should spend a few days exploring those areas, you would love a visit to the south of Crete as well.
Southern Crete is a more undeveloped area, mainly because it is cut off from the touristic north by a wall of high mountains, deep canyons, and forests.
As a result, it is a more traditional side of the island. If you rent a car, make sure to visit and stay a few days in southern Crete.
The South owns more than meets the eye.
The gorge is situated in the Samaria National park, within the White Mountains in West Crete. It is a World’s Biosphere Reserve, home to over 450 species of plants and animal, many of them can only be seen in Crete. It is 16 km long and its width is 150 m at its widest point and 3 m at its narrowest. It starts from Xyloskalo area with an altitude of 1200 m and continues down until the sea level in the village of Agia Roumeli and the Libyan sea.
Before you start the hike at Xyloskalo, I recommend a quick visit to the Museum of Natural History of Samaria Gorge as here, you’ll learn a lot about the gorge and the wider surrounding area.