Crete Holidays 2021/2022
Beach lover? Crete's got 650 miles of coastline to its name. Plus, sleepy villages, mountain scenery and mighty fortresses. Crete boasts sandy beaches, scenic countryside and an encyclopaedic offering of myths and legends.
Featured Crete Holidays
Crete Holiday Hotels
★★★★
Located in popular Hersonissos this 4* hotel offers a glorious panoramic view of the sea. The resort centre is within close proximity (1.5 KM) as is the beach (400M.) offering a wide selection of watersports (at a fee). Facilities at the resort include a mini waterpark and a poolside bar affords the opportunity to relax in the sun with a well-deserved drink.
★★★★
Located, in the beautiful area of Anissaras, 3 Km from the cosmopolitan resort village Hersonissos and 25 Km from the city of Heraklion, Oceanis Heights View Hotel is surrounded by olive trees & local nature and is the ideal place for relaxation and quietness.
Stalos, Crete (Chania Area)
★★★
Our Rating
In an elevated position with stunning countryside and sea views, the Top Hotel is a fab choice for a relaxing break. The hotel offers spacious rooms and great value for money. The pool area has a great sun terrace and a bar serving snacks throughout the day. Couples will find this is a friendly property and a great base for exploring the surrounding area.
Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort
Kolymbari, Crete (Chania Area)
★★★★ | Our Rating
You couldn’t be much closer to the sand-and-pebble shoreline if you tried. Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort specialises in unbeatable sea views, with a range of rooms and suites showing them off.
★★★★★
Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa is an ultra All Inclusive 24 hour resort that lies on the beach of Anissaras in the resort of Hersonissos in Crete. This majestic five-star resort offers a state of the art spa and wellness centre, five pools, spacious accommodation, themed restaurants and extensive facilities. The recognised hospitality at this hotel makes it the perfect pick for couples and families seeking an unforgettable holiday in the Greek sunshine.
Hersonissos, Eastern Crete
★★★★★ | Our Rating
Crete Holidays Online
Greece & Cyprus National Parks
Perhaps the country’s most iconic goat, however, is Crete’s rare Kri-kri, which leaps with amazing agility through the towering Samaria Gorge. Depicted on a number of ancient artefacts discovered by archaeologists, the Kri-kri population dropped below 200 in the 1960s – partly because the meat became vital to resistance fighters during the Second World War – and has recovered to only about 2,000.
The Kri-kri is elusive, but if you tackle any of the 13km gorge look out for a medium-sized animal, swept-back horns and a light-brown coat with a dark streak on the back and neck. Similar goats live wild on Gioura island in the Sporades and it is thought that, like the Kri-kri, they are descended from once-domesticated herds that turned feral.
Goats are also central to St George’s Day celebrations in late April at the Cretan village of Asi Gonia, in the Apokoronas region, when farmers bring livestock, bearing traditional ‘leria’ bells,
Messing about on boats
Yearning for a sight of the sparkling turquoise sea that laps the Greek islands? Feel desire to take a boat to a nearby islet or idyllic cove to swim and dry off while lazing in the sunshine?
On Crete, the resort town of Elounda retains a real charm with fishing boats and hire boats sailing in and out all day. From the pristine harbourside it’s a wonderful feeling to get out on the sparkling water to explore the historic island of Spinalonga and the pretty seafront village of Plaka.
Elounda
Saunter along the waterfront promenade to choose a boat trip from a glorious sunset sailing to watch the golden light dance on the sparkling sea to a night-time cocktail cruise with a silvery moon adding to the romance. Even a short hop on the water is good for the soul, watching for sealife while birds soar above in the perfect blue sky.
Aghios Nikolaos
Aghios Nikolaos is about 20 minutes’ drive from Elounda but it’s far more fun to hire a private boat to nip along the coast to visit this small town with a big reputation. The town has three faces to the sea – Voulismeni Lake and the port, Kitroplatia Beach and the Marina. Voulismeni is a deep body of water, connected to the sea by a narrow inlet, surrounded by cafes and restaurants, making it a lovely place to people watch and relax into your holiday. Why not check out our portfolio of holiday accommodation at Aghios Nikolaos?
Visit Spinalonga
The former leper colony is a short boat ride from Elounda and fans of Victoria Hislop’s bestselling historical novel The Island (Olympic Holidays’ Book It! competition’s most popular read) can expect a serene, but rather ghostly experience! Some day trips to the island also sail on to Kolokitha, a small sandy bay, for swimming, snorkelling and a barbecue. Now that’s what carefree holidays are all about.
Visit Plaka
You can return from Spinalonga to the small village of Plaka where several cafe bars and the beachside restaurants look out to sea. It’s a lovely, laid-back spot to while away the hours. Hire a boat back or if you are in the mood for walking it’s about a 45-minute stretch to Elounda or for more active types it’s 15km to Aghios Nikolaos.
Snorkel over Olous
Prefer to go under water? Snorkelling trips to the sunken city of Olous from Elounda are really special. Olous is an important Minoan site so enjoy a wonderful trip to admire the ruins from a powerful civilization while swimming among the fish.