Discover Crete: Nature, Culture and Hotels

When looking for a hotel in Crete, you can choose a destination based on your own interests: the island combines an extensive coastline and striking mountain landscapes with museums, historic buildings and a distinctive food culture. The places and themes below show the different sides of Crete you can explore on your trip.

Coastline, Mountains and Gorges

Crete’s coastline is more than 1,000 kilometres long. The number of gorges also shapes the island’s landscape: with more than 400 gorges, Crete has the highest number of gorges in Greece. The Samaria Gorge illustrates the scale of this landscape particularly clearly. It is 16 kilometres long, no more than three metres wide in places, and bordered by vertical walls up to 500 metres high. Length, width and height describe different features of the same gorge—a useful distinction when familiarising yourself with Crete’s landscape.

The mountain ranges that define Crete include Lefka Ori, Psiloritis and the Dikti Mountains. Their highest peaks reach 2,452, 2,456 and 2,148 metres, respectively. The White Mountains are also a practical point of reference when planning a hike: hiking there requires physical fitness, experience and a good sense of direction. Keep these requirements in mind if hiking is one of the reasons for your trip. Near Vai, you’ll find groves of the Cretan date palm—another distinctive aspect of the landscape, alongside the gorges and mountains.

Museums and Historic Sites

Heraklion is home to the Archaeological Museum, with its unique Minoan collection and masterpieces of Minoan art. The Natural History Museum of Crete, by contrast, focuses on the natural environment of the eastern Mediterranean, with particular emphasis on Greece and Crete. The two museums have different focuses: one turns the spotlight on Minoan art, the other on the region’s natural world.

CRETAquarium also offers its own way to explore a particular subject: visitors can discover marine life and take guided tours through various marine ecosystems. Those interested in history and architecture will find a different perspective at Gramvousa Castle. Located on the island of Imeri Gramvousa, it was built towards the end of Venetian rule as part of a larger fortification project in Crete. The museum at Arkadi Monastery houses artefacts from the famous battle. Together, these sites represent different historical periods and subjects; they need not be reduced to the same era or type of collection.

Cretan Cuisine and Winegrowing

Food and wine are another way to get to know Crete. Cretan cuisine includes both centuries-old recipes and modern, creative variations. It brings traditional cooking together with contemporary interpretations, without being limited to a single style. Wine has also been systematically cultivated on the island for more than 4,000 years. This long history of winemaking and the variety of the cuisine are two distinct aspects of local food culture. So, if culinary experiences are among your travel interests, they can provide a point of reference for choosing a hotel, alongside the landscape and museums.

Whether you’re mainly interested in the coast, the mountains, Minoan art, natural history or local food culture, Crete offers several distinct themes to help you plan your stay. Use your interests to find the destinations on the island that suit you, then compare suitable hotel offers.

Regional Guide and More Destinations

For a regional guide to Crete: Heraklion, Chania, Lasithi and Rethymno.

Discover more destinations: South Aegean, Western Greece, Peloponnese and Central Greece.

For the main travel overview: Greece.