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Crete is the largest island in Greece and is a diverse and beautiful place with incredible beaches, bustling cities and historic ruins.
The South coast of Crete is stunning – it's much less developed than the resorts in the North, mostly due to the separation between both parts by the rugged mountains that stretch horizontally right through the middle of the island. The landscape here is so varied, with impressive coastlines, mountains and areas of flat, arid land too. We love the South coast in particular as its perfect for those looking for an authentic and restful Cretan experience, given that its much quieter than the North.
Cretans are renowned for their strength of character and pride, as well as their warmth, traditional music, and delicious local foods. Its big enough to be a country in its own right, and its people like to separate themselves slightly from other Greeks, and are fiercely proud of their heritage and land, and rightly so!
Food here is distinctively Cretan – using local produce sourced from all over the island, the techniques are kept simple, but the flavours are diverse and incredible. The core ingredients are fresh herbs, seafood, lamb or goat, olive oil and locally grown vegetables. They have a range of traditional cheeses, often unique to each village, and are usually made from either goat or sheep milk. It’s consumed at any time of day, both on its own or as an ingredient in a traditional dish. The most popular variation is ‘graviera’, similar to Swiss cheese in both taste and texture.
Be prepared to come across ‘chocolioi’, or ‘escargot’ as the French call them! These are a local delicacy and are only eaten in the summer months, and they are fried with hot oil and flour before being soaked in white wine and finished off with fresh rosemary.
The lamb dishes in Crete are delicious – slow cooked in olive oil, oregano and served with ‘stamnagathi’ wild mountain greens and a lemon-based sauce. Try this alongside ‘gamopilafo’, a variation on risotto but even more indulgent, and made with rich bone broths from the slow-cooked meat and lashings of butter!
Cretan brandy, or ‘raki’ is served in almost every establishment on the island and is mostly distilled by locals in copper stills. It’s usually drank neat, and is the perfect accompaniment to a little Greek meze…
The climate in Crete is just perfect for beach days, and there are so many to chose from. You can explore the area by boat too, and see the rugged, craggy coastline from the sea.
Arvi beach is well worth a visit, as it’s protected from the winds and never gets busy. In Arvi itself there are some lovely little tavernas serving fresh fish accompanied by large variety of Cretan wines. The seas are shallow, and there’s a combination of both sandy and small pebble beaches which are perfect for little ones.
If you fancy heading inland, there are some fabulous tavernas in the mountains, with incredible views and serving classic Cretan dishes done incredibly well. Some of these hilltop tavernas produce their own olive oil, so be sure to pick up a bottle to take home!
Chrysi Island deserves a visit. It is protected as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and has the largest naturally formed forest of Mediterranean Juniper trees in Europe – these trees have an average age of 200yrs and can reach up to 7 meters in height. Seek out the 13th century chapel of Saint Nicholas, as well as the Minoan ruins, Roman cemetery and ‘Golden beach’, aptly named with its golden sands and turquoise waters. The shallow waters around the island lend themselves to snorkelling and diving too.
Evenings here could start with drinks at a waterfront bar, before heading off to settle in for the evening at your local taverna. The Greeks tend to eat much later in the evening, with many restaurants not getting busy until after 9pm. This is the main meal of the day and is eaten later once the heat of the day subsides. The South of the island is much quieter, so expect more lively bars and dancing with the locals as opposed to great big night clubs, but there is still enough to keep teens entertained and happy!
Crete is the most southerly point of Europe and of Greece too, so tends to have a longer season and more sunshine earlier and later in the year than most other destinations in Europe. If you’re looking for reliable sunshine and settled weather in general, June through to September are the months for you. The shoulder months will be a little cooler and a little less busy, not that its ever really busy in the South. You can enjoy the beaches well into October here, with water temperatures reaching 23 degrees centigrade or above well into late Autumn.
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