On the beach: Check out LUX.ME White Palace and Caramel Grecotel Boutique Resort for sheer whitewashed bliss right on the beach. Mar 20 - Mar 21. 1. Theres no real village to speak of, but there are a few places to stay tucked away in the flat plain behind the beach. Head west for quieter beaches at Amnisos or Tobrouk. The landscape is dry and barren, and the beaches largely empty. Lyttos Beach Resort is a 150-acre family-friendly hotel with dated interior spaces but beautiful grounds, including a sandy beach with free loungers and a lifeguard. Falassarna is located on the west coast of the island around a 2 hour 40 minute drive from Heraklion airport. Beach balls aside there is more to Plakias than sand and sunshine. Crete's Best Beach Hotels | The Hotel Guru The city of Rethymnon (you might also see it spelt Rethymno or Rethimno) is like a smaller, more chilled version of Chania. 15 Best Luxury Crete Resorts on the Beach - overseas attractions That said, there are bus links to Rethymno and Heraklion so car hire is not necessary. forms: { Go in the shoulder months and youll be rewarded with a day trip to remember. Panormos a small and charming traditional Cretan fishing village located on the northern coast has a few little extra bits that make it attractive, and a winery, it also has guided tours and tasting as well making it an attractive proposition indeed. Elafonisi Lagoon is located on the west coast of the Greek island of Crete around a 3 hour 20 minute drive from Heraklion Airport. There are actually three beaches within walking distance from the cobbled stone street village, all of which are pretty shallow and nestled amongst some really lovely local topography, allowing for some rather nice snorkelling experiences. Crete is a large island the fifth largest in the Mediterranean and you can find whatever youre looking for in each region. The beach is in a protected park and no development is allowed with 1km. The Best Luxury Hotels on Crete, Greece | The Hotel Guru See More, A luxury boutique hotel with quirky design and a private stretch of beach. Mount Ida is the tallest peak of the range, named after the daughter of the King of Crete according to Greek mythology. It attracts independent travellers and plenty of returners and is a popular base for hiking in the area. !" Breakfast included 2022 2. There are lots of lovely places to stay in Rethymnon. Head east from Sitia and you eventually reach is Paleokastro, a windswept resort with an edge-of-the-world feel and some of the best windsurfing in Europe. There are seven restaurants to choose from, a kids' club, and a wide range of activities - a real crowd pleaser. Its a relaxed resort town (well compared to its busier neighbours) and if you want a no-nonsense turn-up and relax on the beach holiday then this is a good choice. Mid-range boutique: Casa Cook is a beach resort reimagined for the Instagram generation, with boho-chic minimalism up on the hills behind the beach in Kato Daratsa. If you chose to arrive by boat, the route and views are particularly beautiful. For all intents and purposes its a real treasure. Again due to its relative remoteness, youll be able to leave your disco shoes at home as well have none of that here, thanks very much. Packages to Stalis are available through TUI. Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa. Many Chania beaches are among the best on the island, such as Balos, Falassarna, and Elafonissi. Blue Palace Luxury Collection has views across to Spinalonga, an extensive spa, and direct access to a pebble beach. Description: Malia is the most popular beach resort of Heraklion and the most famous nightlife spot in Crete. It gets very popular and usually attracts people who go there for clubbing. Anissaras beach http://www.flickr.com/photos/brownieboy27/4986950206/in/set-72157624948245648 Report inappropriate content roseyManchester manchester Kids go free to the Minoan Amusement Park. The lagoon itself is actually an island that can be reached by paddling out to it. Captains House is in a traditional building by the waterfront a friendly welcome, fantastic sea views, and comfy beds. Suites and private villas have personal pools. The resort itself is sleepy but like most in the area the beach gets very busy in the summer. A luxurious hideaway near Rethymnon. BEST HOTELS RIGHT ON THE BEACH: Domes Noruz, Caramel Grecotel Boutique Resort, Domes of Elounda. There are 3 main beaches and a long waterfront area thats full of seafood restaurants, bars and clubs, and is popular in the evening. Most likely, it will only be you, the sound of the lapping water, the bristling sun and the rustle of the pine trees. It has a slightly scruffy feel but there are two town beaches, an archaeological museum and some excellent restaurants to entertain you. This is part of a Greek holiday resort guide series and will cover: Roughly speaking, the north coast is developed and is home to the main cities and also most of the beach resort towns. Hailing from the Emerald Isle she calls a small coastal town near Dublin home, but has lived in a few countries including Saigon, Vietnam where she resided for over a year. Where to Stay on Corfu: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Kefalonia: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Lefkada: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Zakynthos: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Skiathos: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Rhodes: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Mallorca: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Ibiza: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on Menorca: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide, Where to Stay on the Turkish Coast: Ultimate Beach Resort Guide. The main town in the region is likeable Agios Nikolaos (or Ag Nik, as its affectionately known), which makes up the quartet of north coast main cities. This is a natural beauty spot which is an absolute pearl, but youve got to time it right. The 680-room Creta Maris Beach Resort is a beachfront all-inclusive resort a 10-minute walk from Limenas Hersonissos village. The town isnt strictly a beach resort, so theres plenty to see and do besides basking. . Theres a wide selection of accommodation, easy transport links, a short airport transfer, and child-friendly shallow waters. Balos beach Chania Balos is a fantastic location on the northwestern side of Crete, in the region of Chania. Most visitors wont venture far outside the old town, the nexus of which is the pretty 14th-century Venetian harbourfront, but surrounding it is a decent-sized the modern university city with a year-round population of 60,000 people. One of the most beautiful cities in all of Greece, Chania is unsurprisingly a popular tourist destination. { A classy, modern hotel. Its a year-round Greek town that attracts tourists and expats, rather than a purpose-built tourist town. It is truly non-commercialised, and we hope it stays that way. Considering you are only down the road from one of Cretes busiest towns, its pretty quiet and relaxing. Blue Palace Elounda 9. Clearly, the island has so much more to offer aside from the famous mythology and legends, there are also sites of architectural, historical, and natural importance, that will leave any visitor completely enthralled! If you are a true adventurer take your flashlight and head up to Milatos caves. Triopetra is surrounded by Siderotas mountain, olives groves, and of course, the seafront, the area is named after the three majestic rocks that rise out of the ocean at the edge of the peninsula. Plenty of suites and private villas have pools. If it gets a bit too quiet for you, Diskos is only around the corner, where tented villagers of camping earthy types take up half the beach, and you can buy handmade trinkets from pop-up hippy shops. If you have a car then you might also want to consider accommodation up in Mirtios village above the bay. Transfer time: 1 hr 40 minutes from both Chania and Heraklion airports. Set on an unspoiled beach, the resort offers bespoke suites and private bungalows with custom-made furniture and natural accents inspired by the landscape. The coastline between these cities is the busiest and most developed part of the island. Plakias is one of the nicest small resorts on Crete. See More, Luxury beach resort just minutes from Agios Nikolaos. The gorge became a national park in 1962, particularly as a refuge for the rare kri-kri (Cretan goat), which is elusive on the rest of the island. This is tucked away in a remote pocket of Crete's south-western corner, so you could be forgiven for thinking you might have it all to yourself. THE 10 BEST Luxury Beach Resorts in Crete - Tripadvisor Plakias is located along the south coast of the island around an hour and 40 min drive from Heraklion Airport. With a summer season lasting well into October September is still considered high season and almost tropical-warmth seas at the height of summer, Crete has one of Europe's longest beach-holiday seasons. You may have to head to the south coast when the wind is blowing. A good selection of bars and restaurants. But its also possible to use Plakias as a base for walking and hiking. South coast Agia Galini is a small harbour town that was once the biggest resort town in the Rethymno region. 7 Of The Best Resorts In Crete | TravelSupermarket But it has everything you need its ideal if youre looking to enjoy one place for your holiday and dont feel the need to visit the larger towns. Agree a time with him and he'll come back for you later. But it would be a shame to miss out on the excellent tavernas in Panormo. Heading to the beautiful Greek island of Crete this year? A small town located on a small peninsula in southwest Crete, Paleochora is ideal if you want a bit of both. The nation boasts nearly 5,800 miles of coastline, stretching along the warm Gulf of Mexico to the east and the . For a mix of the two - great beaches and some nightlife - Paros is perfect. Visitors to the area might be shocked to find that it retains its snowcaps until the middle of spring and offers innumerable hiking opportunities from the Samaria Gorge to the Askifou plateau to Mount Ida herself. Outside Heraklion centre is the vast and swanky kid-friendly resort Amirandes Hotel. " The hotel is very relaxing and although it is a bit quiet a night it really is the perfect mix of 5 star luxury during the day with the authenticity of amazing local Greek Tavernas like Zachos . Its super sedate. Greece has over 1000 islands of which only 227 are inhabited. Try the spotless Marina Hotel, or the beautiful white and blue decor and sea views atElektra. What really amazed when I was in Crete was how quiet it is. If you can get beyond immediate appearances, it has a likeable vibe there are some excellent museums and a good bar and music scene propped up by the local student population. Crete's Best Beach Hotels | The Hotel Guru Naxos has the best beaches (but little nightlife). One of the main things to do in Heraklion is to catch a ferry to visit Santorini, Mykonos and other places. But there is also an ecological interest Falassarna is part of the Natura 2000 network due to the extensive array of flora and fauna the area has to offer. Ideal for totally relaxing. Coastal perfection. Self-catering and BBQ are available for all. Smart rooms and suites have modern furnishings, all the modern gadgetry, balconies, and some have private pools. See More, A holistic approach to wellbeing underlies this luxury Cretan resort in Malia. Although the hippies have long since been moved on, and the caves protected and closed to the public, the town retains a laidback feel despite the explosion of tourism here.