How To Reach Crete

Crete is the largest island in Greece and the 88th largest in the world! From west to east it spans 260 km. The capital city of Crete is Heraklion. The quickest way to reach Crete is by flight while the sea is definitely a more exciting route. It is the only Greek island to have 2 airports – Chania and Heraklion. Like most islands of Greece, Crete is also mainly dependent on Tourism for its economy, followed by Agriculture.

The quickest way to reach Crete is by flight. While travelling from India, most major cities in India have daily flights to Athens via airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Turkish Airlines, Egypt Air, Gulf Air etc. From Athens, you can take a domestic flight to Crete’s Heraklion or Chania airport. During the summer months when tourists are pouring in, there are frequent charter flights.

You can also fly to Crete directly from some European countries like Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium, Cyprus and also the UK during the summer. Heraklion airport is only 4 km away from the city centre while Chania airport is at a distance of 145 km. You can take the public bus or a taxi from the airport to your hotel.

To reach Crete by sea, you can take a ferry from Piraeus Port, which is near Athens. At Crete, there are many ports such as Heraklion, Chania, Ag. Nikolas, Rethymno, Sitia and Kastelli-Kissamou. Take the ferry that stops at the port closest to your hotel. There are daily departures from Piraeus Port to Crete and the journey takes about 9 to 10 hours. Crete is also connected with other Greek Islands like Santorini and Sikinos and The Peloponnese. Once you arrive at the port, you can take a local bus or a taxi to reach your destination.

Avoid travelling by ferry during the winter as the sea can be quite stormy.

Crete is a large island, so transportation is required. Public transport like Taxis and Buses are available in plenty, but taxis can get quite expensive. Renting a car is a great option, however the roads are rugged so this is only recommended for confident drivers. The cost of renting a car starts at EUR 100 for 7 days. To reach the south-west side of the island, you can take the internal ferry between Hora sfakion, Loutro, Agia Poumeli, Sougia and Paleochora. There are also Hop On Hop Off Bus tours which are great for visiting all the main tourist spots in the main towns.