There is a small airport serving flights to and from Athens. . There are many dining options from Greek to Italian and the four bars serve up wonderful cocktails. Fortunately, the prices in Elounda dont have a Hollywood price tag. Self-catering and BBQ are available for all. 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. Crete is almost completely surrounded by beaches. At Finikounda in south-western Peloponnese, it's a simple beach resort with honey-hued beaches, space for 80 campers, and 16 sizeable bungalows with their own bathrooms, cooking facilities. What was once a small Greek village has now become a cosmopolitan town, with bars, restaurants and hotels surrounding picturesque Lake Voulismeni. Sougia is located on the South West coast of the island around a 3 hour 20 minute drive from Heraklion airport. Very good. The scenery as you traverse the coast road with steep hills and lush greenery gives views that will take your breath away. Ideal for totally relaxing. 5* resort Domes of Elounda is one of Cretes most exclusive hotels and has access to a private sandy beach, VIP services, and a champagne bar. Despite its size, Pacific Grove has more B&Bs than any other coastal . If you think of a sleepy Greek fishing village, you probably have images of small boats bobbing in quartz waters, piles of multicoloured nets, and fishermen unloading their catch before nipping off to the Taverna for a cheeky ouzo. Accommodation in Kissamos tends to look a bit dated but you can find good value in the surrounding beaches such as resort-style Balos Beach Hotel, Galini Beach Hotel, and the simpler Maria Beach Hotel. There are plenty of options for self-catered too, likeVilla Niki. If you're looking for a quiet, isolated experience . 15 Best Luxury Crete Resorts on the Beach - overseas attractions Small ferry boats make the run over to Spinalonga from both Plaka and Elounda. On a budget? I just want to mention dont confuse your Plakas, as there are two, one of which is inhabited and built purely for ex-pats. Mykonos is relatively small and you can easily drive around in a day. On the beautiful beach of Kolymbari, 20 km from the city of Chania, lies Grand Bay Beach Resort. Kids go free to the Minoan Amusement Park. Anissaras beach http://www.flickr.com/photos/brownieboy27/4986950206/in/set-72157624948245648 Report inappropriate content roseyManchester manchester Glika Nera Beach 190 Beaches By 849jeremyn Youre most likely to end up here if youre catching a ferry to Kythira or to Gythio on the mainland, or if youre using it as a base to explore the nearby beaches at Balos and Falassarna. You cant miss it, its called Youth Hostel Plakias. Value 4.1. 25 of the best places to stay in Greece and the Greek islands Transfer time: 15 minutes from Heraklion International airport. THE 10 BEST Crete Beach Hotels of 2023 (with Prices) - Tripadvisor Heading to the beautiful Greek island of Crete this year? The best quiet beach in Crete? - Crete Message Board - Tripadvisor Packages to Stalis are available through TUI. Check out Aspri Petra Apartments or Asterias Village. See More, Blue Palace, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, A holistic approach to wellbeing underlies the luxury, Equally swish and perhaps just that little bit smarter the. It is truly non-commercialised, and we hope it stays that way. The Best Luxury Hotels on Crete, Greece | The Hotel Guru Candia Suites are close to the harbour with clean modern interiors and bicycle rental available. Ferries leave Sitia once a week for Rhodes, Karpathos, and Kassos. 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 want to be closer to the beaches, Nostos Beach Boutique Hotel is freshly renovated and has a pool, beach bar and day beds. Its a relaxed south coast village, about 30km from Agia Galini, and has a wide, sandy Blue Flag beach and a spacious feel. Sfakia is the nearest town for amenities. #26 Best Value of 502 Quiet Hotels in Crete. But what you will find is a collection of properly local eateries, a few small and sandy beaches, and crystal clear water if you want to go for a dip. Beach Life - The property has a private beach area (complete with an open-air cineam in the evenings) - ideal for a quiet beach getaway. Access to this haven can be achieved through E4 trail but the climb can be treacherous in places as it climbs to an altitude of 700m, so its not for the fainthearted but on arrival, you will no doubt agree that this is one of the finest beaches in all the Greek islands. See More, Domes Noruz Chania boasts a spectacular location on the coast of Crete. The main tourist street is Odos Halidon, which divides the old and new city. Rooms with floaty linen curtains have excellent sea views from their large glass windows. A luxurious hideaway near Rethymnon. If you like your beaches vast and often deserted then make a beeline for Frangokastello on the south coast. Elounda is a lively harbour town thats surrounded by beautiful scenery and a sandy Blue Flag town beach. My favourite was Geropotamos Beach, there is a rather attractive stone arch to the west and, on the east, a freshwater river running directly into the sea. The surrounding hillsides are home to a swathe of lovely resort hotels and a few minor beaches. Highly discreet, with striking designs, each hotel is different. 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. Most of the beach is lined with tavernas, cafes and bars, but with easy acces to the city. Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection 6. Development is focused around a small harbour and excellent beach sandy, with shallow child-friendly waters. NORTH: Rugged and unpopulated, with quiet but windy beaches. Balos Beach is one of the best beaches in Greece if you want that fine white sand aesthetic. There are lots of lovely places to stay in Rethymnon. 15 Best Resorts in Crete | U.S. News Travel Plakias is one of the nicest small resorts on Crete. There are two routes to the beach by boat or for the most extreme, there is a path from Chora Sfakion and another from Loutro. East of Sitia the crowds really thin out most tourists dont make it beyond this point. Go in the shoulder months and youll be rewarded with a day trip to remember. THE 10 BEST Crete Resorts of 2023 (with Prices) - Tripadvisor Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas 8. If finding tucked-away coves and exploring craggy rocks appeals to you then Milatos a small quaint Crete village may be the place for you. The town isnt strictly a beach resort, so theres plenty to see and do besides basking. 19 Best Beaches in Greece - Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Corfu, Rhodes That said, there are bus links to Rethymno and Heraklion so car hire is not necessary. THE 10 BEST Crete Beaches (with Photos) - Tripadvisor Top things to see and do in Agios Nikolaos include: Porto Maltese Boutique Estate is Ag Niks most stylish des res, with a waterfront location, courtyard, and sympathetic restoration. See More, A stunning resort on Mirabello Bay with its own private beach and dreamy views. Bali is roughly halfway between Rethymno and Heraklion there are bus services both but not as frequent as other resorts. per night. Not overly touristy (though all the amenities are present), it has a working town feel albeit one with an Ottoman mosque, Venetian Fortress, and Blue Flag Beach. Belvedere Apartments are box fresh and have spa access. The KTEL bus station is in the new town, a 10-minute walk from the main harbour see PDF timetables. Similar rooms are available at Elysium Boutique Hotel & Spa. Transfer time: 1hr 35 minutes from Chania International airport. Plaka is also the gateway to the Spinalonga, the small fortress island that famously housed a leper colony and is now one of the main day trips in the area. What really amazed when I was in Crete was how quiet it is. Its a perfect romantic destination for couples. The LATO Boutique Hotel is more modern and has harbour views. There are of resort hotels in Bali strung out along the coast many are looking a bit dated but there are a few standouts. a rundown of Crete's quieter resorts and villages; the best places to stay for couples, families and nature CRETE OVERVIEW BEST LUXURY HOTELS: Domes of Elounda, Daios Cove, Abaton Island Resort and Spa, Domes Noruz. Panormos is located on the North Coast of the island around a 50-minute drive from Heraklion Airport. Here you will find the emptiest beaches on the island and you can swim well into the autumn/winter months. Sifaka & Gavaladon 5, Old Town, Chania, Crete Island, 73101. Its located just to the east of Heraklion, meaning it is easy to get to if you dont want to spend too much time with pesky transfers. And if you'd like your own private pool, as well as access to a private beach, Refine your search to our Guru's recommendations for. Grecotel Meli Palace and Kalimera Kriti Resort both have direct beach access. The swankiest resort in town is the long-established Out of the Blue Capsis Elite Resort. 17. The resort offers 75 airy and well appointed rooms and suites fully equipped with satellite TV and minibar. Agios Nikolaos, Or just Agios if you prefer, is a bustling town and working port. 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. Although almost every main beach gets busy in July and August, you can usually walk just a few minutes away to find a patch of heaven sans crowds. There are some bars, but they are more likely to be full of civilised locals than your standard 18-30 gangs. Another sleepy Crete village, Tsoutsouros is undeveloped and charming (just how we like it). BEST HOTELS RIGHT ON THE BEACH: Domes Noruz, Caramel Grecotel Boutique Resort, Domes of Elounda. #7 Best Value of 66 Quiet Resorts in Crete "The resort location gives quiet seclusion and comfort with its own small beach, sun terraces and infinity pool all with beautiful views over Mirabello Bay." "Secluded enough to be quiet and relaxing but also close enough to the picturesque town of Agios St Nikolas." Special offer 2022 8. Meanwhile, the main beach of the area, West Triopetra or Chatzi, is characterised by beautiful coarse sand which casts unusual colours across the beach and water. THE 10 BEST Quiet Hotels in Crete 2023 (Prices) - Tripadvisor Home / Beautiful Places / Top 26 Unspoilt Places to Visit in Crete for Travel Snobs. Kissamos is a working port town on the northwestern edge of Crete. Atlantica Kalliston Resort. Theres a wide selection of accommodation, easy transport links, a short airport transfer, and child-friendly shallow waters. The city of Rethymnon (you might also see it spelt Rethymno or Rethimno) is like a smaller, more chilled version of Chania. Transfer time: 1hr 30 minutes from Chania airport. Its set back from the town but is 4* and modern, with 3 pools and spacious rooms. Theres no real village to speak of, but there are a few places to stay tucked away in the flat plain behind the beach. Mar 20 - Mar 21. Giannoulis - Grand Bay Beach Resort (Exclusive Adults Only) Kolymvari. See More, This five-star eco hotel overlooks the famous Mirabello Bay in Elounda, Crete. BEST PLACES TO STAY IN CRETE IN AGIOS NIKOLAOS ($$$) Minos Beach Art Hotel ($$) Miramare Resort & Spa ($) Ikaros Art Hotel FIND AGIOS NIKOLAOS HOTEL DEALS 5. But the lagoon beach is known to many island regulars, and gets busy on a summer weekend. Luxurious rooms, suites and villas - most with private heated pools - boast stunning views and top notch amenities. Although be warned, the walk takes five to seven hours and can be strenuous, especially at the peak of summer. The main village is set 1km back from the beach and is a popular area for villas and expats. The five restaurants serve a range of food from sushi to Greek and there's a fabulous spa too. It is flanked by steep, mountainsides, home to a sizable herd of goats (judging from the clinking of bells) as well as a tepid sea, sheltered by a lush bay. 5* Minos Beach Art Hotel has 1km of beach access, spacious grounds, and calming minimalist decor. Most accommodation is in Paleokastro village which is a short drive from several excellent beaches including Kouremenos, Hiona, and Mandati. The thrum centres around the Venetian harbour, the cafe-packed backstreets, and the extensive beach which extends to the east. A lively beach town, the resort of Bali is set around a handful of coves in a scenic bay. Abaton Island Resort & Spa 10. Honeymoons - This is . South of the Lasithi Peninsula, this part of Crete has its own climate its drier, hotter, and more barren than the rest of the island. Perhaps, Domatas unspoiled beauty has been preserved this long because the region has no roads or infrastructures. Palazzo Duca is one block behind the harbour and is clean and modern with comfortable Cocomat mattresses. Agios Nikolaos Best for families A favourite of package holiday companies, Agios Nikolaos is one of Crete's biggest but most charming resorts, making it a great choice for families. An epic choice of restaurants and bars. There are a few tavernas and perhaps the occasional cafe bordering the shallow rocky beach. But most options are traditional apartment complexes such as Petritos Rooms or small houses like Arodamos Sea House. Coastal perfection. The smaller of the two beaches, Small Triopetra (or Koumado), is more an enclosed, sandy, and rocky bay. Also along the main harbour, youll find the stylish Elia Zampeliou Boutique Hotel and the funky Alcanea Boutique Hotel. Minoa Palace Resort & Spa is another beachfront blockbuster with private pools and daybeds. There are 3 main beaches and a long waterfront area thats full of seafood restaurants, bars and clubs, and is popular in the evening. Its raw beauty is undeniable, with glassy aquamarine waters and swirls of pastel-pink sands kissing the shore - a natural phenomenon caused by thousands of . The pink sands of Elafonisi are one of the main attractions in west Crete, with coachloads arriving every day to bathe in the glorious lagoon-like waters. The coastline is developed on either side, but it was the introduction of budget flights to Chania airport that really put it on the map. } Most hotels and rooms in Matala are simple and value. 16 best beaches in Mexico, from surf escapes to peaceful bays | CN " Clean, spacious rooms, quiet sandy beach with amazing panorama, pools of different sizes and located in different areas of the resort, great waterpark with many . With that and the relative peace and quiet, its an ideal spot to just be on this wonderful island. The nation boasts nearly 5,800 miles of coastline, stretching along the warm Gulf of Mexico to the east and the . All rooms come with an outdoor pool and private hot tubs. 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.