City: Crete
Top Things to do in Crete
Top Hotels in Crete
- 1. Candia Park Village
- 2. Stella Island Luxury Resort & Spa
- 3. Creta Maris Beach Resort
- 4. Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa
- 5. Kiani Beach Resort Family All Inclusive
- 6. Stella Palace Resort & Spa
- 7. Angela Studios & Apartments
- 8. Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
- 9. Village Heights Resort
- 10. Asterion Suites & Spa
Countries
Top 10 Hidden Gems Things to do in Crete, Greece
Crete (Greek: Κρήτη, Kríti ['kriti]; Ancient Greek: Κρήτη, Krḗtē) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete and a number of surrounding islands and islets constitute the region of Crete (Greek: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης), one of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece. The capital and the largest city is Heraklion. As of 2011, the region had a population of 623,065.
Restaurants in Crete
1. Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,418 reviews
Aquaworld - Crete's first Aquarium - opened in Hersonissos in 1995 - near Bus Stop 20. It features local sea life and reptiles from Crete and from all around the world. Most of the animals are rescued or are unwanted pets which have found a new home at Aquaworld. Our philosophy is simple - bring people and animals closer together and, inevitably, people will begin to respect and care more about the animals! YOU MUST WEAR MASKS TO VISIT!
Reviewed By CLAIREDERBY1 - Derbyshire, United Kingdom
Easy to find and in walking distance from my hotel the palmera hotel. Friendly and informative staff. Aquarium small but well kept. Reptile area very good and staff very helpful. Was also able to hold a snake. Well worth a visit for 8 euro. I would definitely recommend
2. Lyrarakis Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 383 reviews
The Lyrarakis Estate is a family winery which has been producing high quality wines since 1966 with a strong focus on rare local varieties and producing single variety wines. Surrounded by the idyllic setting of the vineyards and the Lassithi mountains we offer you the opportunity to enjoy nature and discover local varieties abd wines distinguished by the uniqueness of their origin and heritage.
Reviewed By CarolynF421 - Brighton, United Kingdom
Picnic in an idyllic spot in the vineyard with very generous glasses of 4 different wines. A wonderful way to spend a couple of hours.
3. Paraschakis Olive Oil - Crete
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 457 reviews
Visitors have the opportunity to see three generations of olive oil production.The old olive mill that was run with a donkey , a mill that was run on a diesel machine and of course the machinery that our family is using now. Visitors can also taste and buy olive oil from our family's production.All visitors have a guided tour and a taste of the olive oil and raki free of charge. The Paraschakis Family Olive Oil Factory is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00 except Sunday. From the 5th of April to the 10th of April 2019 we will be closed.
Reviewed By kathleenx2020
Great farm. The owner was super nice and gave our group an interesting tour on historical and modern olive oil production. We had a small oil tasting. The product is of exceptional quality and very reasonably priced. A must stop when traveling the area.
4. Greek National Football Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 696 reviews
A unique Museum, the biggest one for a National Football Team, the Greek National Football Team, which was European Champions in 2004, located in the Old City of Chania and has over 1000 exhibits, balls from World Cup and Euro games, official shirts, photos and thw whole history of Greek football. BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC, THE MUSEUM WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE WHOLE MARCH.
Reviewed By che_ham
So glad we made the time to visit, this little museum is excellent, and can easily be visited even if you’re short of time. I’ve never been to a museum quite like this, it really is quite unique. We were limited on time, so were shown the shirts and memorabilia related to my team first - so I got to try on the shirts and get the pictures - then were shown the vast collection of international shirts worn by the greatest players of all time, and finally the lifting the Euro 2004 trophy given to Greece when they won the tournament. The personal touch here is what really makes it special though; being meeted and greeted as a friend, by someone with a genuine love of the game, and who delights in sharing this amazing collection that you can physically touch and feel, instead of the admiring-at-distance you expect of museums. A true home of world football.
5. Reptisland
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 499 reviews
Reptisland is a unique place of 250m2 with a variety of more than 40 types of reptiles, including snakes, lizards, turtles and even a Crocodile. A place for the whole family to watch, photograph, touch and learn about the magic world of reptiles. Dont be afraid the uknown just get to know it.
Reviewed By howarde57
Never had an interest in reptiles...until I went here, what an amazing place. The owner is such a nice guy who describes the reptiles and encourages hands on, absolutely enjoyable & highly recommended .. now do I want a pet Gecko or Bearded dragon ????
6. Archaia Poli tis Lato
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 147 reviews
Reviewed By 267rich - Bristol, United Kingdom
Other reviewers have commented on what the site is about, I just wanted to highlight a few things for other visitors. Sturdy footwear is essential, the paths are not flat! Loose stones, small and large can make walking tricky, so no wheelchair access You need good balance to clamber up the rocky places. The wind was up when we went, dust blowing about, but cooler! No guidebook, some boards around the site. How people ever made a home on this mountain I will never know, creating their homes around the massive rocks.
7. Lychnostatis Open Air Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,330 reviews
The Cretan open- air Museum "LYCHNOSTATIS" is located at Hersonissos, by the sea- side. It consists of four main collections: Nature & Flora Collection, with gardens of fruit- trees, aromatic herbs, cactus, shrubs and plants, stones and minerals of Crete. Ethnographic Collection, with a presentation of Cretan traditional life .Art collection with works of folk artists exhibited in the Folk Artist's Gallery, the Open- Air Theatre and the Exhibitions' Room.Collection of pre-Industrial Technology with equipment used in the past. The Museum organizes a range of educational programs and its Audiovisual Department produces films, CD- ROM's, DVD' s presented daily in the Multimedia & Conference room. It has also a Museum-shop and a cafe. The Museum was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award in 2010 and honoured by the University of Crete in 1997 for its ecological activities. "LYCHNOSTATIS" is open for a daily visit with a guided- tour, from (Saturday closed).
Reviewed By Jonh82 - Croydon, United Kingdom
Take the audio guide and be sure to watch the introduction video, if you don’t you will miss so much of the history of the island and the museum. This is one of the most interesting places we have visited so far. The lady at the entrance was ever so helpful and made us feel really welcome. I guess the only thing which let it down was that the cafe was not very well stocked but, having said that they had some unusual drinks like cinnamon and almond drinks. The garden at the start has so many different varieties of tree and plant all laid out with labels and the audio guide fills in the gaps for you. Around the buildings the guide gives a real insight into the people who once lived in them. Brilliant day, thank you.
8. The Natural History Museum of Crete
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 809 reviews
The Natural History Museum of Crete (NHMC) demonstrates with an impressive manner the natural environment of eastern Mediterranean area with special emphasis on Greece and Crete.
Reviewed By Woodshopguy
This unique museum offers a large variety of exhibits on 4 levels of this large open spaced building. Allow up to a couple hours to explore and participate in the interactive displays throughout the facility. From dinosaurs, to earthquake simulation, many dioramas, technology and science displays, this museum has something for everyone and has an elevator to each area if stairs are and issue for anyone in your family.
9. Balos Lagoon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,155 reviews
Reviewed By marcotL403QV - Rome, Italy
The most beautiful beach in Creta (together with Elafonisi) and famous for its wild nature, with turquoise waters and white sands turning to amazing shades of pink in some places. Waters are shallow, perfect for kids and lovely for grownups too. A legendary lagoon is also worth stopping by. Beware the boats throwing thousands of tourists in the middle of the day, although that is a very practical way to reach the place without going by car on a bumpy road. Ferries go back and forth from Kissamos port, but there are multiple trips during summer time, so I’d recommend to take the earliest trip available and then move to the island of Gramvousa nearby when the beach gets too crowded !
10. Red Sand Beach (Kokkini Ammos)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 967 reviews
Reviewed By XeniaWestb - Helsinki, Finland
We found this beach accidentally when coming to see Matala, and decided to follow the path and take a hike to this beach. Amazing hike thru the mountain, breathtaking views on the way. It takes about 30 min to get tot he beach from the parking, but so so worth it! Hidden beach, with only one “Mojito” bar in the entire beach away from all the touristy vibe. It is a nudist beach, so be prepared. Water is AMAZING, so clean and you can swim forever. One of the best beaches in Crete for sure.
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