Crete: What to Know Before You Go

Short answer: treat 260-kilometre-long Crete as a small country rather than a compact island, never try to day-trip from eastern Crete (Heraklion/Elounda) to western beaches like Elafonisi in a single day, and remember that the complimentary carafe of chilled tsikoudia (raki) and dessert brought at the end of every restaurant meal is a gesture of Cretan hospitality that you never pay for.

How Crete's 4 Prefectures (Regions) Work from West to East

Crete is divided from west to east into four distinct regional units linked along the north coast by the VOAK (E75) National Highway:

• 1. Chania (Far West): anchored by romantic Chania Old Town and Chania Airport (CHQ). This is the gateway to Crete's three most famous natural wonders: Balos Lagoon, Elafonisi Pink Beach, Falassarna and Samaria Gorge / Loutro.
• 2. Rethymno (West-Central, 1 hour east of Chania): centred on the preserved Venetian-Ottoman harbour and sandy beach of Rethymno, Arkadi Monastery, Mount Ida and the southern palm river of Preveli and Plakias.
• 3. Heraklion (East-Central, 1h 15m east of Rethymno / 2h 15m from Chania): the island's largest city, main ferry port (for 1h 50m catamarans to Santorini) and international airport (HER), home to Knossos Palace, the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and southern Phaistos and Matala Caves.
• 4. Lasithi (Far East, 1 hour east of Heraklion): home to lakeside Agios Nikolaos, luxury Elounda, Spinalonga Island, the Lasithi Plateau and Vai Palm Forest.

Realistic Driving Times & The Complimentary Raki Ritual

On a map, mountain roads crossing from north to south look short, but hairpins over 1,000-metre passes mean 50 kilometres can take 75 minutes. Plan no more than 90 minutes of driving each way per day. At every Cretan taverna, do not ask for the bill before the waiter brings a complimentary plate of watermelon, honey-drenched loukoumades or yoghurt alongside a tiny frosted bottle of tsikoudia (grape pomace spirit, called raki on Crete, with zero aniseed).