We visited Eastern Crete, famous for it’s beautiful fishing villages and turquoise beaches and not that touristic. Definitely the best area of Crete.
Crete is quite a big island so if you don’t have a lot of time in your hand you might want to explore the area around where you are staying. Eastern Crete is your best bet because it
The prettiest towns in Eastern Crete
The lovely town of Aghios Nikolaos in Eastern Crete
We heard about the lovely town of Aghios Nikolaos and went there for a few hours. We wandered the streets of this tiny and colorful floral city. Unfortunately we didn’t had time to to more than this so I am not able to share with you restaurants tips, etc.
My only tip is to walk out of the city center. Walk to the top to have a view over the Lake Voulismeni and over the city.
The easternmost city of Crete : Sitia
Sitia in Crete is a quiet town at the easternmost part of Crete. It has good ferry connection if you would like to do Greek Island hoping. The ferry takes you for example to the fabulous island of Karpathos!!
In Sitia, you can enjoy the old town with it’s traditional houses and visit the ruins of a Venetian monastery.
The fishing village of Mochlos in Eastern Crete
You will not want to miss the little fishing village of Mochlos. You will be greeted by fresh octopus hanging up to dry. Perfect for a lunch break!
Spinalonga in Eastern Crete
From Aghios Nikolaos, it is also possible to go to the Island of Spinalonga, another famous attraction of East Crete. It used to be a venetian fortress used for several purpose since it’s creation.
You can visit it in summer for 8Euros.
Hike and explore the caves in Lassithi in Eastern Crete
Lassithi is probably the best area in Crete. It has so much to offer. Beautiful beaches and villages but also beautiful nature.
You can go on a hike to explore the beautiful Gorge of Kato Zakros and it’s caves. It is a 2 hour walk through nature and villages. Another famous Gorge is Richtis. The hike there is a bit longer : 3 – 4 hours and you will be rewarded by a beautiful waterfall of over 20 meters.
Finally, the Lassithi Plateau is one of the highest in the Mediterranean. It even has snow in the winter and from there you can have beautiful views over the island. You can go by car and hike a bit around before continuing on a little road trip in the area. So many things to see!!
The most beautiful beaches of Eastern Crete
Crete is famous worldwide for it’s beautiful beaches and clear waters. In Eastern Crete you have plenty of choices if you want to go for a dip. The most famous and beautiful beaches in East crete are :
- Xerokampos beach with it’s bare rocks and steep mountains landscape
- Belerinina or Golden Beach
- Vai beach with the largest palm tree forest in Europe next to it
- Istro beach, with it’s golden sand
- Myrtos for the boho vibes
- Elounda beach : one of the prettiest, cleanest beaches in Crete
How to move around Crete?
The best way to move around in Greece and Crete are by car. If you are staying in Eastern Crete, you can rent a car in Agios Nikolaos. Indeed you cannot really rely on public transportation and you will be much more free the explore the best of the island.
Where to stay in Eastern Crete?
We stayed at the beautiful resort Daios Cove. We had our little villa with private pool! So beautiful. Read the Daios Cove review here!
Bisous
Amandine
