Family Trip to Crete, Greece: Where We Stayed, What We Ate, and What We Did

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We have made it to the final write-ups on our recent family vacation to Greece, Italy, and Switzerland! So far, I have posted a layout of our day-by-day itinerary and how I booked this 14-day trip. Now, I will wrap it up with a complete review of each country!

Dreaming up trip ideas is part of who I am. I am a dreamer. I want to help you create the perfect European vacation and bring it to fruition! This trip included my husband (Seth), my daughter (Brooklyn), and me. We all worked together to dream up this family vacation!

This itinerary was created to please both adults and kids. If you have teenagers, you know how challenging it can be to balance their preferences with those of adults. I will link our hotels, activities, and favorite restaurants!

Now let’s get to the first review of our 14-day dreamy family getaway to Europe—the ever-so-charming Crete!

Before we jump in, let’s have a little briefing about Crete. It is the largest Greek island and the legendary birthplace of Zeus. This was Seth’s pick as he has visited other Greek islands, with Crete being a new one he really wished to explore.

We began our family trip by flying from Asheville, NC, into Heraklion, the capital of Crete. Then, we flew out of Chania to our next destination. We had a rental car for the entire trip, which enhanced the adventure to the max! Remember, I have our daily itinerary outlined on this blog if you are in need of some planning inspiration!

Now, let’s talk more about being greeted by warm Mediterranean sunshine and immerse ourselves in the rich culture of the captivating island of Crete!!

Crete Hotels

Marin Hotel in Heraklion was booked on Orbitz. This hotel’s stunning breakfast views of the harbor caught my attention. The location is close to the airport, and walking distance to everything we wanted to do. The best feature was the balcony from our room overlooking the ocean, harbor, and city!

Heraklion is the largest city in Crete. Parking was a little stressful at times with our rental car. If you are nervous about driving or parking, I would look for hotels with designated parking.

Kalypso Cretan Village Resort and Spa in Agios Vasileios (southern coast) was booked on Orbitz. The hotel’s amenities and beautiful cliffside views determined our next destination after Heraklion. Brooklyn especially enjoyed the multiple pools, volleyball court, ocean and snorkeling access.

This location is a more rural area in comparison to the previous city of Heraklion. While the food at Kalypso Resort was good, it wasn’t extraordinary, and the hotel is not within easy walking distance of restaurants. Having a rental car here is ideal, especially when traveling with picky eaters.

Bozzali in Chania was booked on Orbitz and chosen by Brooklyn. Obviously, aesthetics are her largest consideration. It was so charming! Our room was spacious and comfortable. There is no restaurant on site, and the front desk is not staffed 24/7.

Chania is the second largest city in Crete. The location of Bozzali was wonderful, but the parking was a nightmare. This will be true for most hotels near Old Town. I loved being able to walk to so many attractions from this hotel without needing the car.

Crete Rental Car

Rental Center Crete was booked on the official website, and they were fantastic. The rental office was conveniently located just a few steps outside of Heraklion airport. Rental Center Crete gives you the option to pay in full with cash or card, and there were absolutely no hidden fees.

We were able to pick up our rental in Heraklion and drop off at Chania airport after hours. It was so easy! The road trip across Crete made this trip extra special!

Crete Activities

Heraklion Archaeological Museum, located in Heraklion, was definitely more of an activity for Seth. Brooklyn and I enjoyed it more than we expected. It is one of the oldest museums in Greece and the best in the world for Minoan art.

It is no secret that I do not love museums as much as Seth does. I still recommend the Heraklion Archaeological Museum as a place you can’t miss if you only have a short stay in the city. It is a quick stop that offers quite unique displays of history!

Knossos Palace, located just outside of Heraklion, should be booked through this link for the official website. I booked a self-guided tour in a hurry on a website that looks official (but is not). I had to buy additional tickets at the gate because our QR code didn’t arrive in time.

There is a large parking lot right outside the gate. Inside the grounds of Knossos Palace there are restrooms, a gift shop, and a café! We loved exploring the ruins, meeting the local cats, and cooling off with gelato afterward. There is no shade for much of the tour, so don’t forget sun protection.

Lion Fountain, located in Spili, was an unexpected stop on our trip from Heraklion to the southern coast. The Venetian Lion Fountain, adorned with 25 lion heads, was beautiful. Brooklyn and Seth filled up their water bottles with the fresh mountain water that is believed to provide longevity.

The small village of Spili was a lovely bonus to explore as well. The shopping was awesome, and the pastries from a local bakery were delicious!

Kourtaliotiko Gorge, located in the Rethymno region, should be booked in advance during peak season. It was amazing to drive through. We planned to hike to the church and waterfall. Unfortunately, inclement weather caused the gorge to close the day of our hike.

Rethymno Old Harbour, located in Rethymno, was the perfect stop on our drive from the southern coast to Chania. Although busy during cruise ship days, this idyllic town offers endless shopping and dining.

We had one of the best meals on the trip here (more details to come about that) and loaded up on souvenirs. It is totally worth visiting Rethymno, but beware of the parking nightmare! It is best to park before you get into the Harbour area and walk in.

Old Venetian Harbour, located in Chania, was an easy walk from our hotel. We did some damage with souvenir shopping among the wide variety of high-end and more affordable stores. The harbor view was breathtaking—especially at sunset!

To find the most incredible view of Old Venetian Harbour in Chania (especially at sunset) enter “Rosa Nera” into Google Maps. This will take you to a hidden little gem where you can enjoy the sunset views since it overlooks the harbor from above!

Elafonissi Pink Sand Beach, located on the southwestern coast, won Tripadvisor’s Best Beach in the World 2025. This was honestly our favorite beach during our entire time in Crete. The endless shallow waters make it perfect for kids. The beach bar, lounge chairs, and jaw-dropping views make it perfect for adults too!

The pink sand of Elafonissi Beach is subtle and ever-changing during the day, but it is STUNNING!!! There are restrooms on the beach for a small fee, and a restaurant and souvenir shop near the parking lot.

The Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa, located near Elafonissi Beach, drew me in with the legend of a golden step visible to those who are pure of heart. They kindly offer a large scarf before entering, so don’t stress about coming after a beach day. While we didn’t see the golden step, the ocean views from the top left us all speechless.

Touring inside the small monastery was equally gorgeous. You can also purchase meaningful souvenirs in the museum. I honestly can’t say this trip would be worth making unless you plan to visit Elafonissi, but I can say that if you are nearby, you definitely shouldn’t miss it!

Deliana Gorge Hike, located in Deliana, was a spontaneous stop on our way back to Chania from Elafonissi Beach. My husband is the hiking lover in our family, but we all had an amazing time on this trail. A 4WD vehicle is required to access the parking lot, so we parked our small rental car on the edge of the gravel road.

Along the hike, we found these very exotic plants known as Vampire Lilies, explored a tiny church, and wandered along a river between gorges. There is more than one entrance for this hike, but we appreciated that it is less popular and crowded than others.

Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island Tour, located on the northwestern coast, is the only formal excursion I booked for our time in Crete. I knocked it out of the park with this choice, too! Our first stop was Gramvousa Island by boat. Seth hiked to the fortress at the top of the island while Brooklyn and I ate snacks provided by the guide on the lovely beach.

Next, we made the very short ride over to Balos Lagoon. A brief swim to shore is necessary on most tours, but the lagoon is amazing. You can enjoy snorkeling on your way! There is pink sand in sections of this beach, adding to the overall dramatic look of Balos Lagoon.

We made friends with the other family on the tour and had a great time with the guide as well. Seth said he felt boujee on the very high-end boat, but the cost was very reasonable! I give this tour a 10 out of 10!

Crete Restaurants

Siga Siga in Heraklion is a restaurant we stumbled upon during our first night in Crete. The atmosphere was lively, and the food was delicious!

Seth and I enjoyed Raki shots, feeling connected with local social traditions. We also appreciated the outdoor seating as we shared plates of food and recapped our first impressions of this beautiful country so far.

Raki Ba Raki in Rethymno was one of the best meals we had during our entire time in Crete; yet somehow, I missed getting photos of everyone’s food. Perhaps I was too busy shoving the beef pie in my mouth??

Every single dish was outstanding! Although I left room for dessert, we were kindly offered house dessert and more Raki shots—both delightful!

The Bakery Shop in Chania was a total showstopper. We stopped here for breakfast and coffee to-go for our drive to Elafonissi Beach. Baked goods were coming hot out of the oven before our very eyes. They were as fresh as they come!

We were so overwhelmed by all the choices and ordered way too much. We ate every bit of it, too! Do not miss this little treasure if you are in Chania seeking breakfast or desserts!

Coucou Bakery in Chania was another hit for breakfast in Crete! We enjoyed a quick breakfast with coffee here before our boat tour. We also took snacks to-go. The choices seemed endless and the quality of food was superb!

Skasiarhio Pita & Grill in Kissamos was targeted by my family for gyro cravings on the last night here! We shared a few different dishes. All were very tasty! We only regretted not enjoying more gyros during our time in Crete.

Overall Crete Review

My family and I all agree that Crete was a great destination offering a wide variety of things we each enjoy. Where else can you hike high up over a picturesque gorge during the early morning and bask on a pink sand beach by the afternoon? We were able to learn a wealth of information about the history and culture of Crete and shop along gorgeous Venetian streets all in the same day.

We all felt very safe during our time in Crete, minus some of the dodgy driving scenarios. The locals we encountered were genuine and kind (especially all the beloved street cats). The places we visited felt authentic and not polished or posing. Let’s not forget the food—the glorious cuisine that satisfied even the most selective of palates in our group.

I can confidently say we will be back to visit other islands of Greece. I can only hope we are fortunate enough to make Crete a repeat destination in the future!

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I hope you have enjoyed traveling to Europe with us so far. Next up, my review on our magical time spent in Rome, Italy.

I have a spicy tropical getaway to share after I complete the final two country reviews from our 14-day European getaway! If you love pristine beaches with the opportunity to island-hop, you don’t want to miss it…

Thank you for joining my travels!

-Amanda K.🩷