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Crete on a Budget

Budget Options for Independent Travellers

Crete on a Budget - choose your best budget accommodation and travel options, yet still enjoy the real Crete with her beaches, villages, music and nightlife.

Below we show you how to find a cheap flight to Crete, ferry options, camping and low-cost accommodation in Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Lasithi, and how to get around on low-cost local buses.

This is the budget symbol on We Love Crete.

Cheap Flights

Ferries to Crete

Camping Accommodation

Budget Accommodation

Local Buses

Getting Here

Cheap Flights

Crete on a Budget - find flights into two airports in Crete from all over Europe. Or fly in via Athens, with a connecting flight with duration of 1 hour to Chania or Heraklion.

Find your cheapest flights to Crete here

Check flights from Athens ATH to Chania CHQ here

Check flights from Athens ATH to Heraklion HER here

Ferries to Crete

Crete on a Budget - take an overnight ferry from Pireaus, the port of Athens, with a duration of 9 hours, take a ferry to Chania or Heraklion from Athens.

Ferries run from Santorini (Thira) to Crete into Heraklion port with duration less than 2 hours from May to September. At other times the year the crossing takes 6 hours.

Check here for cheap ferries from Pireaus to Chania

Check here for ferry prices from Pireaus to Heraklion

Or take a ferry from Santorini to Crete (Heraklion)

Camping in Crete

There are quite a few camp grounds in Crete including:

Camping Palaichora
Grammeno Camping - near Palaiochora
Camping Nopigia - near Kissamos
Camping Mithimna - near Kissamos
Matala Camping - on Matala Beach
Camping Koutsounari - eastern Crete near Ierapetra

You can find tent sites, existing tents, glamping tents, camper sites, wooden cabins or bungalows and many other variations of budget accommodation at these sites. They are open for the warm weather - generally from spring until autumn - May to October. Most have their own taverna and many have pool facilities. Note that free camping is not allowed in Greece. Prices for camping are very low. See below.

Camping in Crete
Chania

Camping Chania - tucked under the olive trees just back from Agioi Apostoli Beach and in walking distance to 4 beaches. Bus to Chania town is 10 minutes.

Camp here with your own tent, or on-site tents, mobile home or bungalow.

Has a beautiful big pool, restaurant and pool bar and all facilities you need for a super comfortable camping holiday.

"I had an amazing stay at the campsite! The staff were super friendly. The facilities were clean and well-maintained, and the location was perfect for exploring Chania. I would definitely come back. Highly recommend."

Check Rates & Availability at Camping Chania

Rethymno

Camping Elizabeth is on the beach

Camping in Crete - in the central west of Crete, stay at Camping Elizabeth with budget rates yet in a fantastic location; close to everything.

Just 4 km from Rethymnon Old Town, walk along Rethymnon Beach or through Perivoli to get to town which has everything you need to self-cater. Spend days exploring the twisted, narrow streets of Rethymnon and absorbing the history and café culture.Explore the Rethymnon region on local buses.

Fly into Chania Airport CHQ. From the airport get the intercity bus to Rethymnon, then get the local bus and ask the driver to let you out at 'Camping Elizabeth' or the take the taxi from the bus station which costs around 8 Euros.

With its own taverna bar, a convenience store nearby, here you can rent a tent or a bungalow or bring your own tent or camper van. This is a fun, family, cheap place to stay in the very centre of Crete. Did we mention it is right on the beach. I mean right ON the beach!

"Everything was so amazing I actually extended my stay as I just didn't want to leave yet. There is so much space between all the accommodation types so you have plenty of personal space around your tent. I stayed in an igloo tent which was very large and came with a table and chair outside too."

Check Rates & Availability at Camping Elizabeth

Budget Accommodation

This is the budget symbol on We Love Crete

Cocoon City Hostel is close to the bus stop in Chania with budget rates suitable for all the family, and great for solo travellers. Close to the old town, cafes and tavernas.

“It’s brand new and clean. Big kitchens (2), comfy chairs, nice lounge to relax, nice outdoor space with garden furniture and small swimming pools. Large dorms, comfy bunks. The best hostel I’ve ever stayed at.”

Check Rates & Availability at Cocoon City Hostel

Pal Beach Hotel - right on Palaiochora Beach in western Crete. A simple budget affair within slouching distance of main beach. Palaiochora beaches are popular in summer. Palaiohora Town Παλαιόχωα is 75 km from Chania on the south coast of Crete.

"The hotel was just opposite to the beach. Our rooms were recently renovated and spacious! It was very clean and better than shown in the pictures."

Check Rates & Availability at Pal Beach Hotel

Coral Guesthouse with its own beach

The view from the bar of Coral Guesthouse, Frangokastello, Crete

The view from the bar of Coral Guesthouse, overlooks the Libyan Sea

Coral Guesthouse is a small family-run pension with good, cheap rates, located right on the beach.

55 km south of Rethymnon lies the seaside village of Frangokastello named after the 'Francos Castle' that was built here by the Venetians centuries ago. 'Francos' was the term for the invading Catholic settlers. This castle had a violent history, and today sits in ruins next to the sandy beaches.

Snacks and drinks are served right on the property at Ouzeri Corali and a convenience store can be found only 50 metres from the pension. There is a bar looking over the sea, with its own little beach, only 300 metres from the centre of this little seaside village. Visit the ruins of the castle which are rumoured to be haunted, explore the mountains inland and the proud region of Sfakia.

Great food, friendly staff and the local cat make this a peaceful and relaxing holiday spot with a low price tag. There are four tavernas within walking distance. Stretch out your warm summer days in Crete.

Crete on a Budget
Get Around on the Local Buses

Save money on transport by using the very reliable and comfortable local buses. Taking the KTEL buses on Crete will enable you to keep costs down and travel all over the island.