Honeymoon in Crete - Chania or Heraklion Airport?

by RJ
(Washington DC)

We have heard so much about Crete that we want to spend 3 nights in Crete arriving on Sep 17th and departing Sep 20th morning to Athens.

I have read about Crete and after so much reading and trying to figure out which place to select, I am asking for suggestions to help me.

I read that since Crete is so large it is better to divide the vacation to see:

1) Which airport would be the best?

2) Where to stay if most of our vacation plan is to do sightseeing and traveling to the beach?

3) Where to stay so we can explore the best beaches in the island?

Three Special Honeymoon Days in Crete

Hi RJ,

Yes, it is a wonderful large island, therefore, for your three day visit, you will need to choose carefully which part of Crete to focus on. I am sure you have a wonderful honeymoon planned and we are happy to offer a few suggestions here.

The two international airports are Chania and Heraklion. Both will accept flights from Athens, I am guessing you can use either one on your ticket. The choice will coincide with your activities. The beaches in both areas are beautiful.

As you have mentioned no other specific interests, we must make recommendations for both regions and leave you to decide, keeping in mind your wishes for beach visits. We are not sure what style of accommodation you would prefer, therefore we have made various suggestions below.

Here are three options for you to consider...

Option One - if you are young and active and like trekking, you will choose the Chania region which has a beautiful historic township on the Mediterranean, lots of lovely beaches, and the long and stunning Samaria Gorge walk, which is a full day’s tour, taking up one of your precious days, but well worth the effort. In this case you could take a day tour from Chania, picked up and dropped off at your hotel in Chania. In Chania we suggest you take accommodation in the old zone – to make the most of the atmosphere there, we suggest Casa Delfino (luxury), or Mama Nena Charming Hotel, Madonna Studios or Casa Leone, these are all affordable options.

Option Two - if your interests lie more in culture and history, you will choose the Heraklion region, which is home to the famous Palace of Knossos – ancient home to the Minoans – just 5 km from Heraklion town, which is the location of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, holding one of the most fascinating collections of antiquities in the whole of Greece. On this trip you could combine these historical sights with beaches, we suggest Agia Pelagia Beach which is close enough to these destinations to be very comfortable as well as provide wonderful clear turquoise waters and cafe bars and restaurants by the water. Here we suggest your beautiful honeymoon accommodation would be ‘Out of the Blue’ resort, where you will be very well looked after with a honeymoon you will never forget. A more affordable option in Agia Pelagia is the Aquarius Exclusive Apartments.

Option Three - to combine the above, you could choose an accommodation place in the middle of the two regions, enjoy a day tour to each destination, and explore the historic town of Rethymnon instead of Chania. In this way, the distance to the airport would not be an issue and either one would be convenient. Our suggestion of luxury honeymoon accommodation to achieve this is the Grecotel Creta Palace . In this case, your itinerary would be Day One – Samaria Gorge Walk Day Tour – Day Two – rest and explore Rethymnon Town and Beaches – Day Three – Knossos Palace Day Tour.

Information pages are below, to help with your decision.

Which Airport to Choose in Crete

Chania Region

Chania Town

Samaria Gorge

Heraklion Region

Heraklion Town

Knossos Palace

Agia Pelagia

Rethymon Town

Casa Delfino – Chania

Out of the Blue – Agia Pelagia

Grecotel Creta Palace - Rethymnon

We trust that your three days in Crete for your honeymoon will be special indeed.

Bon Voyage! Kalo Taxidi!

Honeymoon itinerary

by Stacey
(New York, NY)

Hi,

My fiancé and i are taking our honeymoon to Greece. In Crete we have booked hotel accommodations in Elounda, The Blue Palace Resort and Spa. After doing some research of Crete it looks like it has many different regions and many things to do.

My fiancé and I enjoy relaxing at the beach, high end restaurants along with authentic restaurants of the region we are visiting, and good wine. We also enjoy visiting some of the top sites while we are there.

Do you have any restaurant and things to do suggestions? What are some suggestions of places to shop for things/art to bring back home?

Thanks so much!
Stacey

Elounda Bay in Crete

Hi Stacey,

You have chosen a really great base for your honeymoon. Elounda is one of the top end quality regions of Crete, the village has plenty of high end and authentic local restaurants and tavernas.

Choose from one of the many resort restaurants at the Blue Palace (no less than 8 restaurants and bars), as well as at neighbouring resorts such as Porto Elounda (also eight dining experiences on offer). These resorts are very proud of their Cretan heritage and offer specialised cuisine - just ask your concierge and we are certain they will be able to direct you to the dining experience you are seeking.

You may also choose from the many local restaurants and tavernas by the bay - this is one of our favourite bays in Crete - there is something so nurturing and feminine about the soft curves of the bay and the peninsula that encircles it - we would choose to sit on the water at one of the following:

- Who Pays the Ferryman Taverna
- Olondi Taverna
- Thalassa Taverna in Plaka to the north of Elounda

Or for local flavour just as Yiayia does it - try 'To Paradosiako' in Elounda - the name means 'the traditional' and refers to the fundamental earthy staple fare of Crete - one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

For shopping and art - both Elounda and Agios Nikolaos will provide enriching world-quality experiences. The artisans of Crete express their art in studios throughout both towns - with jewellery, ceramics, visual art and much much more. Watch your credit card bill, you are going to find a lot of interesting pieces for your collection.

Specifically try:

- Art Gallery 'El Greco' 32, 28th Octovriou St
- Atelier Ceramica, Konstantinou Paleologou 28
in Agios Nikolaos

See more info here:

Elounda Beach

Elounda Village

Happy Honeymoon

Ευτυχισμένο Μήνα του Μέλιτος

Is two weeks too long for honeymoon on Crete?

by Peter
(San Bernadino, CA)

I'm planning my honeymoon, and we have about 2 weeks to play with. I want something relaxing, but also interesting with museums and culture, and was thinking of spending most of it on Crete. Also, on our way back to the US, we would catch a couple days in Athens.

Is that too long on Crete? Should I be checking out other places or islands in Greece instead of spending it all on Crete? Thanks!

Two Weeks for a Crete Honeymoon

Hi Peter,

Of course we are biased, however on balance, after travelling all the way from the US, you would want to relax a little and stay most of your time in Crete, with a stopover in Athens.

Perhaps you could take the very fast ferries to Santorini (Thira)... and then take the ferry or flight to Athens. We recommend at least 2 nights in Athens on your arrival or return...

In Crete you could stay half the time in the west of the island and half in the east, or choose to stay in the centre and explore both east and west.

Of course, there is no ideal time to stay on Crete, however in 10 days one can do it justice and see most regions. We always suggest to hire a car so that you can see the back roads, it is a large island 260 x 60 km so there is lots to explore...

Please see our suggestions for a journey in west Crete...

Also see our page about honeymoons...

Bon Voyage! Happy Travels! by Katia from We Love Crete

How lucky you are! Honeymoon on Crete!

I don't think, that 2 weeks are too long for this big Island! There is so much to do, too see, to enjoy! If you know the right places....

Maybe you can interrupt Crete and spend 2 or 3 days on Santorini, this is so beautiful, too, that it makes me goose-boms, when I remember me.... - go there by ship its not so far!
And do you know, where you will stay on Crete?

Try to spend a few days at Stellas Appartments in Kato Zakros - there is a reason, that she calls it "nothing closer to paradise" ;-)

And around this place you will find a lot to do and to see.

I envy you for this honeymoon! But we will be back on Crete in 7 weeks, too - I'm looking forward.

Have a good time! Always!
Elisabeth from Bavaria

Things to do in Elounda

by Ezgi
(Istanbul )

Hi, My fiancé and I plan to spend time in Crete for our honeymoon in August but we cannot decide which area to stay in.

We would like to stay in Blue Palace Resort & Spa but we are not sure if there are places where we can go outside of the resort. Is the resort isolated?

Could you please recommend us an area for Crete where we can stay in a good hotel and also spend a good time out side of the hotel like tavernas, or pubs?

Lastly, is it easy to travel from somewhere to another location? For example, if we stay in Elounda, can we easily go somewhere to spend our evening and return to the hotel?

Thank you so much

Ezgi

Looking Around Elounda

We are sure that you will have a wonderful honeymoon in Kriti.

The resort is a little distance from small towns and villages. The tiny seaside hamlet of Plaka is within walking distance of the resort. Here you will find wonderful seafood tavernas and traditional fare.

In addition, Blue Palace is located 4.2 km from Elounda Village which is a stylish, up-market village serving travellers from all over the world visiting the many luxury resorts dotted around the peninsula. Elounda is 12 km from Agios Nikolaos, a small town and the capital of the region. Both Elounda and Agios Nikolaos will give you many, many options for interesting things to do and for tavernas, restaurants, cafes and pubs.

The staff at the Blue Palace will be able to give you expert advice about the region and we have no doubt that you will be very well looked after. Inside the resort there are 5 restaurants and 3 bars. As it is your honeymoon, you may also like to order world-class cuisine to your room. However, to put your mind at rest before you make your booking, here are some more details about the region.

Take a bus from Elounda to Agios Nikolaos for under 2 Euro. Take a taxi for 21 Euro. Take a tour boat from Plaka or Elounda to see historic Spinalonga Island and enjoy the clear waters of the bay with snorkelling and a BBQ.

Walk from Elounda around the bay to the sunken ancient ruins of Olous, or snorkel to see the history beneath the water, at the isthmus of the Kolo

Take a walk around Agios Nikolaos for the day, see museums, art galleries, international quality boutiques and shopping, relax at one of the many lakeside cafes. In the afternoon stay at Kitroplateia or Almyros town beaches and relax for dinner by the bay, try a local taverna. After dinner try Alexandros Rooftop Bar or Café Puerto Bar.

Take a day tour to Gournia or Katharo Plateau, up into the Dikti Mountains to see Lasithi Plateau or visit the Psychro Cave. Go scuba diving or snorkelling for the day with experts. Take a bus and boat trip to see the spectacular beach at Chrissi Island.

Visit a working olive farm, Panagias Keras Church or Moni Faneromeni with breathtaking views. Get under the skin of Crete by visiting the inland villages.

See our page about Elounda Village here...

See our page about Plaka Village here...

See more about Agios Nikolaos here...

More about the Lasithi Region here...

Happy Honeymoon

Ευτυχισμένο Μήνα του Μέλιτος

Flight from Athens to Crete

by Virali
(Mumbai, India)

Hi

I'm from India and I'm planning a honeymoon trip to Greece. We want to visit Crete and Santorini.

If I take a flight from Athens to Crete (as the ferry would take too long), will I be allowed to take all my luggage on the domestic flight? (Athens-Crete) It seems most domestic carriers have weight restrictions on the luggage. I don't really want to spend on taking my bags on the flight. On my Mumbai-Athens flight I will be allowed 25 kg per person.

Also...

I thought of doing it in this order.

• Arrive in Athens and immediately take a flight to Crete
• 4 days in Crete and then take a ferry for Santorini
• 4 days in Santorini
• Take a ferry to Athens and spend 2 nights in Athens

Does this itinerary make sense to you? Are there any changes/ suggestions you can give me?

I know you would prefer that I do entire trip - 10 days in Crete but this is all I have and can't miss Santorini.

Perhaps I could I do it the other way around? i.e.
• Athens to Santorini (ferry)
• Santorini to Crete (ferry)
• Crete to Athens (flight)

But important thing to know for me is about the luggage weight allowed on Greek domestic carriers.

Flights Athens to Crete and Itinerary

Hi Virali,

We can understand that you would like to clarify the weight restrictions before planning this journey. The two most common domestic air carriers in Greece are Aegean and Olympic.

The weight allowances on Aegean Airlines are 32 kg for Business Class and 20 kg for Economy. See Aegean Airlines info here

The weight allowances on Olympic Airlines are listed as 20 kg for Economy and 25 kg for Premium Economy. See OA info here

It sounds as if you need to book special class or pack only 20 kg each.

Now onto your itinerary, it sounds wonderful and we don't mind you seeing beautiful Santorini!

Yes, it is possible to transfer easily from an international flight to a domestic flight to Crete, within Athens Airport 'Eleftherios Venizelos'. Allow at least 2 hours for transfer, 3 hours to be safe. There are many flights a day to Crete as early as 7.00 to 22.00. It is a 50 minute flight.

See airport transfer info here

There are two airports to choose from for your arrival into Crete. Chania or Heraklion. We suggest Chania because you will depart from Heraklion later...

It is also possible to take a flight from Athens to Santorini or of course, Santorini to Athens so you may consider this for your forward or return journey (rather than ferry). The benefit of this is that you avoid the transfer from Pireaus port to centre of the city which can be tiresome, and the ferry journey which is 4-5 hours.

The ferries from Santorini (Thira) to Athens are many and have varied routes. There are various islands which may be included on the route. One can travel from Thira to Pireus port which is closest to the centre of the city. One can also travel via Rafina port which is much closest to Athens airport.

Considering all these variables, we have put together a suggested day by day itinerary for you below. There is no correct answer and of course it is simply for your consideration, and may depend upon the flight or ferry availability or connection times when you proceed to booking stage.

We are not sure of your budget preference for accommodation so we have included suggestions in mid-range hotels, again simply for your consideration. In Chania and Rethymnon we suggest staying in the old towns. In Santorini we suggest staying in both Fira and Oia. In Athens we suggest staying in Plaka, near the Acropolis.

Itinerary Crete to Santorini

Day One
Arrive Athens International Airport
Transfer to domestic flight to Crete
Arrive Crete – Chania
Stay Chania Old Town
Stay Villa Venezia

Day Two
Explore Chania Old Town
Stay Villa Venezia

Day Three
Transfer to Rethymnon
Stay Rethymnon Old Town
Stay Palazzo Rimondi

Day Four
Transfer to Heraklion
Visit Knossos Palace
Stay near Port
Stay Hotel Lato

Day Five
Fast jetboat to Santorini (Thira)
Depart 8.20am
Arrive 10.40am
Stay Santorini
Stay Fira
Stay Pantelia Suites

Day Six
Stay Santorini
Stay Fira
Stay Pantelia Suites

Day Seven
Stay Santorini
Stay Oia
Stay Aethrio Hotel

Day Eight
Stay Santorini
Stay Oia
Stay Aethrio Hotel

Day Nine
Depart for Athens (flight or ferry)
Stay Athens
Stay A for Athens Hotel


Day Ten
Stay Athens
Stay A for Athens Hotel

Information pages you may need for this itinerary:

Accommodation in Crete

Crete to Santorini

Santorini Accommodation

Athens Info

Bon Voyage! Kalo Taxidi!

5 Days Honeymoon in Crete

by Javier
(Vigo, España)

Hello,

As part of our honeymoon we are spending 5 days in Crete at the beginning of September.

We will be arriving at Heraklion on Friday 12th the September at eleven o'clock in the morning with a rented car waiting for us.

Then we are departing the morning of the 17th to Santorini.

We love beaches; have been to many amazing ones and are willing to discover the best of Crete, more than an archaeological trip.

We also enjoy nice food, having nice dinners at restaurants and discovering the way of life in the countries we visit.

I don't mind driving a lot, I enjoy it but also want to take the most out of our time.

Don't know if the East or the West would be better for us, but after reading a lot, I think the west is more what we are looking for, despite the fact that is not nice to have to drive back to Heraklion.

I'm even considering to change my plane ticket and fly directly to Chania.

What do you think? Can you help me?

Thanks a lot.

Best regards,

Javier

Honeymoon Exploring Crete

Dear Javier,

Congratulations on your honeymoon and your plans sound wonderful. Yes, the west sounds best for you, and we suggest flying into Chania so you can drive one way only. You can arrange to pick the car up at the airport of Chania and drop the car at the port of Heraklion.

We have created an itinerary below which includes the beautiful old towns of both Chania and Rethymnon, however you could change this to spend more time at the beach, if you like. You can still visit beaches during the day whilst staying the evening and night in the old towns.

Day One – Friday 12 Sep
Arrive Chania
Pick up hire car
Stay Chania old town
Stay Casa Delfino (luxury option)
Or Mama Nena Charming Hotel

Day Two – Sat 13 Sep
Drive Chania to Plakias
Drive via Georgiopoulis (visit beach with little chapel)
And visit Lake Kournas (choose if time)
Approx 100 km total travel, 1.5 hours without stops but take most of the day with sightseeing and lunch
Lunch at Alekos Taverna, Armeni
Arrive Plakias – visit the beach
Stay Plakias Suites

Day Three – Sun 14 Sep
Drive Plakias to Rethymnon
Take different route via Kotsifos Gorge
36 km
Stay Rethymnon Old Town
Stay Avli Lounge Apartments

Day Four – Mon 15 Sep
Stay in Rethymnon Old Town
Relax and explore town or explore local beaches
Or visit Agreco traditional farm
Stay Avli Lounge Apartments

Day Five – Tues 16 Sep
Drive Rethymnon to Knossos
Stop at Agia Pelagia Beach for swim and lunch on the way
Visit Knossos Archaeological site
Stay in Heraklion or Archanes (small village)
Stay Heraklion
Stay Lato Hotel (near to port)
Drop off hire car
Or Stay Archanes
Stay Archontiko Studio

Day Six – Wed 17 Sep
Taxi from Heraklion hotel or
Drive from Archanes - drop off hire car at port
Depart 08.30 on Ferry to Santorini

Chania Town

Chania Accom

Rethymnon Town

Rethymnon Accom

Agia Pelagia Beach

Knossos

Heraklion

Arhanes Village

Crete to Santorini


Bon Voyage!

Heraklion as a Starting Point

Thanks so much for your answer I really appreciate it.

I've been talking with my travel agent and unfortunately I'm arriving to Heraklion, not to Chania.

Still, I believe the west is the best option for us.

I'm arriving at 10 on Friday morning so I'm planning on driving to Chania that day, stopping at the best beach on our way. Any recommendation?

Stay in Chania Friday & Saturday & Sunday and take chance to visit Balos and Elafonisi beaches.

Can I get there by car or I Shall go by boat? Any renting companies you know.

Finally driving Monday to Rethymnon and stay there Monday night.

Spent next day on a beach and sleeping Tuesday night at Heraklion.

Leaving on Wednesday morning, first hour to Santorini.

Any additional recommendation or place we shall see?

As I said, we love beaches and relaxing, so thank you a lot for your guidance and hoping to get the most out of our visit.

Best regards.

Javier.

Beaches in North Crete

Hi Javier,

You could try Agia Pelagia Beach or Georgioupoli Beach.

Agia Pelagia

In Kissamos speak to Ioannis at Balos Travel and they will help with the boat tour or rental of car or 4WD to visit Gramvousa Peninsula.

Bon Voyage!