The Grand Tour of Crete Road Trip
Do you enjoy driving and exploring new places? Do you hate having the same old routine from your room to the same beach and vice versa? Then, hire a car and drive off to the Simpybook Crete road trip, from west to east and north to south! Towns, villages, beaches, views, and history, all in one long promising itinerary with an astonishing diversity of scenery!
The north road axis connecting the main cities of Crete is easier to drive along the north coast. But, on the other hand, it requires a bit more of an adventurous spirit to explore the south!
The first two days of the Crete road trip are dedicated to the area of Chania. Unfortunately, the White Mountains reaching the south coast does not allow road access in some villages. So you will have to drive back north to Chania and south again before continuing to the east.
The trip continues along the north coast before going down the narrow east coast and continuing back west along the Libyan coast.
You can rent a car in Chania and start your road trip there. Still, this circular road trip can also start from Rethymno, Heraklion or Agios Nikolaos. Enjoy!
Itinerary: Chania-Elafonissi-Chania-Vamos-Rethymno-Anogia-Heraklio-Knossos-Agios Nikolaos-Sitia-Vai-Kato Zakros-Ierapetra-Lentas-Fragokastelo-Hora Sfakion-Anopoli-Chania
Duration:8-9 days or more if you want to take more time to explore
Distance: Around 926 km
Crete Road Trip Day 1: Chania
Start your day by walking around the old town of Chania, which is built around the Venetian harbour. It's better to get an early start to enjoy the city while it's quiet and to avoid the heat, especially if you visit during the summer. Once it gets too hot, it is time to head to the sea. Drive to the nearby beaches of Agioi Apostoloi or Agia Marina to the west of Chania, where the locals go for a refreshing swim. The area of Nea Chora, with a variety of tavernas by the fishing harbour, is ideal for your first meal by the sea!
Crete Road Trip Day 2: Elos, Elafonissi and the west coast
Explore the west coast of Crete on a beautiful ride to the impressive beach of Elafonissi. With the cedar trees and fragrant beach lilies, the dune ecosystem placed Elafonissi in the Nature 2000 network of protected areas. On your way back to Chania, take the road through Elos to see the inland villages surrounded by chestnut and plane trees or choose the coastal road through Sfinari for fantastic sunset views.
Chania-Elafonissi through Elos:72 km, Elafonissi-Chania through Sfinari: 86 km
Elafonissi beach, 82 km southwest of Chania. Image by Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho, licensed.
Do you want to discover more about Chania? Explore the Best 5 Chania beaches
Crete Road Trip Day 3. Chania – Rethymno- Heraklio
From Chania, drive east towards the area of Apokoronas. Apokoronas is the lushest area of Chania, with many small villages hidden inside the green slopes. The main towns are Vamos, with restored traditional buildings and Gavalochori, where you can visit the folklore museum. Stop to lunch and swim in Kalyves or Almyrida before visiting the old town and the Venetian harbour of Rethymno, smaller than the one of Chania but carrying its own beauty. The next stop is busy Heraklion!
Read more about the natural beauty and beaches of Rethymno.
2nd Option: If you want to visit Anogia on your way to Heraklion, you can skip Vamos and drive straight from Chania to Rethymno. After visiting the Venetian harbour of Rethymno, go east on the national road and in the area of Panormos; take the exit towards Perama and Zoniana to reach Anogia, at an altitude of 750 meters on Mount Psiloritis. Park your car and walk around the old village before resting at the central square where the locals meet. Anogia is also known for its weaving and embroidery workshops! You can reach Heraklio by driving east through Kamaraki and Tylissos. You can then spend the night in Heraklion.
Chania – Kalyves:24 km, Kalyves-Vamos: 8 km, Vamos-Rethymno:33 km, Rethymno-Heraklio:80 km OR Chania-Rethymno: 61 km, Rethymno-Anogia: 67 km, Anogia-Heraklio: 37 km
The old harbour Koules in Heraklion. Image by C messier, licenced
Crete Road Trip Day 4. Knossos and archaeological museum and driving to the east
Parking in Heraklio is not easy, so it is advisable to walk in the city and use the car for longer distances. First, visit the archaeological museum in the city's centre, and then drive to the archaeological site of Knossos.
From Knossos, head towards the national road to continue your trip to the east through Agios Nikolaos in Mirabello Bay, Lasithi. You can stop there to walk around the town and enjoy a drink at Voulismeni lake. From there, continue driving to the east to reach Sitia, where you can spend the night.
Read more about the 5 Destinations in Heraklio you should not miss
Crete Road Trip Day 5. East coast of Crete to Ierapetra
Our Crete road trip continues down the east coast and the region of Lasithi. However, before heading south, you should visit the palm forest and beach of Vai northeast of Sitia. From Vai, head south towards Zakros, Kato Zakros, to the ruins of the Minoan palace and the beach at the Gorge of the Dead. Then, drive back and turn left towards Xirokampos, the village of Ziros, with the famous spring water. Finally, head to Makris Gialos (Greek for "long beach") and Ierapetra, the southernmost town of Greece. You can have dinner in the old city with the Venetian fortress and spend the night before you continue your journey along the Libyan sea.
Sitia-Vai: 24 km, Vai-Kato Zakros: 35 km, Kato Zakros-Ierapetra: 84 km
The sandy palm beach of Vai, 94 km northeast of Agios Nikolaos, Crete. Image by MJJR, licenced
Crete Road Trip Day 6. Along the Libyan Sea
This day is dedicated to the Libyan coast of Crete! From Ierapetra, drive east towards Lentas. There are beautiful beaches on your way, such as Keratokampos and the nearby Kastri, Larinaki and Listis near the area of Tsoutsouras and Pachia Ammos (=Greek for "thick sand") next to the region of Treis Ekklisies. Allow enough time to relax in the coastal settlement of Lentas. You will probably want to make the most of the calmness and hospitality of Lentas, so we suggest you spend one extra day there.
Ierapetra-Lentas:112 km
Crete Road Trip Day 7 (or 8). Lentas to Fragokastelo
More beaches today: the wild landscape of Triopetra, the small and beautiful Agia Fotini with the old taverna, protected from the Western winds, the famous Preveli with the river and palm trees and the more organised settlement of Plakias. These are only some of your options, and the choice is yours. If you prefer to settle in your room first and then go to the beach, there is a long sandy beach just below the fortress of Fragokastelo and the smaller Orthi Ammos beach to the east.
Lentas-Fragokastelo: 124 km
The seaside village of Lentas, 73 km southwest of Heraklio. Image by Marc Ryckaert, licenced
Crete Road Trip Day 8 (or 9). Return through Sfakia
Enjoy your morning swim before heading towards the harbour of Sfakia (Chora Sfakion). A 12 km steep and winding road takes you to the small mountainous village of Anopoli and up to the bridge Aradaina overlooking an impressive gorge. Time to head back to Chania. Return to Chora Sfakion and drive north to Askifou plateau, Alikampos and Vrysses to reach the National Road, where you will turn west towards Chania.
That is the end of our Crete road trip! Be aware! After the calmness of the south, the return to busy Chania might seem a bit sudden! Suppose the old town looks too crowded for you. In that case, there are plenty of accommodation options in other areas within a short distance from the city centre.
Fragokastelo-Hora Sfakion: 14 km, Hora Sfakion-Anopoli:12 km, Hora Sfakion-Chania:72 km
The harbour of Chania in the Old Town. Image by Haris Christodoulou, licenced
Find here the highlights of Dave's road trip in Crete.
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