The east side of Crete offers more rugged and less crowded beaches, while the west is known for its cosmopolitan cities and picturesque villages.
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Historically, most resident expats prefer the island's more traditional west and while the east is known for its handful of lively holiday resorts, one corner there has become a hot spot for luxury living…
Chania Town is probably the most beautiful town in Crete. The Old Town of Chania, with the evident Medieval style, is a wonderful place to walk around, lined up with elegant Venetian mansions.
South Crete is generally a couple of °C warmer (but water temperatures are roughly similar). The east of the island, has less rain than the north and especially the north-west.
In general, eastern Crete is warmer than western Crete, the southern part of the island is warmer than the northern, the western part of Crete has more vegetation and in the mountainous areas the weather is cooler.
Limanakia, Chersonissos, Heraklion area. Why this recommendation is the best? Key factor: #Limanakia are comprised of an array of beaches, who are almost always in calm sea condition even in windy days. The place name Limanakia is corresponding to small ports.
Damnoni beach is one of the most protected, at least from the waves, and also one of the most beautiful, with turquoise waters and white sand. Located 35km south of Rethymnon, the beach is well organized with sunbeds, umbrellas, showers and changing rooms.
Elounda Gulf Villas has just earned it's place in my top 5 favourites and here's why. Elounda is a beautiful simple fishing village in the North of Crete. Over the years it's attracted the worlds rich and famous with the likes of Lady Gaga, Leonardo DiCaprio and the Saudi Royal Family choosing to holiday here.
The best time to visit Crete is from mid-May to June or from September to October. May brings with it warmer waters and beautiful wildflowers that can be spotted throughout the island's natural attractions.
Crete in 4-5 daysWith a few more days in Crete, you can get out of the cities and off the beaten path to see more of the island's natural areas. Crete is known for its olive groves, and many of them welcome visitors.
This means that even when the north coast is uncomfortably windy, the south coast may be calm and pleasant. The exception to this is where gorges and valleys channel the north winds, which can create areas of intense winds at certain spots along the coast. This is especially true at Frangokastello and Plakias Bay.
The wildest scenes for nightlife in Crete is the region from Malia and Stalis to Elounda. There are many clubs in Malia and Stalis, the two places that are mostly frequented by British tourists. In the rest of the tourist places of Crete, there are lounge bars with soft music and exotic cocktails.
The average Crete temperature decreases as you travel north. July and August are the warmest months, and January is the coldest month of the year. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20-30ºC (70-90°F) and in winter between 10-15ºC (50-60°F).
July is the hottest month in Crete with an average temperature of 26°C (79°F) and the coldest is January at 11°C (52°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 13 in July.