1. Elounda
Elounda shocked me – much less old-school Greek village, extra stylish Mediterranean hideaway, with upscale resorts, elegant inns and a discreet A-list following (Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Rihanna have all holidayed right here), set towards glowing blue water and a rugged mountain backdrop, and saved extra low-key by its secluded location and extra refined crowd.
I reached Elounda after a scenic 1.5 hour drive from Heraklion and slipped into resort mode – harbour strolls, unique spa classes, seashore days and snorkeling over the ruins of Olous, selecting between the vigorous foremost seashore with its shallow water and the calmer, finer-sand Kolokithia Seashore close by.
Location: Northeastern coast | Dimension: small coastal resort city | Vibe: refined, relaxed, and upscale
My private highlights…
- Staying on the stylish 4-star boutique Elounda Orama – I beloved sipping on a cooling watermelon mojito rooftop bar whereas watching the horizon turned orange and pink at sundown!
2. Agios Nikolaos
This was my type of resort city – fashionable however low-key, with a protected historic waterfront across the marina and lake, golden sand, calm blue water, and luxurious hills maintaining all the things feeling scenic fairly than overdeveloped!
A simple hour’s drive from Heraklion introduced me right here for every week of legendary lakes (good day, mysterious Lake Voulismeni!), boat journeys to eerie Spinalonga (a former island leper colony!), golden laid-back days on Vayu, Almiros and Voulisma seashores, and atmospheric evenings consuming in tradtional tavenas by the marina. Simply word the city is constructed on steep hills, so count on a whole lot of steps and uphill walks!
Location: Northeastern Crete | Dimension: small harbor city | Vibe: relaxed, fairly, and calmly cosmopolitan
My private highlights…
3. Sissi
Sissi felt like a uncommon discover on Crete – uncooked, unspoilt and genuinely native, tucked quietly on the north coast about 41 km east of Heraklion, with fishing boats bobbing within the harbour, whitewashed homes, a candy little port, and olive groves and rugged hills as an alternative of mass tourism and mega-resorts.
A scenic 45-minute drive from Heraklion introduced me right here for a sluggish week of conventional tavernas (the pillowy kalitsounia pastries at Liofito Taverna have been heavenly!), turquoise-water swims and straightforward conversations with pleasant locals, with Boufos Seashore as my day by day kick-back base – sandy, relaxed, and backed by low-key inns and cute guesthouses.
Location: North coast | Dimension: small seaside village | Vibe: a sluggish, genuine Cretan really feel
My favorite highlights…
- Staying on the dreamy 4-star Grecotel Meli Palace – I beloved the stylish decor, the poolside cabanas, the personal seashore entry and the way the pool had a gradual sloping entrance which made it straightforward to wade in with a cocktail in hand!
4. Panormos
Regardless of drawing guests, this place has saved its soul – a laid-back fishing village unfold throughout two calm bays with small sandy seashores, slim streets, basic whitewashed buildings, vibrant boats within the harbour and only a sprinkling of low-rise locations to remain.
Simply 50 minutes west of Heraklion alongside the northern coastal freeway, I discovered myself in a spot the place 5 days slipped extraordinarily simply—lounging on Timeaki and Limanaki seashores, tasting delicately floral Pink Blackbird (Kotsifali) dry rose wine within the rustic Klados Vineyard, exploring the submit‑Byzantine church, and looking tiny craft retailers earlier than people-watching within the fishing harbour. It was a fantastically calm antidote to the island’s brasher resorts.
Location: North coast | Dimension: small seaside village | Vibe: relaxed, fairly, and quietly fashionable
My favorite highlights…
- Staying at gorgeous and romantic The Royal Senses Resort – I used to be actually impressed with the nice and cozy, personalised service, the a number of swimming pools which included a small water park, the hilltop views and the spa the place I skilled a deeply enjoyable heat beeswax candle remedy!
5. Falassarna Seashore
Typically known as one among Crete’s most lovely seashores, this enormous sweep of pale sand (with a blush-pink tint in locations) and turquoise water someway nonetheless felt wild and uncrowded, framed by rugged mountains and inexperienced hills, with simply sufficient facilities – sunbeds, parasols, bathrooms and some laid-back seashore bars – to remain snug with out spoiling the view.
An hour’s drive west from Chania by sleepy villages and farmland introduced me to the coast, the place I stayed within the close by charming 4-star Aphrodite Seashore Resort which was a 15-minute drive away. For 4 dreamy days I principally lived on the seashore, swapping between windsurfing and kitesurfing because it a spot that will get very windy within the afternoons (which received’t go well with everybody).
Location: West coast | Dimension: lengthy, extensive seashore | Vibe: distant and untamed really feel
My favorite highlights…
- Taking a ship journey to gorgeous Balos Lagoon, then on to Gramvousa to climb the Venetian citadel ruins – from the highest, I may see spooky shipwreck remnants close to the shore!
6. Plakias
Hidden on Crete’s quieter southern shore, this place felt splendidly untouched: a small village of straightforward low-rise buildings overlooking a curved sand-and-pebble seashore, vibrant blue water, rugged mountain surroundings and countryside hills carpeted with olive bushes and wildflowers.
After an hour and 20 minutes on the street south from Rethymno, I arrived for a magical quick break. I cut up my time between lazy seashore days, mountaineering the rugged Kourtaliotiko Gorge, and wandering to spectacular Preveli Seashore. Add in plates of unbelievable native meals (the spinach ravioli at Taverna Manousos was a stand-out!) and visits to the Monastery of Preveli made it really feel all very particular!
Location: South coast | Dimension: small, low-rise seaside village | Vibe: very laid-back, distant, and unspoiled really feel
My favorite highlights…
- Staying on the beautiful NERĒA Boutique Resort – I beloved the boho type decor (particularly the terracotta pots with wild grasses), the intimate, romantic vibe and my unbelievable Swim-Up Double room which had direct pool entry!
7. Kalamaki 
This was the right mixture of sleepy village and easygoing seashore resort – a quiet south-coast escape with a protracted, extensive seashore with positive golden sand and calm waters, only a handful of few conventional tavernas, small retailers and low-rise inns alongside the sand, far faraway from the island’s celebration hubs regardless of its comparatively trendy, purpose-built roots. Loggerhead sea turtles even nested right here throughout breeding season (Could to August).
I drove an hour south from Heraklion by the island’s inside and spent 4 easygoing days right here – strolling the coast, exploring the fascinating ruins of Phaistos Palace, and wandering the well-known Matala Caves, a former hippy haven that after even hosted Joni Mitchell.
Location: South coast | Dimension: small seashore village | Vibe: relaxed, pleasant, and low-key
My favorite highlights…
- Staying on the Insta‑worthy 4‑star Golden Solar Resort, I beloved my personal pool and jacuzzi, the spa with its Hammam, and considerate touches like native olive‑oil toiletries and Nef‑Nef robes..
8. Palaiochora
Regardless of attracting guests, this city saved its cool – quiet promenades, compact streets, basic structure and a alternative between a buzzy sandy seashore or a calmer pebble bay, in addition to a handful of laid-back bars that I noticed locals really used.
An two-hour drive southwest from Chania over twisting mountain roads introduced me to this beautiful spot, the place I spent every week staying on the trendy 4-star boutique the Libyan Princess Resort and mixing lazy seashore days with epic outings – trekking by Samaria Gorge, wandering crumbling Venetian citadel ruins, and crusing out to Gavdos Island and Elafonissi’s pink‑tinged sands.
Location: Southwest coast | Dimension: small coastal city | Vibe: bohemian and an easygoing, end-of-the-road really feel
My favorite highlights…
- Climbing an hour by thyme‑scented hills and rocky paths to the ruins of Lissos was fascinating – I discovered a trickling pure spring, fragments of light mosaic flooring, and the stays of a sanctuary as soon as devoted to Asclepius, the god of medication!
9. Triopetra Seashore
This south-coast hideaway was pure boho bliss – I found a distant, low-key and refreshingly uncommercial, dotted with zen yoga retreats and eco-minded spots, with two beautiful sandy seashores (the primary stretch and little sheltered “Triopetra”) backed by Siderotas Mountain, rocky hills and silvery olive groves.
I headed an hour out of Rethymno alongside quiet rural lanes and spent 5 dreamy days on the stylish 4-star beachfront Villa Thalassa – there have been lazy hours on the sand, snorkelling in clear waters, a soul‑soothing session at Triopetra Yoga Retreat, and evenings spent in conventional tavernas. Simply word there’s little or no public transport so a rent automobile is a should right here!
Location: South coast | Dimension: lengthy seashore | Vibe: distant, rugged, with a back-to-nature really feel
My favorite highlights…
- Climbing the thyme‑scented hill and outdated stone steps to the whitewashed Chapel of the Prophet Elias and being rewarded on the high with sweeping views of the Libyan Sea and distant fishing boats.
10. Plaka
This quiet little fishing village felt splendidly untouched to me – spared from mass tourism because of its distant setting and proud native spirit, with a pebbly seashore washed by clear blue water, views throughout to historic Spinalonga, and winding lanes lined with conventional homes, tavernas and a handful of tiny retailers.
Simply 10 minutes north of Elounda alongside a peaceable coastal street, I settled in for an idyllic week on the Insta-worthy D3 Milos, took a ship over to historic Spinalonga, browsed handcrafted jewelry and ceramics, and hung out on the comfortable sands of Elounda Seashore.
Location: Northeast coast | Dimension: small seaside village | Vibe: conventional with a relaxed, slow-paced native really feel
My favorite highlights…
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Wandering the village backstreets to browse its little craft and present retailers, I particularly beloved “The Loom,” the place intricately woven handcrafted rugs in wealthy Cretan patterns caught my eye!
11. Sougia
I assumed this was correct escape materials – a tiny, hard-to-reach village with a sheltered mixed-sand seashore, rugged surroundings, and nothing however small guesthouses, boutique inns and ultra-chilled tavernas dotted alongside the shore.
I wound my method 1 hour half-hour south from Chania alongside a slim mountain street with hairpin bends and epic Libyan Sea views, spent 5 blissful days right here mountaineering Samaria and Agia Irini Gorges by day, eating in cosy tavernas by night time, and even squeezed in a go to to Agios Panteleimon Church (it was a unusual expertise having to gather the door key from a kiosk on Sougia Seashore!) and the Historic Metropolis of Elyros which was simply 7.5 miles away.
Location: Southwest coast | Dimension: small seashore village | Vibe: quiet, bohemian, and fantastically low-key
My favorite highlights…
- Staying the characterful Monastery Property Retreat – the very good trendy decor, my personal visitor room swimming pool and the holistic spa – particularly the diktamos infused natural tub – made my keep critically dreamy!
12. Myrtos Village
This quaint village close to Ierapetra utterly received me over – low-key, conventional and splendidly slow-paced, with a transparent sand-and-pebble seashore, whitewashed homes wrapped in bougainvillea, slim lanes, cute craft retailers and pleasant tavernas, all saved blissfully crowd-free by its off-the-radar location.
After a 75‑minute drive southeast from Heraklion by calm inland routes, I unwound on this peaceable stretch of coast on the stylish and trendy 4-star Myrtos Mare Suites and explored a historic Minoan settlement, a tiny museum filled with artefacts, and the atmospheric stays of a former Minoan Palace.
Location: South coast | Dimension: small seaside village | Vibe: gently conventional with an easygoing native really feel
My highlights…
13. Loutro Village
This was a kind of uncommon locations the place crowds merely don’t attain – a road-free village between Chora Sfakion and Agia Roumeli, all whitewashed cottages, bobbing fishing boats, old-school tavernas and a handful of low-rise guesthouses by the ocean.
Ringed by steep mountains and wandering goats (their little bells chiming consistently), this tiny place received me over with its unreal aquamarine water, much more than its small pebbly seashore, after a 1 hr 20 min drive to Chora Sfakion and a fast 20-minute boat taxi, the place I spent a few distinctive days catching up on studying books, coastal wandering and consuming far an excessive amount of for my very own good!
Location: South coast | Dimension: tiny, car-free seaside village | Vibe: tranquil, castaway with a slow-life really feel
My private highlights…
- Staying on the Resort Porto Loutro – it was extra rustic-chic than flashy (like all of the locations to remain right here) however I actually appreciated its location proper on seashore, the welcoming, intimate vibe and sipping on my morning Loumidis espresso whereas watching fishing boats glide in from my tiny balcony!
14. Kato Zakros
This was such a particular discover – a distant little fishing village on Crete’s east coast that’s stayed fantastically untouched, with whitewashed homes, a relaxed pebble bay, rugged mountains throughout, a handful of boho-leaning guesthouses full with aromatic herb gardens that had embraced their very own eco‑pleasant type, laid-back tavernas and simply sufficient cute little retailers to really feel charming however not business within the slightest!
After practically two hours on twisting backroads from Agios Nikolaos, passing stark, lovely landscapes, I arrived at this secluded spot and spent 4 very particular days kicking again on the seashore, uncovering the Minoan Palace of Zakros and trekking the Gorge of the Useless with its haunting cave tombs. The lengthy drive and isolation meant my evenings have been very quiet right here, with only some tavernas open.
Location: Far east coast | Dimension: tiny coastal village | Vibe: unspoilt with a quiet, end-of-the-world really feel
My favorite highlights…
- Staying on the spectacular 4-star Terra Minoika Boutique resort – I adored the eco-friendly, stone-built villas and the way the house owners had thoughtfully stocked it with native olive oil, handmade lavender and carob soaps, and jars of thyme honey!
