As the most popular holiday destination in Greece, Crete attracts around 2 millions of tourists every year. Many people travel in Crete by car rental, for it offers great flexibility to discover the hidden charms of the island. It’s a bit too ambitious to discover the whole island in one go, so we’ve searched the following itinerary that starts from Heraklion, covers some of the charming villages, historical towns, beaches, mountains, and allows you time to taste the local wine and marvel at the beautiful olive groves.

Heraklion

Most of the travelers arrive in Crete’s capital city Heraklion, so it is naturally your first stop. This modern, diverse city has the Archaeological Museum that holds the remains of the 3000-year old Minoan civilization. Knossos Palace, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, is located only 5 km south of Heraklion.

Sissi

Head east from Heraklion and visit Sissi, a picturesque harbor village, located 45 kilometers east of Heraklion. It is a tranquil little village away from the hectic touristic atmosphere. Do try the fresh fish, largely popular even among the locals. Visit the Malia archaeological site or Milatos, full of seaside tavernas. Nearby there are also many interesting sites, such as the monastery of Saint George of Selinaris, the traditional village Vrahassi, only a few kilometers east from Sissi, and the magnificent Lassithi Plateau, one of the few areas in the Mediterranean with permanent inhabitants at an altitude over 800 meters.

Agios Nikolaos

From Heraklion drive further on east to Agios Nikolaos, a coastal town with abundant tourist attractions, such as the small lagoon Lake Voulismeni, small beaches and the tiny island Agioi Pantes. Then drive up to the coast to visit Plaka, a village situated high up the hill, bringing you wonderful views over the Mediterranean Sea.  A leisure walk through the olive groves around the village would be very refreshing.

Agia Varvara

Drive south on E97 from Heraklion and reach the agricultural town of Agia Varvara. Then take a scenic route down to the Messara Plain, the largest plain in Crete. Then continue on the national road to Matala, a village located 75 kilometers south-west of Heraklion, known for the gorgeous sand beach and a picturesque cove, with unusual rock formations and interesting caves.

Most of the places on this itinerary are not too far away from Heraklion, so you can either spend a night there or head back to the hotel in Heraklion. If you feel a tickle of exploring Crete in a rental car, don’t miss out the car rental deals of holidaycars.com.