There is a reason why Crete is the most popular destination for German visitors traveling to Greece, and also for Germans who buy a home in Greece. In this article, we break down why Crete is the ideal place to buy a second home for Germans, with the help of Daniel Dorfer, the creator of Fernwehblog.net.
About Daniel
Daniel is a proud family man from Bavaria. As a former DJ on a cruise ship and travel blogger by passion, he lives by the motto “Every trip makes you want more!”
“Making dreams memories” is what motivates Daniel. He loves to discover the world together with his small family, to take pictures and to give travel tips in his travel blog and cruise blog. The destination is always in the focus and not the love of self, which can be seen in some influencer pages.
Links: Daniel’s Travel Blog
About Crete:
With over 1000 km of coastline and 2900 hours of sunshine a year, Crete is the largest and most popular Greek island. It has a length of 260 km and a width varying from 12 to 60 km. High mountains and green hills, long sandy beaches and deserted bays, combined with an extremely pleasant Mediterranean climate and a friendly population, make Crete an ideal place to stay, where every visitor can enjoy themselves in his or her own way.
Crete is the place to be, not only from early spring to late autumn, but also to overwinter, especially in the south where the temperature in winter is a few degrees higher. Due to the large number of flights from many European airports, it is also the best accessible Greek island.
Cretan Cultural Heritage
The history of Crete goes back thousands of years and the island has treasures from the Minoan civilization. Among archaeological sites, the Palace of Knossos is the most popular to visit. The sites of Malia and Phaistos are also worth visiting. Phaistos is known for its palace from the second millennium BCE, and Malia is known for its stonework and frescoes.
Where to Visit in Crete
One of the best places to go in Crete is certainly the Heraklion, where you will find the famous Knossos Palace, the largest Minoan palace complex in Europe, the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, and the Venetian harbour of the city.
One of the best places in Crete is the city of Chania, which is gound in the west of the island. There, you should visit the narrow streets with historic buildings like the Venetian Fortress and the old market hall. Very close to Chania, you can also visit the Monastery of Agia Triada.
In the West of the island of Crete is Rethymnon, which is known for its picturesque streets and its beautiful harbour. Some sights include the Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymnon, and also the many clean beaches nearby.
Rating Crete for Germans
Ranking Methodology
How did we decide what factors are most important for German home buyers? To solve this challenge, we first asked our sales and legal team, who offer consultation and legal handling to dozens of German clients (both those who do and don’t purchase a property). We then combined this data with a small survey of German clients who ultimately purchased a home to find out their highest priorities.
Sea View
Crete has one of the longest coastlines of any area in Greece, at about 1000 kilometers. Some parts of Crete are undeveloped and there are many opportunities for beachfront homes. Some popular areas to get a sea view in Crete are Ierapetra, Agios Nikolaos, and Koutouloufari.
Rank: 10 out of 10
Direct Flights
From Germany, you can fly directly to Heraklion and Chania from Berlin and Frankfurt in about three hours. There are regular direct flights in the summer from major hubs in Germany, making it easy to reach in the summer.
Rank: 10 out of 10
Property Prices
Prices in Crete highly depend on the area where you buy a home. According to national averages from Spitogatos, prices range from about 1525 Euros per square meter to 2190 Euros per square meter in the three major towns. Prices in the south of Crete will likely be less expensive.
Chania: 2190 Euro/sqm
Rethymno: 1813 Euro/sqm
Heraklion: 1525 Euro/sqm
Especially when purchasing an off-plan beachfront home in the Crete, it is possible to find 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villas near the water for under 250,000 Euros. Click here to see a few examples in Crete.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Internet Speed
Internet Speeds are available in Crete via Speedtest by Ookla. Out of the towns listed in Crete, Chania’s speed is the fastest, at 50 MBPS. Compared to other areas of Greece, this is slightly above average.
Rating: 9 out of 10
English Speakers and Expatriate Community
If you choose one of Crete’s most popular towns, like Hersonissos or Chania, you will surely find English speakers or even French and Dutch speakers. This area of Greece is growing a lot in popularity, so you can expect to see many visitors. If you choose to buy a home in the more remote southern areas of Crete, the community of English speakers will likely be smaller.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Crete Overall Rating for Germans: 9.7/10
