Regional Guides

If beauty is measured by photographs, the west wins: Balos, Elafonisi and Falassarna give western Crete the most famous coastline in Greece outside Santorini. But Crete's actual answer is more interesting, because the island distributes its beauty by type rather than by rank. The west has the iconic beaches, the south has the drama, the interior has the soul, and the northwest around Chania has the best blend of all three with a life attached. Which one is "most beautiful" depends on whether you are composing a photograph or a future.

Asked purely as a beauty contest, Chania wins, and even Heraklion's admirers concede it: the Venetian harbour, the lighthouse, the old town's lanes have no equal on the island. But "nicer" is the wrong test for choosing where to base your life or your money, and Heraklion is the most underrated city in Crete precisely because visitors judge it on looks. The honest comparison is between two different propositions: Crete's most beautiful town and Crete's most capable city.

During International Mountain Day, on December 11, 2025, Greece announced a significant expansion of its “Untrodden Mountains” (Apatita Vouna) program. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, strengthens environmental protection across some of the country’s most pristine mountain landscapes, while promoting a more sustainable development and tourism model.  This latest decision reflects Greece’s growing focus on balancing environmental conservation with responsible growth.

Yes, and for a reason that is easy to miss from abroad: Cretan culture treats children as guests of honour rather than as a tolerated presence. A family walking into a village taverna at nine in the evening will find the children fussed over, fed first and quite possibly given the run of the place. Add the practical side, sandy northern beaches, two international airports, proper hospitals and an island big enough to fill three weeks, and Crete makes a strong case as the most family-capable of the Greek islands. That is the short answer. The longer one is about choosing the right corner of a 260-kilometre island, because not every famous beach is a family beach and not every region works as well in practice as it photographs.

Crete has long been praised as one of Europe’s most charismatic destinations, but the latest survey by the rural tourism network epaithros+ shows something even more impressive: travellers today aren’t just satisfied with Crete… they’re genuinely thrilled.  According to the research, conducted in autumn 2025 among 1,187 international visitors, 91% said the island fully met their expectations, while an incredible 97% rated their stay positively or very positively. These are numbers usually found in mature, highly refined global destinations, and Crete is right up there.

No. Crete has party resorts, which is a different thing. Mykonos and Ios are built around nightlife; Crete is a working island of more than 600,000 residents where the party scene occupies a few kilometres of the northern coast, and the rest of the island gets on with its life. Whether that scene matters to you depends entirely on where you stand on it, and on Crete you can stand more than 200 kilometres away. That distance is the real answer to the question. The island runs 260 kilometres from west to east, with over 1,000 kilometres of coastline. Hersonissos and Malia, where the late-night scene concentrates, sit on a single stretch east of Heraklion. A house in Apokoronas, the Asterousia foothills, or anywhere on the south coast belongs to a different island in every way that matters after dark.

The official language of Crete is Greek, and that's what you'll find on every road sign, menu, and legal document. You won't need it to get by, though. In the tourist areas and the main towns, English is widely spoken, and German, Dutch, and French are common too, thanks to the island's long-standing international communities. For buyers, the real question is usually whether you need Greek to purchase a home here. The short answer is no, as long as you have the right multilingual support. Here's the full picture.

When people think of Greece, they picture whitewashed houses, turquoise seas and endless beaches. But away from the Aegean and the Ionian coast, Greece hides a quieter, greener beauty; its lakes. From alpine mountain reflections to wetlands full of life, Greek lakes offer a completely different kind of escape.  The lake changes colour with the seasons, from deep blue in winter to golden tones in summer. Villages like Lithotopos and Kerkini offer cozy guesthouses and local produce, perfect for slow travel and rural living.  The mountains that surround it, the water lilies floating on its surface, the flocks of birds nesting in its waters, the horses moving lazily on its banks, and the water buffaloes basking in the sun create an image you will never forget!