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If you’re one of the many people who love hopping over to Greece for the sun, the sea, and all its beautiful places, there’s something new you should know before your next trip. A new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) officially rolled out across Greece and all Schengen countries on October 12, 2025, and will be gradually implemented until April 2026, for all non-EU travellers. These new procedures do not apply to citizens or residents of EU or Schengen-area countries, who can continue to travel as before.

This digital upgrade replaces traditional passport stamping with a modern biometric check-in at the border. And while it might sound a bit techy, here’s what it really means for frequent visitors to Greece and foreign property buyers from non-EU countries.

The honest answer is that Crete has more than one "best," because its 1,000-plus kilometres of coastline contain several different islands' worth of beaches: organised sandy bays on the north coast, wild coves on the Libyan Sea in the south, a palm forest in the east and the famous lagoons of the west. The right list depends on what you want from a beach, so this one is organised that way, with the access realities stated plainly, since Crete's most photographed beaches are also its least convenient.

Yes, by almost any measure that matters. Violent crime against visitors is rare to the point of being newsworthy; children roam village squares at midnight, and the culture of philoxenia means a lost tourist is more likely to be walked to their hotel than left to a map. Crete absorbs millions of visitors a year with remarkably little trouble. An honest safety briefing, though, is not the same as a reassurance exercise. The risks on Crete are real but specific: the roads, the sea and the sun, roughly in that order, with crime a distant fourth. And since this blog is read by people considering a longer relationship with the island than a fortnight, we will also address the one risk most travel articles get wrong: earthquakes. Crete has them, and pretending otherwise serves nobody.

Discover why Crete stands apart from other Greek islands through its massive 8,336 square kilometer scale, ancient Minoan heritage, and year-round living potential.

Crete is well connected to mainland Greece and to many other Greek islands by ferry, with services running year-round. For travellers and for property owners welcoming visitors or managing a holiday rental, understanding the ferry network helps with planning around journey times, seasonal frequency, and which port to use.

Seaplanes are now connecting Kyllini with the Ionian Islands and the Peloponnese, offering a new and exciting choice in transportation. From improving travel times to increasing the appeal of nearby properties, this new seaplane connection is set to benefit homeowners, tourists, and future buyers. In this article, we’ll explore what Kyllini’s inclusion in the seaplane network means for regional mobility, tourism growth, and real estate opportunities across the Ionian Islands and the Peloponnese.

Crete has two main international airports: Heraklion in the north-centre of the island and Chania in the northwest. Both handle international and domestic flights, but they serve different parts of the island and have different seasonal patterns. Choosing the right one depends mainly on where in Crete you are heading.