A Guide to Cheap Holidays in Crete

Getting to and around Crete cheaply

Crete is a package holiday favourite so you'll find plenty of charter flights to and from the main airport at Heraklion, or the smaller one at Chania, especially during summer months. Charter companies include Monarch and Thomsonfly. EasyJet operate cheap scheduled flights from London, Manchester and Bristol.

You can also get a ferry to Crete from Piraeus, the port serving Athens which takes 9 hours on a standard ferry and 6 hours on the high-speed, daytime service. Ferries from Piraeus call either at Chania or Rethymno and companies include Minoan Lines and ANEK Lines. Cars and mopeds are easy to hire, but be careful with mopeds, there have been many accidents involving tourists in Greece.

Beaches in Crete

There are numerous beaches in Crete and although most are packed in peak summer months, there is the odd gem to discover while on holiday there. In general, the harder they are to get to, the fewer tourists you'll find.

The favourites include Rethymno, which has a glorious, sandy beach where you might even spot a turtle in the clear water if you're lucky; Malia, which has a busy main beach and another quieter, more family-oriented one on the eastern end near the Palace of Malia and Hersonissos, which has a lively side but also some more upmarket hotels for families.

Low-cost sightseeing in Crete

Archaeology fans can metaphorically gorge themselves on the wealth of history in Crete. The ancient Minoan palace at Knossos was painstakingly uncovered and reconstructed over many years by archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans and there are plenty of colourful frescos, pillars and sophisticated plumbing to explore. Other Minoan sites include Phaistos and Gortys.

Chania and Rethymno were both occupied by the Venetians and they share some similar characteristics. Rethymno's main attraction is the maze of cobbled streets dotted with ornate Venetian monuments in the Venetian-Ottoman part of the old town. There's a 16th century fort and historic lighthouse. Chania's Venetian Harbour and surroundings has been beautifully restored and although it gets quite crowded in the summer, is worth exploring.

Eating cheaply on Holiday in Crete

Crete has rich fertile soils producing delicious fruit and vegetables, which together with a range of tasty cheeses and honey make up the staple traditional diet. There are some excellent cheap and local wines to wash down mezedes (like tapas) such as dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), feta, tzatziki (yogurt with cucumber and garlic), fresh grilled fish and olives.

The liveliest resorts are Malia and Hersonissos where you'll find wall-to-wall bars lining the seafront promenades and main streets. These cheap bars blast loud music out till the early hours while young British visitors neck as much booze as possible and party the night away.

For a more authentic Cretan experience on holiday, visit the island during one of its many festivals and party with the locals. You'll still sink plenty of cheap booze and dance a lot but it's more likely to be ouzo and local wine that you're drinking instead of beer and alcopops. Festivals include Apokries (around Easter), Flower Day (May 1) and Assumption Day (August 15).

Cheap Shopping in Crete

Chania has a great selection of cheap shops overflowing with souvenirs and must-buy jewellery. There are numerous chic harbour front boutiques in Aghios Nikolaos, while in the roads further back you'll find jewellery stores and traditional handicrafts.

There are two water parks in Crete where you can let the kids loose on a variety of rides, slides and fake waves. The first, Aquaplus, is just outside Hersonissos and spreads over 57 acres and includes giant slides, a lazy river, space bowl, a giant adventure pool and special area for smaller children. The other, Limnoupolis, is eight kilometres from Chania and also has a lazy river, slides and relaxing, shady areas.

Kids might enjoy the Diktean Cave, near Psychro, which has a collection of different-sized caves some with stalactites and stalagmites decorating the floor and ceiling.

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