10 Unmissable Things to Do in Crete

Under the pines, ochre walls and blood-red columns rise from the ground. Here you are at the heart of King Minos's labyrinth, where the legend of the Minotaur takes root.

Knossos was the capital of the Minoan civilisation, the oldest in Europe. It's the largest Bronze Age site in Crete, occupied nearly 4,000 years ago. The palace, partly reconstructed in the early 20th century, reveals its courtyards, staircases and brightly restored frescoes.

On site, you follow the maze of rooms, admire the famous dolphin and prince-of-the-lilies frescoes, and picture Minoan court life. Allow a good half-day to wander round at leisure.

Knossos is the absolute must-see of Crete. No other place tells the story of the cradle of ancient Europe so well. Even partly rebuilt, the site fires the imagination.

The trail plunges between dizzying walls, the air smells of pine and thyme. Hour by hour, the canyon narrows down to the famous Iron Gates, only a few metres wide.

This gorge crosses the White Mountains over 16 km, from the Omalos plateau down to Agia Roumeli, on the Libyan Sea. Listed as a biosphere reserve, it shelters the wild kri-kri goats, the emblem of Crete. The park is open from 1 May to 31 October, from 7am to 4pm.

The hike is done downhill. You walk 5 to 7 hours, passing springs, ruins and the abandoned chapel of Samaria, before reaching the sea for a well-earned swim.

It's the most famous hike in Greece, and one of the finest in Europe. The contrast between the wild mountains and arriving face to face with the sea stays unforgettable.

From the very first rooms, the brightly coloured frescoes and refined figurines catch your eye. This museum concentrates all the genius of a civilisation gone for millennia.

It holds the world's finest collection of Minoan art. You'll find the mysterious Phaistos Disc, the famous snake goddess and the original frescoes from Knossos. Each piece tells a fragment of this brilliant culture.

The visit is done in peace, room after room, following the Minoan chronology. The explanatory panels help you understand the objects and their use. Allow around two hours for the essentials.

This museum is the essential complement to Knossos. The frescoes shown here are the originals: on the site, you'll see copies. Seeing it sheds light on and enriches the whole Minoan visit.

In the late afternoon, golden light reflects off the colourful houses around the harbour. The old Egyptian lighthouse keeps watch at the end of the jetty, and the lanes hum with life.

Chania has one of the most beautiful Venetian harbours in the Mediterranean. Its old town blends Venetian and Ottoman architecture, in a maze of cobbled lanes, flower-filled courtyards and former warehouses. It's the ideal base for exploring all of western Crete.

You wander aimlessly along the quays, settle into a taverna, climb to the lighthouse and lose yourself in the little streets. The covered market and the craft shops round out the stroll.

Chania is the most charming town on the island. Its harbour at sunset is a spectacle in itself, and it opens the door to Balos, Elafonissi and Samaria.

From the top of the trail, the scene takes your breath away: a shallow turquoise lagoon, white and pink sand, and a wild peninsula on the horizon. You'd think you were in the Caribbean.

Balos sits at the north-western tip of Crete. Its shallow, transparent waters take on unreal shades, from turquoise to deep blue. Nearby, the islet of Gramvousa and its Venetian fort overlook the sea.

You come here for the swimming, the raw beauty of the landscape and long walks on the sand. Children paddle safely in the lagoon, whose water barely reaches the knees in places.

Balos is probably the most spectacular of Crete's beaches. Its unspoilt natural setting makes it an absolute must-see, as long as you accept a slightly demanding approach.

The pink sand stretches along a translucent lagoon, so shallow you can wade across it. The colour surprises you, almost unreal, especially at daybreak.

Elafonissi occupies the south-western tip of Crete. Its lagoon with pink-tinged sand and its islet, linked to the coast by a sandy shallow, make it a unique spot. The area is a protected nature reserve.

You paddle in warm, shallow water, wade across to the islet, and lie on the pink sand. It's one of the most family-friendly beaches for young children.

Elafonissi is Crete's postcard beach. Its pink sand and lagoon give it a character all its own, which few places in the Mediterranean can match.

As you approach by boat, the fortress rises from the waves, massive and silent. Behind its ramparts, deserted lanes tell a poignant story.

Spinalonga guards the entrance to the Gulf of Elounda. Its Venetian fortifications date from the 16th century. The island then served as a leper colony until 1957, the last in Europe to close. Victoria Hislop's novel "The Island" brought its story to the world.

You land to walk through the fortress, the former patients' houses and the little church. It's a visit charged with emotion, between Venetian military history and human memory.

Spinalonga is far more than a ruin. The place moves you with its atmosphere and its past, in a superb maritime setting. A standout excursion on any Cretan stay.

In the old town, Ottoman wooden balconies sit alongside Venetian doorways. Around a corner, the Rimondi Fountain has murmured for four centuries.

Rethymno keeps one of the most beautiful old towns in Crete, blending Venetian and Ottoman heritage. The Fortezza fortress overlooks the city from its hill. A long sandy beach borders the modern town, ideal for a swim.

You stroll the lanes, admire the Rimondi Fountain, and climb the Fortezza for the view. The town also has lovely tavernas and a relaxed atmosphere, less touristy than elsewhere.

Set between Heraklion and Chania, Rethymno is the ideal base for the centre of the island. Its authentic atmosphere and heritage make it a precious stop.

On its wind-swept hill, the site overlooks the vast Messara plain. Silence reigns, barely broken by the song of the cicadas. Here, the imagination gets to work.

Phaistos is the second Minoan palace of Crete after Knossos. It's where the famous Phaistos Disc was found, an archaeological riddle still undeciphered. Unlike Knossos, the site has not been reconstructed: you contemplate the authentic remains.

You walk the foundations, the staircases and the courtyards, picturing the original palace. The panorama over the plain and the mountains adds to the magic. The visit, a calm one, lasts about an hour.

Phaistos appeals to those who prefer authenticity over reconstruction. Less busy than Knossos, it offers a more contemplative experience of the Minoan world.

Below the monastery, a river winds between the palm trees before reaching the sea. The Preveli palm grove forms an unlikely oasis on the edge of the south coast.

The Preveli monastery was a stronghold of the Cretan resistance, notably during the Second World War. Below, at the river mouth, a natural palm grove borders a spectacular beach, one of the most photographed on the island.

You visit the monastery, then head down to the beach by a steep path. At the bottom, you swim in the sea and in the river's fresh water, in the shade of the palms.

Preveli combines history, nature and swimming in a unique setting. This wild south coast shows a different face of Crete, far from the crowded northern beaches.