One Week Road Trip Itinerary for West Crete

With one week in Crete as a first-time traveler to the island, you can see a lot of the top sights. Crete makes for a fantastic choice as a road trip and is the perfect island to add on to any Greece itinerary, I visited after spending four days in Athens.

This one week Crete itinerary focuses on taking in some of the most beautiful beaches, mountain scenery, and amazing hikes that Greece has to offer.

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9 Day Western Crete Road Trip Itinerary

Length: 9 days, 8 nights
Start and End Point: Heraklion. Alternatively, Chania
Cities: Chania, Heraklion
Hikes: Samaria Gorge, Katholiko Bay
Beaches: Falasarna, Balos, Elafonisi, Kedrodasos, Seitan Limania, Preveli, Agia Roumeli

How Many Days in Crete?

This Crete itinerary is for 9 days, two of which are travel days. Crete is a large island so at minimum, I would recommend 7 days in Crete. For only 7 days I would compress a couple beach days or skip them. If you are really short on time you can definitely see some of West Crete’s highlights in 5 days and in this case I would likely stick to staying in Chania and cut out Heraklion entirely.

Renting a Car in Crete

Crete is definitely one of those places where it’s more convenient to have a car. It gives a lot of freedom and flexibility with your schedule in case you want to add in extra beach visits or change up the order of things.

I recommend and use Discover Cars. It compares local Greek and international companies so you can get the best deal. If you don’t have full coverage, you can also add this to your booking so you’re covered.

Even though it can be tempting to go with the cheapest price, don’t go with a company with low ratings. In Greece, I used Sixt and was very happy with the car and the service.

I had no trouble getting around Crete, most of the roads are highways and easy to drive. Some roads, notably the one to Balos Bay, are dirt roads but still easily passable. Expect lots of switchbacks and mountain scenery. I found Heraklion especially hectic to drive as Google Maps was outdated on one-way roads and the roads are seriously narrow.

I do recommend paying for the extra insurance to cover everything on your car in Crete. A lot of parking lots have narrow spaces so it’s easy to get dinged. I, unfortunately, came back to a scratched and dented front bumper after parking in Crete. Luckily, the extra insurance meant it was 100% covered and I was reimbursed for the extra 450 euros for damage.

When to Visit Crete

I visited Crete at the beginning of June and found the weather to be perfect. I didn’t have any rain days and the hottest it got was 29C.

In general, Crete is best to visit between May to October as you will have lots of sunny days. From July to August, you will get bigger crowds and much hotter days. Hiking may be affected by extreme heat as some places like the Samaria Gorge are closed in extreme heat or during rain.

A visit to Crete from November to April will give you cheaper prices and avoid the crowds but a much higher chance of rainy days. The Samaria Gorge is also closed from November to April.

Is Crete Worth Visiting?

Crete is definitely worth visiting. Crete has everything you need for a perfect vacation. Unique Cretan cuisine, ancient history, picturesque beaches, stunning mountain landscapes, and adorable historical cities. For me, Crete is the perfect balance between beach days, hiking, and cute towns.

One Week in Crete Itinerary

With only one week in Crete, you won’t be able to see the whole island. It’s best to just choose one area. You need at least 7 full days in Crete for this itinerary, plus two travel days.

This one-week itinerary focuses on Western Crete which has some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece, including Balos Bay and Elafonisi. It also has one of Europe’s most famous gorges at Samaria Gorge. There is a little something for everyone.

Day 1: Arrive in Heraklion and Visit Knossos

Your first day in Crete will look different depending on the time you arrive. I had an early flight so I arrived at Heraklion airport around 10 am. I quickly picked up my rental car at Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport and started my first day in Crete.

The first destination in this Crete itinerary is to visit Knossos Palace, just outside of Heraklion. You may want to book your ticket in advance as the ticket lineup can get long. Knossos Palace is an important Minoan site and may well be the first city of Europe as it was founded in the Neolithic around 7000 BCE. The palace was destroyed in 1370 BCE and rediscovered in 1878.

The British archeologist who led the excavations in the early 1900s attempted to preserve and recreate the palace using modern materials such as concrete. The concrete is still present today and you can see these restoration attempts as you explore the site.

I had one of the best meals in Crete in Knossos. I can highly recommend Pasiphae Restaurant, which offers plenty of parking in a shaded olive grove and is close enough to walk to the palace. There is an emphasis on Minoan food at Pasiphae and it’s the perfect place to relax before making the long drive to Western Crete.

After your first taste of Cretan food, head to Falasarna and check into Casa D’Irene Deluxe Hotel where you will be staying for the next 3 nights of this itinerary.

End your day with dinner and check out the sunset at nearby Falasarna Beach.

Where to Sleep in Falasarna: I stayed at Casa D’Irene Deluxe Hotel and it was probably my favourite hotel I stayed at in Crete. Beautiful rooms, nice pool and lounge area. But the breakfast! I’m still dreaming of it and I think it’s my favourite hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. They really include everything you could want. The location was also very convenient as it was close to a main road for exploring nearby sites.

Day 2: Visit Balos Beach

Start your day early by having breakfast at the hotel and then drive up to Balos Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. While I had read the drive up should be avoided because the road was bad, I didn’t have any problems. The road is a dirt road but well maintained. If you are uncomfortable with driving here, there are boat tours from Kissamos to Balos.

The drive up to the parking lot to Balos Bay does take about 30 minutes from the main road but there is impressive scenery looking out over the water and you will likely see multiple goats. There is a small fee to drive up so be prepared with some coins.

It’s a short walk down to the beach from the parking lot. It truly is a magnificent location and Balos Beach is my favourite beach in Crete. Balos Bay is the one place I would say is unmissable for a visit to Western Crete. I have a full guide (with tons of photos!) to Balos Beach here. While it doesn’t have as much pink sand as Elafonisi, keep an eye out for it as there are some spots along the shore where you can spot it.

You can easily spend a morning or afternoon here. Make sure you have plenty of water as the hike up is pretty hard in the sun.

Full disclosure: I visited Balos Bay, Elafonisi, and Kedrodasos Beach on the same day as I woke up super early to be at Balos for 7am. I’m not recommending it here as it’s generally not a great pace to travel at, I was just really excited.

Day 3: Elafonisi and Kedrodasos Beach

On your second full day of this Crete itinerary, explore more of the spectacular coastal scenery. From Falasarna, the drive to Elafonisi is about 1h15m. There are two possible routes you can take to get there. The first is the coastal road. While the coastal road is quite scenic, the road is very winding and narrow at some points so you do have to go slower. The second option is no less scenic as even though it is inland, it takes you through Topolia Gorge.

When you arrive at Elafonisi Beach there are multiple parking lots, keep driving to the end and park as close as possible to the entrance as the price for parking was the same at all of them. While it looks like you used to be able to drive down and park right at the beach, now there is about a 10-15 minute walk to get to Elafonisi.

Elafonisi Beach is famous for its pink sand and is the perfect place to spend the day lounging on the sand and swimming. One thing to keep in mind at Elafonisi (and other pink beaches!) is to leave the sand on the beach as in recent years there is much less pink sand than there used to be.

Elafonisi has plenty of shallow water perfect for casual swimming. It’s quite a large beach so even if you are there on a busy day you should be able to find a spot. Elafonisi has a snack bar, change stalls, and bathrooms that cost a Euro to use.

After Elafonisi, drive the 10 minutes to nearby Kedrodasos Beach. The parking is free and there are no services at this beach so make sure you bring drinks with you. It’s a short 15-minute walk down to the shore.

Unlike Elafonisi Beach, Kedrodasos isn’t a sand beach. It’s mostly rocks but the scenery is stunning and it’s a great place to get away from some of the crowds and relax. I loved that there were trees right next to the beach so you could find some shade as well. One thing to note is that Kedrodasos Beach is a nude beach, although most people are clothed.

Day 4: Hiking Katholiko Bay and Visiting Seitan Limania

Today you will be checking out of your hotel in Falasarna and check-in to Mosaic in Chania for the next three nights.

After a final breakfast at Casa D’Irene Deluxe Hotel, pack up the car and head towards the Akrotiri Peninsula northeast of Chania. From Falasarna this is about a 1h15m drive.

The first stop of the day is my favourite hike that I did in Crete, Katholiko Bay. To visit Katholiko Bay, drive past the Agia Triada Monastery down a fairly narrow road and park at Gouverneto Monastery. There is a small entry fee and you do need to have shoulders covered and shorts or a dress that goes to your knees. If not, make sure you have a shawl or light towel handy to cover up or you will be denied entry.

The hike at Katholiko Bay gives you gorgeous views of the Aegean Sea on the way down. One important stop on the hike is Bear Cave (Arkoudospilios Cave). It gets its name from a stalagmite that looks like bear. The cave has been used for worship since ancient times, perhaps since the cults of Artemis and Apollo. Bear Cave and others like it in the area were used by locals during WWII to hide from Nazis.

The whole area here is considered holy. At the bottom of Katholiko gorge, you can see the abandoned Katholiko Monastery which is quite imposing and impressive. Continuing on through the gorge you end up at Katholiko Bay. As it is a holy area, swimming here is not allowed. While at the bay I was lucky enough to spot a sea turtle feeding right at the inlet to the bay. It’s a beautiful area and a rewarding hike. Make sure to pack plenty of water as you are exposed to the sun for the entirety of the hike.

When you are done at Katholiko Bay make a stop at Agia Triada Monastery. This is an active Byzantine monastery that you can visit to see the 17th-century buildings and gardens. There is also a small shop that sells local products as well as ice cream and water.

The final stop of the day is Seitan Limania. While I had read before that the drive down is awful, when I visited it looked like the road had recently been repaved and was no problem at all. Parking is free and there is a short walk down to the beach here. You get a terrific view of Seitan Limania from the parking lot as well. This is the ideal place to go for a swim at the end of a long day.

Finish your day by driving to Chania and check-in to your hotel.

Where to Sleep in Chania I stayed at Mosaic and was very happy with it. I really liked the hotel location as it was easy to find street parking and was also within walking distance of the bus station and Venetian Port of Chania.

Day 5: Chania Botanical Gardens and Old Venetian Port of Chania

On your first full day in Chania, drive to the nearby Chania Botanical Gardens. The drive is beautiful as you go through many citrus farms, which is a bit of a change of scenery from olive groves. The Botanical Gardens are quite large and you can easily spend a full morning there. There are tons of beautiful trees and plants here to explore. There is also an on-site restaurant here that makes for a good place to have lunch while looking over the mountains.

Head back to Chania and explore the city for the afternoon. Around the Venetian Port of Chania, there are so many side streets to discover with cute shops and restaurants. There is an interesting mix of Ottoman and Venetian architecture in Chania. Make sure to check out the lighthouse and view of the port. In Chania, my favourite place to eat was The Well of the Turk, which had delicious food in a very scenic location.

Finish your first day in Chania with a sunset cruise that gives you views of Chania harbour and the Kissamos Mountains.

Day 6: Kourtaliotiko Gorge and Preveli Palm Beach

Today is all about visiting Preveli Palm Beach, with a stop on the way to Kourtaliotiko Gorge.

Kourtaliotiko Gorge can be a bit tricky to visit as there is not much parking at all. To visit, park at the spot that has a food vendor. Head down the path that is through a stone arch. When you reach the fork in the path, go left if you want to view the waterfalls from above and right if you want to swim to the waterfalls.

I honestly went with just viewing the waterfalls from above as the water was too cold for me. If you are feeling a bit adventurous, it is apparently worth the swim, just make sure you have something waterproof to put your phone or camera in. Even though the walk down to the waterfalls at Kourtaliotiko Gorge is short, it is fully exposed and gets hot quickly so take water.

Back at the car, someone had hit the front bumper and scratched it. I had purchased insurance through DiscoverCars and once I got home I sent them all the documents and they covered 100% of the damage cost.

Car damage aside, it was onwards to Preveli Beach. There are two parking lots for Preveli Beach. I parked in the free one on the eastern side near Drymiskiano Ammoudi. There is a huge parking lot here and the walk to the beach is less steep. The official parking lot for Preveli Beach does have a small fee and the walk down is a lot steeper but it does have a more impressive view.

Preveli Beach is a rock beach so you may want water shoes as I found them quite painful compared to the soft sands I had been spoiled with at previous beaches. There is a palm forest here but when I was visiting there was a sign requesting people stay out because of fire risk.

Day 7: Hiking Samaria Gorge

On your final full day in Crete, spend the day at Samaria Gorge. I planned this entire trip around wanting to hike the Samaria Gorge as it had been on my hike wishlist for years.

You do have to keep an eye on the weather because they do close it if there will be high winds or rain. Visiting Samaria Gorge is a long day as you likely will be up and on a bus around 6 or 7 am and won’t return to Chania until 9 pm. So make sure to pack some snacks and plenty of water.

To visit Samaria Gorge, you can either travel independently and book buses and the ferry the night before at the Chania bus station or book a tour. Booking a tour to Samaria Gorge does have the advantages of not having to worry about tickets being sold out and they will pick you up from your hotel.

The scenery takes you through mountains and the old village of Samaria. The last couple kilometres of the hike are really spectacular as you are in the gorge with cliffs towering up to 500m high beside you. I couldn’t help but compare it to another remarkable hike in Europe, the Caminito del Rey in Spain.

The hike through Samaria Gorge is mostly downhill and quite rocky so it’s worth it to have thicker-soled shoes. The hike is 13 km plus another 3 km to get from the end of the hike to the village, it takes about 5 to 6 hours.

While the start of the hike you do start with a big group of people, eventually, the crowds do thin out. Once you are out of the park there is also an option to pay around 3 euros to take a bus the last 3km to Agia Roumeli.

You end the hike at the village of Agia Roumeli where you can swim in the sea and grab a meal nearby at Calypso before getting your ferry to the bus back to Chania.

Day 8: Exploring Heraklion

Depending on where your onward travel leaves from, either extend your time in Chania or drive to Heraklion. If you are extending your time in Chania today, a Land Rover Safari to the White Mountains or a boat tour and snorkeling are good options.

The final destination on this Crete itinerary is Heraklion. In Heraklion, check into your hotel as soon as you are able to. I stayed at Kipos Boutique Suites and loved it. I loved the location and the rooms are gorgeous. The concierge at Kipos also gave excellent restaurant recommendations.

One of the top places to visit in Heraklion is the Heraklion Archeological Museum. It contains many Minoan artefacts and is a great museum to visit. After visiting the museum, explore the streets of Heraklion. Make sure to view the Venetian Harbour and seaside promenade as you wander through Heraklion.

One of the highlights for me in Heraklion was the food. I highly recommend Peskesi. They specialize in Cretan food and even have an olive oil menu. It’s a fantastic place to get to taste some of the food Crete is famous for. It is popular so if you can, make a reservation. One thing I loved about Crete is that many places offer up a complimentary dessert and raki liquor at the end of the meal. The hospitalty in Crete is some of the best I have experienced in Europe.

Where to Sleep in Heraklion: I stayed at Kipos Boutique Suites and the rooms there are absolutely beautiful. Everything is quite new and modern. The concierge here is there at all hours and is an excellent resource for where to go in Heraklion. The location also includes parking and is a short walk to the main sights.

Day 9: Departing Crete

Today is a travel day, for me, it involved dropping off the rental car at the Heraklion airport and getting a flight onwards to my next destination. If you have any time in the morning, explore the city and sample more of the fantastic food Heraklion has to offer.

Crete is easily one of the top spots I’ve visited in Europe and I can’t wait to have a chance to explore Eastern Crete as well. Between the food and spectacular scenery, it’s well worth the trip.

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