South Crete is the most southern coast of Europe, it spreads for more than 250 kilometers in the Libyan Sea. Here the best beaches of the Mediterranean can be found – some of them are among the best beaches in the world – with transparent crystal-clear waters, deep or shallow, some of them are quiet or even desolated and some other ones cosmic and noisy, some are big and open to the endless Libyan Sea, while some others are closed like a lake, small, windless and picturesque.

There is a grand Samaria gorge, and many other smaller but still beautiful gorges, all of them full of green and running waters, with wild animals and birds.

Snowy mountain peaks that reach 2,5 km high, gorgeous plateaus, woods of chestnut and oak trees, fertile valleys full of fragrant orange and lemon trees every spring, hills covered with vineyards and olive trees on your every step, with thousands of plants and dozens of birds and wild animals species complete the irresistibly beautiful natural landscape of South Crete.

In south Crete you’ll admire ruins of Minoan palaces built three and a half thousand years ago, you’ll walk on Roman paved streets, pray in Byzantine cathedrals, explore Venetian and Turkish castles, an all of these compose a unique mosaic with the history and culture of Crete, the island with the oldest European civilization.

Small cities, small towns and countless picturesque villages compose the modern residential net of South Crete. The main towns and villages are Ierapetra (which is also the main South Crete sea port), Ano Viannos, Mires, Zaros, Gergeri, Timpaki, Agia Galini, Kerames, Plakias, Chora Sfakion, Paleochora. Here you’ll find modern entertainment day and night, while a few kilometers away there are dozens of villages leading a different way of life, keeping traditions, language and customs of their region.

In South Crete the routes you may follow are unlimited. Every one of them has different surprises and images, with unbelievable changes in the scenery. Enjoy car rides along the coasts or in the narrow roads of many small beautiful villages in the countryside. Walk inside the gorges or ascent its mountain peaks. Swim on the beaches, do water sports, wear a mask and discover the magic of the seabed, otherwise enjoy the hot sun, lying on the sand. Visit its archeological sites, travel to the nearest small islands (Gaidouronisi or Chrissi, Gavdos, Gavdopoula).

On the beaches of South Crete summer never ends. But just a few kilometers to the north, on the high mountain peaks, there is snow from November till May! The best time to visit South Crete is April, May and the first half of June, when the heat is still mild, the people are few, while the prices for rooms and tourist services are lower.

• Mountains
• Gorges
• Accommodation
• Beaches
• Other

Potami lake in Amari, Central Crete

Drapano lighthouse in Apokoronas Chania, West Crete

Seli Ambelou pass in Lassithi Plateau, East Crete

Bramiana lake in Ierapetra, East Crete

Kedrodasos Cedar Forest in Chania

Katsiveli or Svourichti mountain shelter in Lefka Ori

Souda Bay in Chania, West Crete

Plateia Eleftherias Heraklion City, Crete

Potamida: Komolithi geological phenomenon Chania West Crete

Lighthouse in Elafonisi, Chania

Agia lake in Chania, Platanias, West Crete

Toumbotos Prinos Mountain Shelter in Psiloritis, Rethimno

Skinakas Observatory, Idi Mountains

25 August St in Heraklion City, Crete

The Venetian port in Chania

Galiano gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Tripiti gorge or Trypiti in South Crete Hania

Asfendos Gorge in West Crete

Kandanos Gorge in Chania, West Crete

The gorge Klados in Sfakia, Chania, South Crete

Patsos gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Aradena gorge in Sfakia west Crete

Prasses Gorge in West Crete

Prasano gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Rokka Gorge in Chania, West Crete

Mili or Myli gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Margarites gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Diktamos gorge in Chania west Crete

Topolia Gorge in Kisamos, Kasteli West Crete

Kallikratis gorge in Sfakia, west Crete

Anemos apartments in Rethimno, West Crete

Silde apartments in Chania, West Crete

Manolis Rooms in Paleochora, West Crete

Delta studios and apartments in Chania West Crete

Stochos apartments in Agia Galini, Rethimno

Ilios apartments in Maleme Chania

Agios Pavlos Beach by Samaria area in Chania, west Crete

Krios Beach, Paleochora

Nea Chora Beach in Chania, west Crete

Tersanas Beach in Chania, west Crete

Menies Beach, Rodopou - Chania

Marmara Beach by Loutro area in Chania, west Crete

Plakaki Beach and Paleochora area in Chania, west Crete

Sfinari Beach by Kisamos area in Chania, west Crete

Koum Kapi Beach in Chania, west Crete

Afrata Beach in Chania, west Crete

Glaros Beach in Chania, west Crete

Gialiskari Beach and Paleochora area in Chania, west Crete

Agioi Apostoloi in Chania, west Crete

Kalives Beach Chania

Phoenix Beach by Loutro area in Chania, west Crete

Stroumboulas plateau in Heraklion

Limnakaro Plateau by Lassithi Mountains

Paranimfi and Mournia Plateaus, Asterousia

Omalos - Simi - Viannos plateau in the Lassithi mountains

Krapi plateau in the White mountains

Lapathos plateau in the Lassithi mountains

Lasithi Plateau, East Crete

Kallikratis plateau in Chania, West Crete

Sitanos Plateau by Sitia

Vromonero plateau in Kroussonas

Katharo plateau in the Lassithi mountains

Evdomo plateau in Tilissos

Vothonas plateau in Chania

Erganos plateau in the Lassithi mountains

Anopolis plateau in Sfakia mountains