According to globalsciencellc, Crete (English: Crete, Greek: Κρήτη, Kriti) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea (Europe). Crete is part of Greece and is therefore the largest island in the country. In addition, with a few smaller islands, it forms the southernmost region of the country. The capital of Crete is Heraklion (Heraklion). A number of major cities in Crete are: Chania, Rethymnon (Rethimnon), Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaos.
Crete is by far the most famous holiday destination in Greece. The island attracts many millions of visitors per year, who often come for the capital Heraklion (Heraklion), the remains of the Minoan culture, the climate and the sandy beaches on the north coast. Tourism is therefore also the linchpin of the economy on the island. The nature of the island has a lot to offer. There are approximately 2150 different plant and flower species. Young people often come to the island for the nightlife of mainly Chersonissos, Stalida and Malia. The island is also known for its mountain ridges, rock formations and the many olive trees. See fashionissupreme for European union EU.
Where is Crete?
Travel information of Crete
Official name: Crete
Continent: Europe
Area: 8,336 km²
Capital: Heraklion (Heraklion)
Country code: GR, GRC
Population: 636,504 inhabitants (2020)
Government: Republic
Highest point: 2,456 m (Ida, Psiloritis)
Distance (Amsterdam – Heraklion): 2,500 km
Flight time: approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Crete that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Crete, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Crete. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Crete?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Crete at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Crete has a Mediterranean climate. In the winter months the temperatures are around 10 to 15 degrees and in the summer months around 25 to 30 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Crete can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Crete can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Crete. In these months you have the best chance of good weather.
Language
Greek is the official language in Crete. In addition, a lot of English is spoken because of tourism.
Would you like to translate from or into Greek for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Greece: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch Consulate on Crete: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Greek Embassy in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Greek Consulate in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to Crete.
Money and Currency matters
On Crete, payment is made with the euro (EUR).
An overview of all ATMs in Crete can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The prices on Crete are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -22% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (33% cheaper), food (18% cheaper), imported beer in catering (14% more expensive), cigarettes (36% cheaper) and public transport (50% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Crete it is customary to tip, even if this is already included in the bill. Good service is about 5-10% tip.
Time difference
On Crete it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time on Crete is equal to that in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for Crete can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
On Crete you must drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Crete.
An overview of all ferry connections between the various Greek islands can be found on GTP.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Crete.
Electricity
On Crete the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity on Crete can be found on our electricity page (see Greece).
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112 or 100
– Fire: 112 or 199
– Ambulance: 112 or 166
Tap water
The water from the tap is drinkable, but due to the high chlorine content in many places, we recommend drinking bottled water.
News and newspapers
The latest news regarding Crete can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Crete can be found on Abyznewslinks (under Kriti).
Internet
Websites from Crete end in.gr.
Crete official website: visitgreece.gr.
Telephony
The country code (international access number) to call someone in Crete is 0030 or +30.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Crete? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
All Crete area codes can be found on Wikipedia.
Telephone numbers can be found in the Telephone Directory of Crete.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Crete.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Crete.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Crete.
Public holidays and school holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Crete can be found on Beleven.org.
You will find an overview of all school holidays in Greece (Crete) in the Eurydice school guide.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations on Crete, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Crete?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Crete. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) on Crete can be found on Protected Planet.
Crete is not included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Crete? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, medicines and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business on or to do business with Crete, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Crete, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Crete? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Crete.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum allowed blood alcohol level is 0.5 for cars and 0.2 for motorcycles and novice drivers up to 2 years old.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Crete is the largest island and the southernmost region of Greece?
… Crete has a long history as a center of maritime trade because of its location?
…Tourism and olive cultivation are Crete’s main sources of income?
…Crete is by far the most popular holiday destination in Greece?
…10% of tourists in Crete come from the Netherlands?
…It is not allowed to flush toilet paper in Crete?