Crete
The region has 157 official bathing-water sites; of the 156 with a classification in the 2024 season, all were Excellent (EEA). At most of these beaches the average sea temperature is 22 °C or higher from May to September (NOAA, 1991–2020). In the seat of the region the weather is most comfortable for walking and sightseeing from April to June, and in October.
- Regional units
- 4OpenStreetMap, 6 Oct 2026
- Municipalities
- 24OpenStreetMap, 6 Oct 2026
- Official bathing-water sites
- 157YPEN register, EEA
- Excellent in 2024
- 156 of 156100% of classified sites (EEA)
- Sea at 22 °C or more
- May–Sepat most beaches, NOAA average 1991–2020
- Airports
- 3list of commercial airports
- Ferry ports
- 31ports with ferry terminals (OpenStreetMap)
- Natura 2000
- 54 sitesoverlap the area (YPEN)
- Wildfires 2016–2026
- 180 firesabout 18,770 hectares burnt (EFFIS)
- Zone prices 2021, per m²
- 400–1,900 €1,521 zones, a tax value and not a market price
When to go
This section is about Heraklion, the seat of the region not the whole region.
- Jan13°16°
- Feb13°16°
- Mar14°17°
- Apr16°19°comfortable weather
- May20°23°comfortable weather, warm sea
- Jun24°25°comfortable weather, warm sea
- Jul26°25°warm sea
- Aug26°25°warm sea
- Sep24°23°warm sea
- Oct21°20°comfortable weather
- Nov18°18°
- Dec15°16°
- Top figure: air, bottom: sea
- Comfortable weather for walking
- Sea 22 °C or warmer
The weather is most comfortable for walking and sightseeing from April to June, and in October (average temperature around 20.3 °C, little rain).
The sea is 22 °C or warmer from May to September (up to 25.4 °C).
Monthly rain reaches 80 mm or more in December and January.
Day length is 9 h 46 min at the winter solstice (07:24 to 17:10) and 14 h 33 min at the summer solstice (06:04 to 20:37), Greek time.
- Mean temperature °C
- Rain (mm, right axis)
- Sea °C
- Sea 22 °C or warmer
| Month | Mean temp. °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | Daylight h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12.9 | 88 | 15.6 | 10.0 |
| Feb | 12.9 | 74 | 15.8 | 10.9 |
| Mar | 14.3 | 42 | 16.8 | 11.9 |
| Apr | 16.4 | 23 | 19.1 | 13.1 |
| May (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 20.0 | 15 | 22.5 | 14.0 |
| Jun (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 23.7 | 5 | 24.7 | 14.5 |
| Jul (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 25.9 | 2 | 25.4 | 14.3 |
| Aug (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 26.2 | 4 | 24.6 | 13.5 |
| Sep (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 24.3 | 18 | 22.7 | 12.4 |
| Oct | 21.1 | 46 | 20.3 | 11.3 |
| Nov | 17.9 | 59 | 17.8 | 10.3 |
| Dec | 14.7 | 86 | 16.1 | 9.8 |
Temperature and rain: NASA POWER (MERRA-2), period 2001–2020, model cell about 22 km away. The temperatures are monthly averages from a regional model. Sea: NOAA OISST v2.1, period 1991–2020, nearest cell about 4 km away (0.25 degree grid). Daylight: calculated for the 15th of each month. These are regional model values and typical conditions, not a forecast.
Regional units
Crete is divided into 4 regional units. Each has a page with its municipalities, beaches and sights.
Best beaches
The 10 official sites with the most seasons of Excellent water since 2011; ties are settled by the latest classification (2024 season). It is the EU's classification by season, not a reading on the day.
| Beach | Latest class | History |
|---|---|---|
| Agia Varvara | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agia Galini | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agia Marina – Stalos | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agia Pelagia Beach | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agia Pelagia | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agia Fotia | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agioi Apostoloi – Eot Anatolika | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agioi Apostoloi – Eot Dytika | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agios Georgios | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
| Agios Dimitrios | Excellent | Excellent in 14 of 14 seasons |
Towns to know
Cities and towns of the region that have a page of their own, larger ones first. Population only sets the order and is never shown.
- Heraklioncity, Heraklion
- Chaniacity, Chania
- Rethymnocity, Rethymnon
- Agios Nikolaoscity, Agios Nikolaos
- Nea Alikarnassostown, Heraklion
- Ierapetratown, Ierapetra
- Sitiatown, Sitia
- Gazitown, Malevizi
- Kounoupidianatown, Chania
- Plataniástown, Platanias
- Tymbakitown, Festos
- Kissamostown, Kissamos
- Arkalochoritown, Minoa Pediados
- Archanestown, Archane - Asterousia
- Maliatown, Chersonissos
- Limenas Chersonisoutown, Chersonissos
- Neapolitown, Agios Nikolaos
- Zarostown, Festos
- Agía Marínatown, Chania
- Agia Galinitown, Agios Vasileios
- Spilitown, Agios Vasileios
- Paleochoratown, Kantanos-Selinon
- Platanostown, Kissamos
- Soudatown, Chania
Islands
The inhabited islands of the region that have a page of their own, largest first. Areas come from OpenStreetMap outlines.
Sights
A short selection from Wikidata, not a ranking of importance: only entries that have a Wikidata item, those with a page of their own on this site first, then those with an English label, then the oldest item. Up to 3 per kind. Coverage is uneven.
Castles
- Castle of PaleochoraKantanos-Selinon
- Bonriparo FortRethymnon
- Kallergis CastleMilopotamos
Archaeological sites
- ZakrosSitia
- KnossosHeraklion
- Vathypetro Minoan villaArchane - Asterousia
Museums
- Heraklion Archaeological MuseumHeraklion
- Nautical Museum of CreteChania
- Historical Museum of CreteHeraklion
Monasteries
- PreveliAgios Vasileios
- Chrysoskalitissa MonasteryKissamos
- Arkadi MonasteryRethymnon
Caves
- Idaean CaveAnogia
- Milatos CaveAgios Nikolaos
- Dikteon AndronOropedion Lasithiou
Canyons
- Ha GorgeIerapetra
- Samariá Gorge National ParkSfakia
- Imbros GorgeSfakia
Waterfalls
- Richtis GorgeSitia
- Richtra waterfall, ViannosViannos
Lighthouses
- Chania LighthouseChania
Natura 2000 protected areas
54 Natura 2000 sites with a page of their own in the region, the 10 largest. Each page says what the site protects, from the European Environment Agency's Natura 2000 database.
- Thalassia Periochi Dytikis kai Notiodytikis KritisSCI, 163,686 ha
- Lefka Ori Kai Paraktia ZoniSCI, 55,847 ha
- Oros Idi (Vorizia, Geranoi, Kali Madara)SCI, 40,822 ha
- Voreioanatoliko Akro Kritis: Dionysades, Elasa Kai Chersonisos Sidero (Akra Mavro Mouri - Vai - Akra Plakas) Kai Thalassia ZoniSCI, 39,416 ha
- Dikti: Oropedio Lasithiou, Katharo, Selena, Krasi, Selakano, Chalasmeni KoryfiSCI, 34,656 ha
- Asterousia Ori (Kofinas)SPA, 28,464 ha
- Dionysades NisoiSPA, 17,489 ha
- Asterousia (Kofinas)SCI, 16,050 ha
- Chersonisos Rodopou - Paralia MalemeSCI, 16,047 ha
- Asfendou - Kallikratis Kai Paraktia ZoniSCI, 13,994 ha
Getting there
The airports and ferry ports of the area as our sources record them. We do not copy timetables or fares, because they would go stale; where an official source exists it is linked below.
| Airport | IATA | Municipality |
|---|---|---|
| Chania International Airport "Ioannis Daskalogiannis" | CHQ | Chania |
| Heraklion International Airport "Nikos Kazantzakis" | HER | Heraklion |
| Sitia Airport "Vitsentzos Kornaros" | JSH | Sitia |
| Port, at the nearest settlement | Terminals in OSM | Municipality |
|---|---|---|
| Finikas | 5 | Sfakia |
| Rethymno | 4 | Rethymnon |
| Heraklion | 4 | Heraklion |
| Kavonisi | 3 | Kissamos |
| Sougia | 2 | Kantanos-Selinon |
| Agia Roumeli | 2 | Sfakia |
Official travel information
- KTEL Heraklion–Lasithi: timetables
- KTEL Chania–Rethymno: timetables
- KTEL Chania–Rethymno: route and stop search
Routes and connections can change by season. Confirm times and service directly with the operator before travelling.
How the numbers were counted
Each municipality belongs to the region and regional unit that OpenStreetMap records for it, and the figures on this page add up its municipalities. Beaches, airports, ports and sights belong to the municipality that contains them (up to 3 km outside the boundary for those on the shore).
Ports: a port is a group of ferry terminals mapped in OpenStreetMap within 1 km of each other (a harbour is mapped as many berths). The name is the nearest settlement. The number of terminals shows how closely the harbour is mapped, not how large it is or how many ferries call.
Fires: the count covers EFFIS burnt areas (roughly 30 hectares and above) whose reference point lies in a municipality of the area, with dates from 23 Mar 2016 to 12 Sept 2026. Natura 2000: each site is counted once, even when it overlaps several municipalities.
Zone prices: the lowest and highest value among the 2021 objective-system zones whose reference point lies in the area. They are tax values, not market prices.
See also
- Archaeological sites on Crete109
- Monasteries on Crete31
- Museums on Crete19
- Caves on Crete10
- Canyons and gorges on Crete12
- Beaches with excellent water quality on Crete155
- All regions of Greecelist
- Greece month by monthlist
- Eastern Macedonia and Thraceregion
- Atticaregion
- North Aegeanregion
- Western Greeceregion
- Western Macedoniaregion
- Epirusregion
- Thessalyregion
- Ionian Islandsregion
- Central Macedoniaregion
- South Aegeanregion
- Peloponneseregion
- Central Greeceregion
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, with the date each was updated.
- Designated bathing waters (locations)Ministry for Environment and Energy: YPEN geoportal · Current bathing season register · Date:
- Bathing water quality classificationEuropean Environment Agency: WISE Bathing Water Directive database · Latest assessed season in the EEA database; every season from 2011 is kept as a per-beach history · Date:
- Monthly climate normalsNASA POWER, MERRA-2 meteorological model · 2001–2020 climatology period returned by NASA POWER · Date:
- Sea temperature (NOAA OISST)NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / Physical Sciences Laboratory · OISST v2.1 monthly long-term mean climatology, 1991-2020 period · Date:
- Burnt areasEFFIS: European Forest Fire Information System (Copernicus EMS) · Rolling archive of mapped burnt areas · Date:
- Natura 2000 protected sitesMinistry for Environment and Energy: YPEN geoportal · Current national Natura 2000 network · Date:
- Objective property value zonesMinistry of National Economy and Finance, via data.gov.gr · 2021 revision of the objective value system · Date:
- AirportsFraport Greece; the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (ΥΠΑ/HCAA); Wikipedia (cross-checked for IATA/ICAO codes and coordinates) · Checked 24 September 2026 · Date:
- Everyday places, tourism, transport and natureOpenStreetMap contributors, via the Overpass API · Live database at the time of the query · Date:
- Wikidata landmarks: castles, monasteries, museums, archaeological sites and natural landmarksWikidata contributors · Live SPARQL query snapshot, taken 25 September 2026 · Date:
- Region, unit and municipal boundaries, settlements, seats and ferry terminalsOpenStreetMap (Geofabrik Greece extract, 24 Sep 2026), ODbL · Date:
Page updated .