How to get to Crete?

Crete, the largest Greek island, is well connected both by sea and air. By ferry, it is linked to the port of Piraeus, with the main arrival port being Heraklion (8–9 hours overnight), though ships also serve Chania (7–8 hours overnight), Rethymno, and Agios Nikolaos. Crete can also be reached from the Cyclades (Ios, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Mykonos, Amorgos), the Dodecanese (Rhodes: 12 hours, Kos, Karpathos), Milos, Kythira, the Peloponnese (Gythion, Kalamata), and Thessaloniki (25 hours).

The main ferry companies are Minoan Lines, Blue Star Ferries, Anek Lines, Sea Jets, and Hellenic Seaways. For booking, refer to directferries.com.

Crete has three airports, two of which are international: Nikos Kazantzakis in Heraklion and the airport in Chania. The third, in Sitia, handles mainly domestic flights. Flights from Athens take 50 minutes, from Thessaloniki about 1 hour 15 minutes. There are also flights from Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, and Karpathos. During summer, Crete is connected by direct flights to many European cities across the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, France, Italy, and beyond, operated by carriers such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Aegean Airlines, and many others. For flight booking, visit skyscanner.com.

Connections, both by sea and air, are much more frequent during the summer season; always check availability if travelling in other periods.