Day trips · Crete · Greece
6 best day trips from Crete
Where to go when you want a day away from Crete, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: fs, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Crete is Santorini (About 2 hours each way by high-speed ferry). The closest option is Kritsa and Lato, about 11 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Kritsa and Lato (11 km)
- Most popular
- Santorini
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santorini | 140 km | About 2 hours each way by high-speed ferry | High-speed ferry from Heraklion | Couples, First-timers |
| Chrissi island | 15 km | About 1 hour by boat from Ierapetra | Summer day boats from Ierapetra | Beach, Families, Couples |
| Archanes | 15 km | About 25 minutes by car from Heraklion | Car or local bus from Heraklion | Food lovers, Couples, Quiet stays |
| Lake Kournas | 45 km | About 50 minutes by car from Chania | Car, or bus to Georgioupoli then taxi | Families, Quiet stays |
| Kritsa and Lato | 11 km | About 20 minutes by car from Agios Nikolaos | Car or local bus | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Zakros and the Gorge of the Dead | 40 km | About 1 hour by car from Sitia | Car | Culture, Quiet stays, Couples |
The day trips
140 km · About 2 hours each way by high-speed ferry
1.Santorini
Seasonal fast ferries from Heraklion make a long day trip to Santorini's caldera villages possible, with time for Fira and Oia; organised tours handle the transfers on the island.
- Getting there
- High-speed ferry from Heraklion
- Best for
- Couples, First-timers
15 km · About 1 hour by boat from Ierapetra
2.Chrissi island
A protected, uninhabited island off the south-east coast with shallow turquoise water, shell-strewn beaches and an ancient juniper forest growing on sand dunes.
- Getting there
- Summer day boats from Ierapetra
- Best for
- Beach, Families, Couples
15 km · About 25 minutes by car from Heraklion
3.Archanes
A restored wine village of neoclassical houses below Mount Giouchtas, with Minoan sites nearby, wineries in the surrounding hills and village tavernas around the square.
- Getting there
- Car or local bus from Heraklion
- Best for
- Food lovers, Couples, Quiet stays
45 km · About 50 minutes by car from Chania
4.Lake Kournas
Crete's only natural freshwater lake lies in a green bowl of hills near Georgioupoli, with pedal boats, turtles in the shallows and lakeside tavernas.
- Getting there
- Car, or bus to Georgioupoli then taxi
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays
11 km · About 20 minutes by car from Agios Nikolaos
5.Kritsa and Lato
Kritsa is a hillside village known for weaving and the Panagia Kera church with Byzantine frescoes; about 3 km away, the ruins of ancient Lato overlook Mirabello Bay.
- Getting there
- Car or local bus
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
40 km · About 1 hour by car from Sitia
6.Zakros and the Gorge of the Dead
A walk through a gorge whose cliffs hold Minoan burial caves leads down to Kato Zakros, a Minoan palace site beside a quiet pebble bay with tavernas.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays, Couples
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Buy tickets at bus stations or online; some summer services fill up.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Crete?
Santorini. Seasonal fast ferries from Heraklion make a long day trip to Santorini's caldera villages possible, with time for Fira and Oia; organised tours handle the transfers on the island.
+How long does it take to get from Crete to Santorini?
About 2 hours each way by high-speed ferry — High-speed ferry from Heraklion, about 140 km.
+How long does it take to get from Crete to Chrissi island?
About 1 hour by boat from Ierapetra — Summer day boats from Ierapetra, about 15 km.