Crete road trip by car: day trips from Heraklion, with real driving times

How far is it from Heraklion?

Distances by road from the centre of Heraklion; the airport is 5 km east and changes nothing. Times are without stops. On mountain roads and on the south coast, reckon on half again — maps are optimistic there.

A 5-day Crete itinerary: five day trips that work from Heraklion

1. Spinalonga, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos — east, about an hour

Take the national road east past Hersonissos and Malia, turn off for Agios Nikolaos and follow the coast to Elounda and Plaka. Boats cross from Plaka to the island fortress of Spinalonga in about ten minutes. Lunch by the water in Plaka or Elounda, and stop in Agios Nikolaos on the way back. Staying in the east? See car rental for Agios Nikolaos and for Elounda.

2. The Lasithi Plateau and the Dikteon Cave — the mountains, about an hour

The road climbs from the coast in a long series of hairpins to a flat plateau ringed by mountains, noticeably cooler than the beaches — bring a jumper outside summer. The Dikteon Cave above Psychro is where, in the myth, Zeus was born. It is a half-day; an automatic makes the climb easier, but any car manages it.

3. Phaistos and Matala — the south coast, an hour and a quarter

Cross the island south through the vineyards to Phaistos, the second great Minoan palace, on a ridge above the Messara plain. Twenty minutes further is Matala: the beach under the cliff full of carved caves, best at sunset. The road back is good, even after dark.

4. Rethymno and Arkadi — west, an hour and twenty minutes

The national road west follows the coast to Rethymno: a Venetian harbour, the lanes of the old town and the Fortezza above them. Arkadi Monastery, the most famous in Crete, is about forty minutes inland from Rethymno — easy to combine on the way there or back. Staying in Rethymno? See car rental for Rethymno.

5. Knossos and the wine villages — half a day, close by

Knossos is a quarter of an hour from the centre of Heraklion: go when it opens, before the heat and the coaches. Continue south to Archanes, one of the best-kept villages in Crete, and to the wineries around Peza for a tasting — with someone else at the wheel on the way back.

Staying 7 or 10 days? The trips too far for a comfortable day

Balos, Elafonisi, the Samaria Gorge and Vai are three hours or more from Heraklion each way. They can be done in a long day that starts at dawn, but a night in Chania (for the west) or Sitia (for the east) turns them into easy trips. Two warnings: the last 8 km to Balos are an unpaved track that no rental insurance in Crete covers — take the boat from Kissamos instead — and the Samaria walk is one way and ends at the sea, so a car left at the top means a ferry and a bus or taxi to get back to it. Plan the return before you start. Balos and Elafonisi by car, in detail.

Before you set off

• The national road (VOAK) runs along the north coast. Slower drivers move onto the hard shoulder to let you pass — that is courtesy here, not rudeness.
• Fuel stations are frequent on the north coast and few in the mountains and the south: fill up before a day inland.
• In the old towns of Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania, park outside the walls and walk in.
• There are no toll roads in Crete. Speed limits and fines.
• Damage on unpaved tracks is not covered by rental insurance — ours included.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Heraklion to Chania?

About 150 km and two and a half hours on the national road along the north coast, without stops. Rethymno is roughly halfway.

Can you do Elafonisi as a day trip from Heraklion?

Yes, but it is about 220 km and three and a half to four hours each way, the last part on a narrow mountain road. Leave at dawn — or stay a night in Chania and make it a half-day.

Can I drive my rental car to Balos?

To Kaliviani, yes — about three hours from Heraklion on good road. The last 8 km to Balos are an unpaved track excluded from every rental insurance in Crete, ours included. The boat from Kissamos port is the way to get there covered.

Are there toll roads in Crete?

No. There are no motorway tolls anywhere on Crete; the national road along the north coast is free.

Do I need an automatic for the mountain roads?

No — any of our cars handles them. An automatic makes the hairpins up to Lasithi and hill starts in old villages easier, and in summer the automatics go first, so book one early if you want one.

Can I pick up the car in Heraklion and return it in Chania?

Yes. Returning at Chania Airport costs €80; the booking form shows it before you type anything. Pickup at Heraklion Airport and Port is free.