Crete for families

Best area to stay in Crete for families

    As the largest of the Greek islands, Crete is a great choice for a family vacation. Almost every part of the island is suitable for families, but we’ve chosen a few special areas which make a good base for your vacation in Crete.

    Where to stay in Crete

    Crete, much like the rest of Greece, is a very family-friendly destination. As such, you can’t really go wrong when choosing somewhere to stay with your family in Crete. We’ve come up with a few suggestions below that we believe cover the vast majority of visitors planning a trip to there. If you want to venture off the beaten path a little, contact our team through the chatbox and we’ll help!

    Heraklion

    If you’re only visiting Crete for a few days, then it may make sense to stay in Heraklion. As the capital, it has connections to other areas of the island, and also has a good choice of accommodation.

    Most first-time visitors to Crete will want to visit Knossos of course, but there are also numerous other things to see and do in the immediate area. We’ve got a lovely article here which lists 8 places for kids to visit around Heraklion.

    We also offer tours and activities to other parts of the island that can start and finish in Heraklion.

    Knossos family guided tour kids love greece Crete Percy Jackson Mythology Family Trip 7-day Package activities for familiesChania

    Whilst Heraklion may be the capital and does have its charms, there is no doubting that Chania is much prettier. It does become very busy with tourists during the peak months of July and August, but outside these times, it is a very pleasant place to stay, especially in the autumn.

    In addition to simply enjoying the town itself, there are ample day trips from Chania you can take in order to see more of the countryside and experience a little of Cretan life. Even if you don’t stay in Chania with your family when on vacation in Greece, you should consider making a trip here.

    family road trip in Crete Chania kids love greece activities for families

    Rethymnon

    The town of Rethymnon is situated halfway between Heraklion and Chania on the northern coastline of Crete. As such, it is ideally placed to access all part of the island relatively easily, meaning all types of day trips are possible.

    From here, you can take a trip to the Samaria Gorge, see the Matala Caves, or simply hang around on the beach. Accommodation here is in plentiful supply, and we have a good selection of family villas in Rethymnon to choose from.

    street with palmtrees Rethymno

    Elounda

    Our final suggestion of an area to stay in Crete for families, is Elounda. The luxury resorts here cater to guests who want to relax in comfort, and have access to facilities such as kids clubs and sports activities. Whilst staying in Elounda, you can also choose one or more day trips to other parts of Crete through the Kids Love Greece website.

    Elounda Gulf villas KidsLoveGreece.com accommodation

    Are you thinking of visiting Crete soon with your family, and would like more travel information? Contact our team today or sign up for our newsletter. We’d love to help you organize your family holiday in Greece!

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      • Dear Jane,
        Thank you for your message and Happy New Year!
        A member of our team will contact you via email on Jan 6th, 2020.
        Thank you,
        On behalf of the Kids Love Greece team.

    • Looking for reasonably priced, family friendly accommodations in the last week of August on Crete. Close to beaches is a bonus.

      • Dear Erin,
        Thank you for your message. In order for us to check availability, we will need to know what exactly you are looking for i.e. small boutique hotel, apartment, big resort etc as well as the size of your party/ type of room. Also, Crete is a huge island with two different airports: Heraklion serves the central/ east side of the island and Chania serves the west side of the island.
        I will email you a document we have developed called “A Guide to Crete” which will shed some light into the different regions in Crete. You can then let us know your preference.
        Thank you.
        Katerina, on behalf of the Kids Love Greece team

    • looking to bring my two girls on their first greek holiday , ive been before and stayed in piskapiano ( lovely place) , but think nearer the beach might be better .

      Looking for a cheap option for Oct 20 or May 21 half terms as a single parent

      • Hello Barry,
        Thank you for your message. There are lots of very nice beachside properties in Crete and the best part is that there are options for any budget. It all depends on what you are looking for i.e. small boutique hotel, big all-inclusive resort, Airbnb type of accommodation etc. Also, it is important to know the ages of your girls. Last but not least, would you like to stay in the hotel during teh whole stay or visit some areas nearby? In the case of the latter, are you open to the idea of renting a car or do you need access to public transfer? Last but not least, how long are you think of staying? I will email you all those questions anyway.
        Thank you.
        Katerina

    • Hi we are looking to come to crete next year maybe end of April beginning of May. We like to stay self catering in aparthotels. We are a family of 3, we are not sure which area of crete is best for families.

      • Dear Debbie, thank you for contacting us. We can definitely help you with your family trip to Crete for 2021… Crete is one of our favorite island for families in Greece as there is no much to do and see for all ages! One of our trip planners has emailed you already. Best regards.

    • We are coming to Crete in May, it is a group of 9, 4 are parents and the rest are college age kids. We want a home base for four days, probably a house or villa, close to water and hiking and a town. We also would like to tour olive oil making grove, museums and historic sites. We plan on renting cars. Where would you recommend? Thank you for your help

      • Hello Amy,
        Thank you for your interest in trip planning services fpr Crete. We would love helping you out with accommodation as well as any other activities you are interested in. Vacation in Crete is one of our expertise!
        Please check your email (incl. spam folder) as we have already communicated with you via email. Looking forward to your response.
        Maria

    • Hi Jane
      We are looking for holiday in crete,staying at all inclusive apartment near the beach,
      3 adults and 12year old child in Aug 2022,We love water parks and theme parks therefore easy trips to these places without hrs of travel will be ideal

      Please advise the best place to stay

      • Dear Esther,
        Thank you for your message about the best areas to stay in Crete for families. Maria Tsigoni has already emailed you asking for more information about your flights as there are two airports in Crete (Chania and Heraklion). There are several 4/5-star all-inclusive family-friendly resorts water parks and other facilities for kids, however, she would like to know which is your arrival airport since Crete is big.
        Looking forward to hearing back from you,
        Katerina

    • I would like to go to greece maybe Rethymnon as I will be travelling with a 9 and 8 year old and my Mom and husband. However I am open to any other parts of Greece to stay in if you have any better recommendations. Is this area good for kids? We like sight-seeing and of course water!! The only issue is temperatures. We are ok with anything up to 22 to 25 degrees but after that we would be hopeless so I am unsure as to what time of year to visit (I was thinking May) If we did go we would stay for 7 days and would like to stay in a villa with a pool.

      • Dear Liz, Thank you for your message.
        Being parents ourselves, we fully understand your concerns about the water temperature in May. Overall the water temperature during May is suitable for swimming (around 19.1°C on average) but not as warm as in June – August. Since you still haven’t booked your flights to Greece and would prefer the water temperature to be around 22 °C to 25 °C, I would recommend visiting the country at some point in late June-early July, if possible.
        If you are considering May, I think that CRETE is a great destination since it is in the southern part of Greece (close to Africa) so the temperature is warmer! I also recommend that you consider staying in a villa and we can certainly help you find one!
        All the best!
        Katerina on behalf of Kids Love Greece

     
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