Where to stay in Crete
Chania is the one base that covers everything in this plan without packing up halfway through — Heraklion only makes sense if Knossos is the one reason for coming.
- Base
- Chania
- Hostel
- €11–18 per person
- 3-star hotel
- €26–46
Chania — everything in this plan, from Samaria to Balos, is a loop out of the same bed, Chania–Heraklion 140 km · Chania–Elafonisi ~75 km · Chania–Omalos (Samaria) 40 km. A dorm bed runs €11–18, a 3-star hotel room for two runs €26–46. Heraklion and Rethymno are a different story — bases for anyone heading further east, not for the five days covered here.
Chania old town — the base for this whole plan
The old town around the Venetian harbour has the densest accommodation in the city and sits closest to both the gorge and the two beaches — a dorm bed runs €11–18, a 3-star hotel room for two runs €26–46. Stay here and the base never changes across the five days.
Heraklion — a base only for Knossos
Heraklion has its own airport and sits closest to Knossos, but is a less pleasant place to simply walk around than Chania. It makes sense as a base only if the goal is purely the eastern half of the island — Knossos, the archaeological museum, maybe Spinalonga further east — not as the starting point for the plan covered here.
Rethymno — a stopover, not a third base
Rethymno sits on the road between Chania and Heraklion, with its own Venetian-Ottoman old town and the Fortezza fortress. This plan doesn't bring it in as a separate base — five days fit out of one, Chania — but it's a reasonable break on the long drive on the last day, or a place to stay for anyone not driving back the same day.
What to check before you book a bed
- Close to the old harbour is not the same as close to parking. Old town streets are narrow and pedestrian — check exactly where the car sits overnight.
- A hostel bed in Chania runs €11–18 per person. The range depends on the hostel and the season — an August price is not an off-season one.
- Heraklion before Chania flips the plan's order. This plan starts in the west, so the Chania–Heraklion drive falls on the last day — put Heraklion first instead, and that same drive opens the trip.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Is Chania a better base than Heraklion for a first visit?
For the plan on this page, yes — Chania–Heraklion 140 km · Chania–Elafonisi ~75 km · Chania–Omalos (Samaria) 40 km, all from one base. Heraklion only makes sense if Knossos is the one goal.
How much does a bed in Chania cost?
A hostel bed runs €11–18 per person, a 3-star hotel room €26–46 for two sharing.
Is a night in Rethymno necessary?
Not required — only if you're not driving back to Chania the same day, for example after Knossos.
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