Crete.
Flight from TLV
1h 48m
Best season
ืืืโืืืง
Avg temp
22ยฐ
Currency
โฌ EUR ยท 1=โช3.52
Time zone
ืืื ืืชืดื ืืืจื ืืื
Language
ืืืื ืืช
Plug
C / F ยท 230V
Visa
ืืื ืฆืืจื ืืืืืื ืืืฉืจืืืื ืืฉืืืื ืงืฆืจื ืฉื ืขื 90 ืืื ืืืคืืฃ ืืืืื ืฉื ืื
Safety
ืืืื ืืืจื ืืื ืืืชืืื ืืืฉืคืืืช; ืืฉ ืืืืืืจ ืืืืืฉืื ืืคืืชืืื, ืืฉืื ืืืืืคืื ืืื ืืฆืื
Overview
๐ฌ๐ทCrete
๐ฌ๐ทGreece
Crete is a large, wonderfully varied island offering everything Israeli travelers love in a summer escape: a short flight to Heraklion, polished resorts around Hersonissos and Malia, clear bays and lively tavernas. Between beach days at Elafonissi or Balos, explore Chania's lanes, take a boat trip, hike Samaria Gorge and finish the evening at a beachfront bar or club.
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Where to stay
Where to stay in Crete
Each area and who it suits best.
Hersonissos
A lively resort strip with hotels for every budget, beaches, tavernas, bars, and Star Beach water park, making it the most convenient choice for many Israelis.
Malia
Days revolve around the beach and pool, while at night the streets around Dimokratias fill with bars and clubs until the early hours.
Heraklion
A working port city with a market, restaurants, an excellent archaeological museum, and easy access to Knossos, offering less beach lounging and more authentic urban Crete.
Chania
The Venetian harbor, colorful lanes, and wine bars create a romantic base for trips to Balos, Falassarna, and Samaria.
Elounda and Agios Nikolaos
Calm bays, luxury hotels, and views toward Spinalonga give eastern Crete a more polished and relaxed atmosphere.
Year-round weather
Year-round weather in Crete
Temperature averages
Real climate dataืื ื
17ยฐ
10ยฐ
Recommended
ืคืืจ
16ยฐ
9ยฐ
Recommended
ืืจืฅ
20ยฐ
11ยฐ
Recommended
ืืคืจ
21ยฐ
13ยฐ
Recommended
ืืื
25ยฐ
16ยฐ
Excellent
ืืื
30ยฐ
21ยฐ
Excellent
ืืื
33ยฐ
24ยฐ
Hot
ืืื
32ยฐ
23ยฐ
Hot
ืกืคื
29ยฐ
21ยฐ
Excellent
ืืืง
26ยฐ
17ยฐ
Excellent
ื ืื
23ยฐ
15ยฐ
Excellent
ืืฆื
18ยฐ
11ยฐ
Recommended
Most pleasant weather: ืืื ยท ืืื ยท ืกืคื ยท ืืืง ยท ื ืื
Peak season for Israelis (when everyone goes): ืืื ยท ืืื ยท ืืื ยท ืืื ยท ืกืคื ยท ืืืง
Based on a 3-year average ยท measured in Crete ยท Open-Meteo
This week in Crete
Measured in Crete
22ยฐ
Fog
Next 7 days
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Seasonal averages ยท loading live forecastโฆ
Things to do
Things to do in Crete
On the map
Crete on one map
Every spot travelers love โ tap a pin for photos, opening hours, navigation and booking.
Suggested plan
A perfect Crete itinerary
Day by day, so you can picture the whole trip.
- 1
Day 1
Heraklion and Knossos
Start at the Palace of Knossos early, before the heat and tour groups, then visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum to see the original finds from the site. In the afternoon, explore Morosini Fountain and 25th August Street, finishing by the sea at Koules Fortress.
- 2
Day 2
Chania and the western beaches
Drive to Chania, wander through the Topanas quarter and Venetian harbor, and continue toward the lighthouse. In the afternoon, head to Falassarna Beach for swimming and a broad sea sunset; in July and August, arrive early to secure parking.
- 3
Day 3
Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa
Take a boat from Kissamos to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island, with turquoise water and a superb viewpoint from the fortress. Book ahead in summer and bring water, a hat, and walking shoes; the overland road to Balos is rough and may not be covered by rental-car insurance.
- 4
Day 4
Rethymno and mountain villages
Spend the morning in Rethymno's old town, moving between the Venetian Fortezza, harbor, and lanes lined with Ottoman balconies. Then drive through the Amari Valley or to Margarites, known for pottery, and stop for a meal of salads, stuffed vegetables, and local cheeses according to your kosher preferences.
- 5
Day 5
Elounda, Spinalonga, and Agios Nikolaos
Drive east to Elounda and take the short boat ride to Spinalonga, home to a Venetian fortress and the historic leper colony. Return for a swim in the bay, then continue to Agios Nikolaos for an evening walk around Lake Voulismeni.
Quick game
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Budget
How much does Crete cost?
Real ILS price ranges, so you know what to expect.
Round-trip flight from TLV
โช600-1,400 (summer: โช1,800+)
Mid-range hotel nightly
โช350-700 (double room)
Restaurant meal
โช55-110
Local beer
โช14-25
Coffee
โช8-16
Short taxi ride
โช30-60
Rental car daily
โช120-260 (before fuel)
Daily budget per person
โช350-650 (excluding flight)
Good to know
Good to know before Crete
Getting around
From the airport
From Heraklion Airport, a taxi to central Heraklion takes about 15 minutes and generally costs โช60-90. Hersonissos is around 25-35 minutes and โช130-190, while Malia is about 35-45 minutes and โช180-240. KTEL buses are much cheaper but often require a transfer at the central station and cost roughly โช10-25 per person. From Chania Airport, a taxi to the Venetian harbor takes about 20-30 minutes and costs around โช90-130.
Need a car?
Yes, if you want to see more than the hotel and resort town. A car is close to essential for beaches such as Falassarna, Elafonissi, and Vai, as well as villages and eastern coves; for a resort stay in Hersonissos or a city weekend in Heraklion, KTEL buses, taxis, and organized tours can be enough.
Tips
Crete is very large: driving from Heraklion to Chania takes about two hours, so choose a base according to the region you plan to explore rather than crossing the island every day. In summer, reserve an automatic car early, verify that the insurance has a low excess, and avoid driving into Chania's old-town lanes.
Kosher & Jewish
Chabad / community
Chabad of Crete operates in the Hersonissos area during the tourist season and serves the main concentration of Israelis in central Crete, generally offering Shabbat meals, prayers, and kosher food by advance order. Activity, exact location, and opening hours may vary outside summer, so contacting them and registering before arrival is essential. Chania and western Crete do not have dependable permanent kosher infrastructure.
Kosher food
Outside Chabad, restaurants with kosher certification are extremely rare. Kosher-observant travelers bring sealed products from Israel, shop at supermarkets such as SYN.KA, Chalkiadakis, and AB Vassilopoulos, and favor apartments with kitchenettes; fruit, vegetables, eggs, rice, pasta, and packaged products with familiar certification are readily available. Travelers comfortable with kosher-style choices often order Greek salad, fava, dakos without cheese if needed, potatoes, stuffed vegetables, and fish, but should explicitly ask about shared cookware and frying oil.
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Verified suppliers in Crete
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eSIM for Crete ๐ฌ๐ท
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Travel insurance
Travel insurance for Crete ๐ฌ๐ท
A hospital day in Crete can cost thousands. Full coverage with Hebrew support.
- Medical + hospital 24/7
- Trip cancellation
- Baggage
- Water & extreme sports
Currency & rates
Live rateCurrency & rates
Quick conversion at today's rate
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You get
351.8
1 EUR
โช3.52
100 EUR
โช351.8
1,000 EUR
โช3,518
Source: exchangerate-api ยท updated Sep 14 ยท refreshes daily
Visa & documents
Visa & documents for Crete ๐ฌ๐ท
What you need before you fly
- ืืื ืฆืืจื ืืืืืื ืืืฉืจืืืื ืืฉืืืื ืงืฆืจื ืฉื ืขื 90 ืืื ืืืคืืฃ ืืืืื ืฉื ืื
- Passport valid 6 months
- Travel insurance, leave details for a quote
Local tips
Good to know about Crete
- ๐Stay in Chania for Balos, Falassarna and the Old Town, while Hersonissos is better for families and younger travelers seeking resorts, water parks and nightlife.
- ๐Crete is far longer than it looks on the map, so rent a car, carry an international driving permit alongside your Israeli license, and plan no more than one main area per day.
- ๐Book the Balos cruise for the beginning of your trip rather than the final day, leaving room to reschedule if strong winds disrupt sailings.
- ๐ณAt ATMs and card terminals, always choose to be charged in euros rather than shekels, as local currency conversion can add several percent to the transaction.
- โก๏ธKosher-observant travelers should preorder Shabbat meals and kosher products through Chabad of Crete and confirm the pickup point and opening hours, which vary by season.
- ๐๏ธVisit Knossos Palace at opening time or during the final two hours before closing and reserve tickets ahead, as midday heat and tour groups greatly diminish the experience.
ืืืื ืจืืื
Senior agent ยท Greece for 12 years
"To me, Crete feels like the complete Greek holiday, with clear water, mountain villages, historic towns and honest food rooted in the land. Israelis fall for it because, after a flight of under two hours, they can drink coffee at Chaniaโs Venetian harbor and swim in the Balos lagoon the next day."
Loves
I love sending Israelis to Marathi Beach, about 25 minutes from Chania, for its calm water, twin coves and tavernas right on the sand. It is ideal for a relaxed family beach day, especially when the exposed beaches of western Crete are windy.
Skip
The mistake I dislike most is booking a hotel in Hersonissos and only later realizing that Balos, Falassarna and Chania are hours away.
Boutique pick
I design a day that starts early at Kissamos port, continues with a boat trip to Gramvousa and the turquoise water of Balos, and ends at sunset in Falassarna. On the way back, we stop for dinner in Chaniaโs Old Town, once the harbor lights are on and the dayโs heat has faded.
Client stories
What returning travelers say about Crete
"We rented a car in Crete, reached Elafonissi's pink lagoon early and ended the day with sunset at Chania's Venetian Harbour, which was exactly the romantic trip we had imagined."
Noa and Ido
Couples getaway in June
"The kids could not stop talking about the sharks at CRETAquarium and the slides at Acqua Plus, and Crete let us combine exciting attractions with a relaxing beachfront hotel."
The Cohen Family
Summer family vacation
"We started the morning at Stalida Beach in Crete, continued to the tavernas and bars of Hersonissos and danced late into the night in Malia without a single dull moment."
Ori, Daniel and Friends
Friends trip in August
FAQ
Common questions about Crete
Do Israelis need a visa for Crete?
Israeli passport holders do not need a visa for a short vacation in Crete and may stay in Greece and the rest of the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
When is the best time to fly to Crete?
The best time to visit Crete is from late May through October, with June and September offering warm seas, lighter crowds and better prices than July and August.
How many days do you need in Crete, and are there direct flights from Israel?
A well-paced Crete vacation needs 5 to 7 nights, and during the tourist season direct flights from Tel Aviv to Heraklion and Chania take about 1 hour and 50 minutes.
How do you get around Crete, and is a rental car essential?
A rental car is the most convenient way to explore Crete and reach its beaches and villages, while buses are mainly practical for travelers staying around Heraklion, Chania, Hersonissos or Rethymno.
How much does a vacation in Crete cost?
A couple in Crete will typically spend around โช700 to โช1,200 per day on a good hotel, transport or a rental car, food and activities, excluding flights.
Is Crete safe for Israeli travelers?
Crete is generally considered safe and welcoming for Israeli travelers, though it is wise to follow Israel's official travel guidance, avoid demonstrations and watch personal belongings in crowded areas.
Which beaches and attractions are unmissable in Crete, and is the island better for families or couples?
Crete suits families with CRETAquarium and the water parks near Hersonissos, as well as couples drawn to Chania and the lagoons of Elafonissi and Balos, which are best visited early.
Where can you find nightlife and kosher food in Crete?
Crete's nightlife centers on the bars of Chania and Rethymno and the clubs of Hersonissos and Malia, while kosher meals can be arranged in advance through Chabad of Crete in the Hersonissos area.