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Aerial view of the Venetian harbour of Chania with its lighthouse on the breakwater, the old town behind and the White Mountains in the distance

Where to stay in Crete

Photographed in 2020. Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Places to stay in Crete

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About Crete

Crete is large enough that the base decides the trip. Chania and the west are closest to Chania airport, Heraklion and the east to Heraklion airport, and Rethymno sits roughly halfway between the two.

Greece. Guide last checked .

Facts and rules

Last checked . Each fact links to its source.

Airports
Heraklion (HER), about 5 km east of Heraklion centre, and Chania (CHQ), about 14 km from Chania on the Akrotiri peninsula; about 16 km by road to the harbour. Source
Climate resilience fee
Per night, April to October: short-term rentals EUR 8, or EUR 15 for a detached house over 80 m2; tourist residences EUR 8, or EUR 15 from 80 m2; tourist villas EUR 15; rooms to let EUR 2; hotels EUR 2 to 15 by stars. November to March: EUR 0.50 to 4. One national table, unchanged for 2026: Code of indirect taxes (Law 5177/2025), article 44. Source
Municipal visitors' fee
0.5% of the rent on stays under six months, borne by the guest; private hosts with one or two properties do not charge it. Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno and Sitia charge 0.75% under council decisions with no end date. Agios Nikolaos, which includes Elounda, charges 0.75% from April to September 2026 and 0.5% in the other months. Source
Short-term rental rules
Every short-term rental must be in the AADE registry and show its 11-digit AMA number on every platform and advert; licensed properties show a 16-digit ΕΣΛ or a 7-digit ΜΑΓ number instead. Since 1 October 2025 each needs smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. Source
Parking with a rental car
Chania: street parking paid only through the i-PARK CHANIA app; municipal car park at Peridou 22 with 320 spaces, open 24 hours, closed Sundays; free park and ride at Kladissos with a free electric bus. Source
Monthly stays
Under 60 days per contract is a short-term rental in Greece, with the per-night fee; 60 days or more without extra services is an ordinary lease. Airbnb calls 28 nights or more a monthly stay. Source
Emergency number
112 Source

Areas of Crete

Aerial view of the Venetian harbour of Chania with its lighthouse on the breakwater, the old town behind and the White Mountains in the distance
Photographed in 2020. Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chania old town

The Venetian harbour and the old town streets, a base for walking in the evening and for day trips in the west to Balos, Elafonisi and the Samaria gorge. It suits couples and short city breaks better than families with a car full of luggage, because the old town streets are pedestrian.

Chania airport
about 16 km
Nea Chora beach
about 2 km

Car and parking

Park outside the pedestrian core: the municipal car park at Peridou 22 has 320 spaces, is open 24 hours and closes on Sundays; street spaces are paid only through the i-PARK CHANIA app; the park and ride at Kladissos is free, with a free electric bus into the city. A bollard system limiting old town entry to residents was approved in February 2026; whether it is operating was not verified.

Heraklion

A working Greek city with life all year, museums, Knossos on the edge of the city, ferries and the shortest airport transfer on the island. It suits city stays and a month outside summer more than a beach holiday.

Heraklion airport
about 5 km
Amoudara beach
about 7 km

Car and parking

The city approved a traffic study on 30 April 2025 that turns the centre into low-traffic and pedestrian streets, with parking reserved for residents and controlled parking; the changes come in gradually, with no timeline given. Prefer a booking with its own parking, or park outside the centre.

Lake Voulismeni in Agios Nikolaos ringed by cafes and apartment buildings, with small boats along the quay and mountains behind
Photographed in 2019. Photo: Cayambe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Elounda and Agios Nikolaos

Elounda is the east's resort village of large resort hotels and villas on the Mirabello gulf, opposite Spinalonga. Agios Nikolaos is a small town around Lake Voulismeni with apartments and services all year. Families and villa groups tend towards Elounda, independent travellers towards Agios Nikolaos.

Heraklion airport, from Agios Nikolaos
about 60 km
Heraklion airport, from Elounda
about 65 km
Agios Nikolaos, from Elounda
about 10 km

Car and parking

No official parking source for Elounda or Agios Nikolaos was found as of September 2026. Ask before booking whether a space is included.

Tamarisk trees with whitewashed trunks on the sand at Plakias beach, turquoise sea and a rocky headland behind
Photographed in 2014. Photo: Uoaei1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The south coast (Plakias, Paleochora, Matala)

Quieter villages on the Libyan Sea, for walking and a slower pace. A car is close to essential, since the drive from either airport crosses the mountains.

Chania airport, from Plakias
about 85 km
Chania airport, from Paleochora
about 86 km
Heraklion airport, from Matala
about 66 km

Car and parking

No official parking source for Plakias, Paleochora or Matala was found as of September 2026. The distances are the real constraint: Matala is about 66 km by road from Heraklion airport, and Plakias and Paleochora about 85 km from Chania airport.

Guides

Questions

Is there a tourist tax in Crete?

Greece charges a climate crisis resilience fee per night per room or property. Under article 44 of the Code of indirect taxes (Law 5177/2025) a short-term rental pays EUR 8 a night from April to October, or EUR 15 for a detached house over 80 m2, and EUR 2 or EUR 4 from November to March, unchanged for 2026. Hotels and professional hosts also add a municipal visitors' fee on the rent: 0.75% in Heraklion, Chania and Rethymno.

Which Crete airport is closer to which area?

Chania (CHQ) for Chania and the west, about 16 km by road from the Venetian harbour. Heraklion (HER) for Heraklion and the east, about 5 km from the city centre. Rethymno is about 80 km by road from either.

Can a car drive into Chania old town?

Plan not to. The old town streets are largely pedestrian, and in February 2026 a bollard system limiting entry to residents was approved. Park at the Peridou car park, in controlled street spaces paid by app, or at the free park and ride.

How can a guest check a rental is registered?

Every short-term rental in Greece must show its 11-digit AMA, the property registry number issued by the tax authority AADE, on every platform and advert. Licensed properties show a 16-digit ΕΣΛ or a 7-digit ΜΑΓ number instead.