There are hundreds of Instagrammable spots on the island. But if you need a short-list of locations, be sure to include Koules Fortress and the Palace of Knossos in Heraklion, the Old Port of Chania, the small alleys of Rethymno, the Samaria Gorge. And almost any beach you like – yet Balos, Stavros, Matala, Agia Pelagia are must-shoot locations if you happen to be around.
Koules Fortress
Crete was under Venetian rule for about four and a half centuries before it fell under the Ottoman Empire in the 1660s. Koules Fortress (Castello a Mare in Italian) was probably one of the primary representations of that period when Heraklion was a part of the maritime empire of Venice. Read more....The Palace of Knossos
Arguably this is the site Crete is most famous for. The remains of the ancient palace of Knossos are situated just a few miles south of Heraklion, and you can reach it using the city bus. The monumental complex dates back to the second millennium BC - some of the buildings still stand and you can some of the beautiful frescoes. Read more....The Old Port & Lighthouse
The area where Greece meets Italy - you cannot help but think of Venice, yet the Greek sensation remains. You just can’t miss it being on a trip to Chania. The Old Port is the absolute must-see attraction of the city and the Western Crete as a whole. And you can do it more than once - take a walk in the daylight and the next time repeat it after sunset. Read more....
