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With so many things to do in Crete, it’s easy to see why this gorgeous island is one of the most popular summer destinations. Crete is a place filled with history, stunning landscape and incredible food. Spend some time in the island and you’ll realize you are spoilt for choice with so many incredible options for you and your loved ones.
If you’re staying at Legacy Gastro Suites, you’re in the perfect location to explore Crete’s soul — with the island’s most exciting historical, cultural, and culinary experiences just a stroll or scenic drive away.
Crete is the largest island in Greece and well known for its varied landscape. You’ll find yourself basking in the sun in the morning, then hiking rugged mountains en route to the Ideon Cave, the birthplace of Zeus. The capital offers myriad options for culture, including Minoan artifacts, Bronze Age settlements as well as shopping opportunities and delightful restaurants and bars.
Have a Romantic Excape
Crete is a honeymooner’s dream. With so many gorgeous beaches, luxury hotels and warm hospitality, you’re guaranteed to have an incredible time.
Enjoy a couple’s city break in Heraklion and let Legacy Gastro Suites help organize excursions, wine tastings, or private transfers to stunning beaches. Ask for an in-room wine pairing to start your romantic stay in style.
Visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Step into the Minoan era at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum — one of the most important museums in Greece, featuring treasures from 2600 BC onwards. The museum is open all year round. For the summer season April–September, it operates Monday 12–7pm Tuesday–Sunday 8am–7pm, October–March daily 8am–5pm.
Just 10 minutes on foot from Legacy Gastro Suites, this is a must-visit for any history lover.
Shop the Streets of Heraklion
Who doesn’t love a bit of a shopping spree during the holiday? Since Heraklion is the capital of Crete, you can meander on its shopping streets in search of fun fashion boutiques. Beyond the main chains and usual shops you may be accustomed to, you’ll also find independent stores with their own unique take on fashion. It’s a great way to purchase something different and support the local economies. Heraklion’s shopping scene blends high street brands with boutique artisan stores.
Wander through 1866 Street where the Open Market is, and you’ll find handmade jewelry, leather goods, ceramics, and gourmet gifts like Cretan olive oil, herbs, and raki.
Discover the Palace of Knossos
Central Crete is known for its major Minoan sites. The Minoans were a Bronze Age civilization which once dominated southern Europe. Visit the Palace of Knossos, the most well known Minoan site in Crete. Its ruins were discovered in 1900 by the British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans who spent 35 years excavating and reconstructing it.
Easily accessible from Heraklion, and only 20 minutes by car from the hotel. Pair your visit with a trip to the museum for deeper context.
Savor a Traditional Cretan Meal
Cretan cuisine is based on love, seasonality, and the island’s natural bounty. Whether you’re dining at a family-run taverna or sampling local flavors at Legacy’s Epsilon Restaurant, food here is an experience.
Try dishes like:
- Freshly grilled seafood
- Stamnagathi with olive oil and lemon
- Local cheeses like graviera and xinomizithra
- Antikristo (lamb slow-roasted facing the fire)
- Kalitsounia sweet cheese pies
See How Olive Oil is Made
Take a day trip to the Lassithi Plateau and visit a traditional olive oil press. Watch the process firsthand, taste a variety of oils, and learn about the ancient traditions that have shaped Crete’s olive culture.
You’ll leave with local knowledge and a bottle or two to enjoy back home. After all, no Greek delicacy comes without a dash of olive oil.
Day Trip to Santorini
When you position yourself in the heart of Heraklion, you are just 15 minutes walk from the port. Take the morning ferry for a day trip to Santorini and marvel at the iconic blue roofs. The whitewashed houses cling to cliffs above an underwater crater. You’ll be spoiled for pretty views and incredible photography options.
Once you return from Santorini, make your way back to the hotel and have a rewarding cocktail to end the evening in style.
Visit the Rethymnon Old Town
Just 90 minutes west of Heraklion, Rethymno’s Old Town is a postcard of Venetian charm — with a lovely harbor, picturesque alleys, and impressive landmarks like the Fortezza fortress.
Go for the architecture, stay for a seafront lunch or gelato break.
Hike to Ideon Andron & Dikteon Cave
Located on Mt Ida or Psiloritis, the highest mountain in Crete, the Ideon Cave is one of the greatest cave sanctuaries in Crete, as important as the major Greek temples. It flourished in antiquity (4000 BC to the 1st century AD). The Ideon Cave was famous for being the place where Zeus was born. Zeus is the god of the sky, lightning, and thunder in Ancient Greek religion and myth, and king of the gods on Mount Olympus.
However, these claims were contested by the Dikteon Cave, located in the eastern side of Crete. The Dikteon Cave is located at an altitude of 1025 meters on the northern slopes of Mount Dicte, which dominates the Lassithi Plateau. The archaeological finds have shown uninterrupted human presence in the Cave from the end of the Neolithic period onwards.
The most impressive sight of the cave is the lake at the lowest point, surrounded by large stalactites and stalagmites.
Who doesn’t love a good story? Either way, they are both stunning places to visit and you can take a car, or hike the mountains if you visit during the summertime. On your way to these mountains, it is worth enjoying the panoramic views and the refreshing mountain air, scented with Cretan thyme, sage, and other local aromatic herbs.
Explore Crete by Car
Feeling a little adventurous? Rent a car and explore Crete’s rugged terrain. Visit the small town of Anogeia and stop along the way to admire the tall mountains of Crete. If you visit in spring, you can still admire some of the snowy peaks along the way. Make sure to dress for the weather as from the stunning and warm beaches in Crete, you’ll meet rain and wind in the mountainous terrain.
Spend the Day in Chania
Just two hours away from Heraklion, Chania is a lovely city located on the northwest coast of Crete. Visit the 14th-century Venetian harbor and walk Chania’s narrow streets. Have lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants and photograph the mesmerizing 16th-century lighthouse with Egyptian, Venetian, and Ottoman influences. For history buffs, head over to the Archaeological Museum of Chania before heading back to Heraklion for the evening.
Chill in Balos Lagoon & Elafonissi Beach
Balos Lagoon is located around 3 hours away from Heraklion, so to get there as a day trip we recommend hiring a driver for your comfort. The Balos Lagoon is one of the most beloved beaches in Crete with soft sands and marvelous hues of blue. Before heading back to Heraklion, visit Cape Korykon as there are remains of the small Roman town of Agnio with the temple of Apollo.
Elafonisi Beach is located around 3.5 hours away from Heraklion and is famous for its pink sands and shallow, crystal-clear lagoon. Ideal for those who love unique natural wonders.
Hike the Samaria Gorge
One of the main tourist attractions on the island, The Samariá Gorge is a National Park of Greece since 1962. You can arrange for a driver to take you there (approximately 3 hrs drive to the west) so you can spend the day hiking along the small river running between the White Mountains and Mt. Volakas.
Start early and allow a full day. Legacy can pack a lunch and help with transport planning.
So… What Will You Do in Crete?
Whether you’re here for culture, adventure, or culinary discovery, Crete is more than a destination — it’s an experience. And Legacy Gastro Suites is your gateway to all of it.
Ready to design your perfect Cretan itinerary? Our team is here to help.
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