Landing at the airport of the capital Candia (also called Iraklion or Heraklion, depending on the transliteration), you are ready to begin a journey aimed at seaside relaxation and archaeological discovery of the Minoan civilization.
Although only a quarter of the territory can be considered flat, Crete offers a wide range of beaches located along the entire coast. Near Candia is the Amoudara beach with its soft white sand, while moving westward you can admire the beaches of Georgioúpolis, Gramvoussa, Falássarna, and Elafoníssi. The latter is actually a small islet connected to the mainland by a strip of sand and is considered the most beautiful beach of Crete thanks to its almost tropical appearance given by the white and soft sand and the turquoise sea.
On the eastern side, on the other hand, are the beaches of Hersonissos, Gouves, Malia, Elounda, Aghios Nikolaos, Almyros, and Sitia. In this area, the most popular beach is Vái, known for the presence of natural palm groves. Finally, also noteworthy is the beach of Mátala (located to the south on the Libyan Sea), characterized by caves carved into the rock by the Romans to create burial sites.
