What to do: Agios Nikolaos and Elounda are two small coastal towns that have since become tourism darlings in the area. This is where you’ll find the beach bars and the more popular resorts. They are typically the busiest pockets of eastern Crete, but as the island’s stock continues to rise among travelers, many other areas are starting to land on tourism radars, too. Vai Beach, which is flanked by the sea on one side and a lush palm forest on the other, is another lively hotspot, especially in July and August.
From Eastern Crete, you should take a day trip or two to a few gorgeous islands nearby. From Agios Nikolaos, hop on a boat cruise to Spinalonga Island. You come for the blue bay waters and isolated beaches but you stay for the eye-popping history: This was once a leper colony up until about a 100 years ago. On the southern end, you can also sail from Ierapetra to the uninhabited Greek island of Chrissi. Just 10 miles off the southern coast of Crete, Chrissi is a protected nature reserve so don’t be surprised if you spot lizards, rabbits, and other wildlife as you sunbathe on its pure sand beaches.
If you tire of beach chasing and would prefer something more adventurous still, try spelunking down the Cave of Zeus (or the Diktaean Cave) near the village of Psychro. Rumor has it this is where Zeus was born.
Where to stay: Not far from the quiet village of Elounda, 256-room Blue Palace’s expansive footprint gives way to surprising delights, from the pebble beach to the open-air cinema to the low-lying buildings that unobstructedly hug the curves on the hill they’re on. There’s plenty of bright-blue sea views from the property, but if you want a closer look, board the hotel’s caïques for a sailing trip around the island. On the southern coast of Lasithi, brand-new adults-only hotel Numo Ierapetra looks like it could have been pulled directly from the beaches of Ibiza or Tulum. Its interiors are built around dark wood and a foundational palette of off-white, there’s a laundry list of wellness and fitness initiatives, the aromas of Asian fusion wafts from the kitchen, and, of course, parties are a big part of its allure. Musician Nacho Sotomayor is the music director, and he’s pulling in European and global DJs (Jody Wisternoff, Kevin Yost, and the like) to set the soundtrack for various events.
