- Cost of living
- Transport in Crete
- Souvenirs and gifts
- Food costs
- Organized and self-guided tours
The Greek island of Crete is the cradle of the Minoan civilization, the earliest in Europe. This is already enough for a trip to Crete. However, most travelers, planning a vacation on the southernmost island of Greece, dream of sea and sun, delicious dishes generously seasoned with olive oil, and romantic sunsets. Crete is Europe, which means that prices are set quite high here. How much money should you take to Crete to see as much as possible, visit numerous museums, go around several historical cities, taste food in local restaurants and buy yourself something to remember the best vacation in your life?
Crete is a rather big island. You won't be able to walk on it. You will have to ride buses or a rented car (scooter), sail on yachts and ferries, which will require certain costs. The lion's share of the budget is worth spending on accommodation and meals. Taverns and restaurants should be included in your stay on the island in order to get a complete picture of the culinary traditions of Crete. You can save a little on excursions and shopping.
The monetary unit of Greece is the euro. In any European city, including in the settlements of Crete, you can take with you dollars, which are exchanged for euros on the spot.
Cost of living
Crete is not the most expensive Greek island. In Santorini, for example, they will ask for much more for accommodation than in the most promoted resorts of Crete. The most luxurious hotels are located in the north of Crete. Modest guesthouses and private pensions can be found in the western and southern resorts of the island. The private hotels in the south are small, family-type. The room is a room in the house of very friendly hosts.
Approximate prices for accommodation in hotels in Crete:
- villas are designed for several families or a large group of friends. Some villas are not fully rented, only a private room is rented. The cost of living in a villa starts from $ 70 and can go up to $ 225. The minimum price of $ 72 is set for Strofilia Villas Crete in Celia. Accommodation at Villa Zeus in Agios Nikolaos will cost $ 140. Villa with two bedrooms "Leste Luxury Homes" in Plaka is rented for 105 dollars. Different prices. It is necessary to select options for a specific company and the number of people;
- 2 star hotels offer rooms from $ 28 to $ 60 per night. Specialized sites praise the Pergola Hotel in Agios Nikolaos, Aris Hotel in Paleochora, Ellinis Hotel in Chania;
- hotels 3 stars. Accommodation costs between $ 45 and $ 90. The most expensive three-star hotels are located in Chania. These are "Casa Leone Boutique Hotel", "Porto Veneziano Hotel", "Kriti Hotel";
- 4 star hotels. They contain rooms ranging from $ 38 to $ 160 per person. A room is rented at $ 38 per day at the Castello City Hotel in Heraklion. There are good reviews for the Palazzo Duca Hotel in Chania ($ 73 per room). $ 139 for a room at the Thalassa Boutique Hotel in Rethymno;
- 5 star hotels. Rooms start at $ 80. For $ 140 you can rent a room at the Legacy Gastro Suites in Heraklion, for $ 130 at the Casa Delfino Hotel & Spa in Chania. There are other interesting options as well.
Transport in Crete
No one in Crete is content with seeing the only city of their choice. All tourists travel around the island in search of new experiences. It is advantageous to use public transport for short distances. For example, from the eastern part of the island it will be cheaper to independently get to Agios Nikolaos, Heraklion, Malia. But on a trip to Chania, located on the western tip of Crete, it is better to go with a travel company that will take you for the same money as a regular shuttle bus, but at the same time accompany the journey with informative stories about the past of oncoming cities.
Popular modes of transport in Crete:
- buses. Most of Crete's localities are connected by bus service. Blue buses run on city routes, green and beige buses run on intercity routes. The ticket price for a Cretan bus is determined by the length of the route. From Heraklion to Knossos, where the Minoan palace is located - the most popular tourist attraction on the island, the fare will be 1.5 euros. The way to the airport from Heraklion is estimated at 2 euros. A trip from Heraklion to the famous northern Cretan resort of Bali will cost 5 euros;
- Taxi. No less popular transport than buses. Some remote locations in Crete can only be reached by taxi. A car call can be made via the Internet or by phone. Also, taxi drivers willingly pick up tourists right on the street. The fare must be checked with the driver before the trip. It depends on fuel prices, which are constantly jumping. In 2018, local taxi drivers asked for no more than 1, 8 euros per 1 km;
- ferries. This transport is indispensable if you plan to travel to neighboring islands or the mainland. Catamarans move a little faster than ferries. The journey costs about 10-13 euros.
A rented car or scooter will help you not depend on public transport. You can rent a vehicle in international companies with a huge fleet of vehicles, or in small private offices offering more loyal rental conditions. Among the latter, Rental Center Crete has received excellent reviews. Car rental will cost 25 euros or more. The scooter can be rented much cheaper.
Souvenirs and gifts
It is up to the traveler to determine the amount that can be spent on shopping in Crete. Some get by with the purchase of a pair of magnets, shells or plates. The best prices for souvenir products are found in large shopping centers or shops, where all goods are sold for 1 euro. Other tourists come to Crete with the desire to buy a mink fur coat (1800 euros), a beaver (700 euros) or just a short fur coat made of fur trimmings (from 100 euros). A product made of black fur will cost more. Cheaper - from white, which over time has a tendency to change the shade towards yellow. They usually go to Hersonissos for fur coats, but in other cities of Crete there are a sufficient number of fur shops.
European brands are inexpensive in boutiques in Crete, so it makes sense to go to local shops. There are especially many of them in Heraklion on the Daedalu shopping street. Shoes from Greek manufacturers are also brought from Crete. Local shoes are made of high quality leather, so they will last for several years. Leather shoes start at 35 euros. Leather accessories will cost less: a wallet or purse can be found for 5 euros, a belt for 15 euros, bags for 25 euros.
Jewelry is sold everywhere, but the best jewelry stores are located in Chania. 1 gram of local gold is estimated at 35-50 euros.
Edible souvenirs include olive oil (about 6-7 euros per liter bottle), olives (2-10 euros), honey (5-8 euros) and wine (5-10 euros).
Food costs
As soon as your plane lands in Crete, immediately forget about all food restrictions (diet, the rule of "not eating after 6 pm", etc.) and enjoy the culinary traditions of the Greeks.
For the sake of interest, you can several times go to restaurants of the author's Greek cuisine, where renowned chefs work, preparing dishes according to old recipes modified to your taste. The minimum bill for a dinner in such a restaurant will be about 15 euros. A little more (about 20 euros) will be charged from a guest in a traditional Greek tavern, where the locals themselves eat. The food is prepared here by the owners of the establishment, who carefully monitor the quality of the products used. The portions in the taverns are huge. True, the food is so delicious that you don't notice the size of the portion.
Original authentic restaurants are located on olive farms, where they not only conduct excursions, where they talk about the collection and processing of olives, but also organize various master classes. After a few hours of study, you can grab a bite to eat in restaurants that serve only organic food, often grown on the farm. The cost of lunch in such estates will be higher than in restaurants in the city.
To save some money, tourists eat at street cafes and kiosks. Places called girajiko sell juicy kebabs (3-5 euros), and bugaziziko - delicious little pies with different fillings (no more than 3 euros per piece).
Organized and self-guided tours
Most of the places in Crete can be visited on your own, thereby saving on guide services. In this case, you will have to pay only for travel in public transport and an entrance ticket to the institution. The cost of a ticket to the Palace of Knossos is 6 euros, the same is the opportunity to visit the famous Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, where artifacts found during excavations of buildings from the time of the Minoan kingdom are presented. Entertainment centers that will appeal to both adults and children are paid in Crete. You can get to the large oceanarium for 9 euros, the water park "Water City" is allowed for 25 euros.
If you have no desire to travel around Crete alone, then you can turn to local guides who speak Russian and offer many interesting author's tours around the island. Such excursions are expensive, their cost starts from 40 euros. Gourmets will love the tour of the "delicious" places of Heraklion. The guide will show you all the most interesting taverns and grocery stores in the capital of Crete in 4, 5 hours. Such a tour costs about 70 euros. A sightseeing tour of the central part of the island will cost 220 euros per person. For this money, tourists will be transported by car. It will cost you about 100 euros to explore Heraklion in the company of a Russian-speaking guide.
Many tourists ask whether excursions to other Greek islands are offered in Crete. Of course, such tours have been developed. For example, you can go to Santorini for 2 days for 180 euros per person.
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If the budget is limited, then in Crete you can get by and 300-400 euros per week. This money will be enough to travel around the island, eat in inexpensive taverns, buy souvenirs, and even for one or two sightseeing tours. With 800-1000 euros at your disposal, you can eat daily in fashionable restaurants and plan 3-4 excursions, visit several museums and entertainment venues, and renew your wardrobe.
