Towns and villages in Crete to stay during a multi-day cycling trip.
The best towns and villages in Crete to stay during a multi-day bike trip.
You plan to visit Crete for a multi-day bike trip from place to place. You want to ride through the most scenic roads, visit the best places, and taste the famous traditional Cretan cuisine. As a cyclist you do not want to ride through busy roads. Some of you prefer crowded places, and some prefer quiet and isolated. Most of you want to ride during spring or autumn, but summer and winter are also an option for you.
We want to help you organize your trip and we give you a list of the best places to stay during your bike trip around Crete. There are many places to choose, we recommend those that have taverns and hotels and they are located at the optimal location so that they make your trip better. Some riders want to ride longer stages, and others prefer shorter trips. The places that you will choose to stay depend on the route that you follow.
We recommend a tour plan that you will stay at each place for at least 2 nights (if possible). It will be easier for you to reserve hotels. We prefer traveling through mountain roads where there is no traffic and the views are amazing.
Because our bike center is located at Hersonissos, 25 kilometers east of Heraklion Airport, we are focused on central and east Crete.
Find your bike at CyclingCreta bike center
E-bike
Road bike
Gravel bike
Mtb bike
North coast. The main base towns
Heraklion
The Capital City of Crete, with the biggest airport on the island. For most of you, it is your cycling trip's start and finish point.
Many hotels and apartments operate all year round and almost all the restaurants are open.
In Heraklion there are some cycling shops for spare parts and services. Inside and very close to Heraklion there are many cars, but after you ride some kilometers it is very quiet. There are many round trips starting from Heraklion that you can find HERE .
For your tour around Crete, you can ride from Heraklion one-way trips to
-Rethymno (80km distance, 1000m elevation)
-Agios Nikolaos (68km distance, 800m elevation)
- Hersonissos through the wine area and visit Knossos (63km distance, 900m elevation)
-Zaros (50km distance, 1050m elevation)
-Matala (71-76km distance, 1050-1250m elevation)
-Lentas (74km distance, 1500m elevation)
-Tsoutsouras (56km distance, 1075m elevation) .
Vibrant city, all Year round
Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos is the 4th biggest city and one of the places we recommend for all year's Vacation. Many hotels and apartments are open all year round. Although the city is not so lively in the winter as in summer, many restaurants and fast food are open in the winter.
From Agios Nikolaos you can ride some round trips to Mesa Merabelo, Istro and Prina forest, as also climb to Katharo Plateau. see HERE
For your bike tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Agios Nikolaos to
-Hersonissos from the old road north (45km distance, 700meters of elevation)
-Hersonissos through the Lasithi plateau (73km distance, 1500meters of elevation)
-Sitia (68 Kilometers distance, 1220 meters of elevation)
-Ierapetra (31 Kilometers distance, 560 meters of elevation)
-Myrtos (54 Kilometers distance, 1268 meters of elevation)
All Year round (less lively during winter months)
Rethymno
The third biggest city of Crete is alive all year round, with many hotels, apartments and restaurants. Maybe Rethymno is better in winter. Here, you can find some cycling shops for spare parts and services. There are many round trips starting from Rethymno that you can find HERE.
For your tour around Crete, you can ride from Rethymno one way trips to
-Heraklion (80km distance, 1000m elevation)
-Plakias (40km distance, 780m elevation)
-Agia Galini (54km distance, 970m elevation)
-Zaros (80km distance, 1790m elevation)
-Matala (77km distance, 1270m elevation).
Vibrant city, all Year round.
Hersonissos
The most touristic place in Crete. From here you have many options for round trips for Road, Gravel, or mountain biking that you can find HERE. The town is busy after April when most hotels and taverns open. In Winter Although it looks like a ghost city few hotels and taverns remain open. There are no cycling shops for servicing bikes (in CyclingCreta bike center we do not offer service to third bikes). For those who get bikes from our bike center and travel direction east we recommend starting from Hersonissos.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Hersonissos to:
-Heraklion through the wine area (64km distance, 894m elevation). The coastal road from Hersonissos to Heraklion 25 kilometers distance is busy)
- Agios Nikolaos Through Lasithi Plateau (77km distance, 1420m elevation)
-Agios Nikolaos through the old road (46km distance, 560m elevation)
-Tzermiadon (34km distance, 1050m elevation)
-Tsoutsouras (55km distance, 1100m elevation)
All Year round. Less lively during winter months.
Sitia
Your place to stay if you plan to add East Crete to your trip. This small and picturesque town has many hotels and 1-2 remain open even in the winter. The options for taverns and restaurants are many. From Sitia you can do some amazing round Trips to East Crete through very low traffic roads.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Sitia to:
-Agios Nikolaos (68km distance, 12200m elevation).
-Ierapetra (61km distance, 1100m elevation)
All Year round
South coast
Ierapetra
The biggest (and only) town at the south coast of Crete, which is vibrant all year round. Ierapetra is famous for its greenhouse because of the higher temperature compared to the northern Crete so it is perfect for winter cycling trips.
The coastal roads from Ierapetra to Myrtos or Μakry Gialos, have some traffic, but you can follow more beautiful roads through the mountains
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Ierapetra to:
-Agios Nikolaos (31km distance, 560m elevation).
-Sitia (61km distance, 1100m elevation)
-Tsoutsouras (60km distance, 1260m elevation)
Vibrant town all Year round
Myrtos
Myrtos is a small coastal village 20 Kilometers west of Ierapatra. (If you travel from Sitia, it is more convenient to stay at Ierapetra). You can find Taverns and hotels all year round.
Myrtos is good also during winter months but not so lively as Ierapetra.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Myrtos to:
-Agios Nikolaos (54km distance, 1270m elevation).
-Tsoutsouras (46km distance, 1150m elevation)
All Year round
Tsoutsouras
A small village in southern Crete serves as a stopover on our journey at the southern side of Crete. For road cyclists, it is ok to ride from Myrtos to Matala (105km distance, 1700m elevation) but for those who want less time on the saddle, Tsoutsouras is the best place to cut the trip. Although Tsoutsoulas is warmer than other places during winter, all shops are closed from November to March. From Tsoutsouras you can go for a round trip to the south slopes of the Dikti mountains.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Tsoutsouras to:
-Hersonissos (55km distance, 1100m elevation).
-Ierapetra (60km distance, 1260m elevation) (or ride to Myrtos or Males)
-Heraklion (56km distance, 1075m elevation)
-Lentas (65km distance, 1300m elevation)
-Matala (67km distance, 950m elevation)
-(Although it is nice to ride from Tzermiadon to Tsoutsouras, we do not recommend the opposite because of the very steep mountain roads)
Lentas
The best place to stay if you want to visit the Asterousia mountains of the south Heraklion region. The roads to cross the mountain require strong legs, but are quiet and the views are amazing. For the mountain bike riders, there are more options for adventure routes through the Asterousia mountains. Cyclists looking for tranquility will fall in love with Lentas.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Lentas to:
-Tsoutsouras (65km distance, 1300m elevation).
-Heraklion (74km distance, 1500m elevation)
-Matala (44km distance, 800m elevation)
-Zaros (42km distance, 800m elevation)
Matala
The famous Hippie village of South Crete. Matala is a place to add in your must-see places of Crete even if you do not want to stay here. It is crowded during summer months and prices are higher than other places of the south. If you do not want to stay at a coastal place, there are many small villages nearby.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Matala to:
-Heraklion (71-76km distance, 1050-1250m elevation).
-Zaros (29km distance, 560m elevation)
-Tsoutouras (67km distance, 950m elevation)
-Agia Galini (28km distance, 410m elevation)
-Plakias coastal (69km distance, 1460meters elevation)
-Rethymno (80km distance, 1450meters elevation)
All Year round
Plakias
A famous tourist village that is highly recommended to stop if you plan a cycling trip through south Crete. The village is alive all year round, although during the summer months there are more options
At the area near Plakias you can find some of the best beaches of Crete. Around Plakias there are many small villages with rooms to rent.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Plakias to:
-Rethymno (80km distance, 1000m elevation).
-Zaros (77km distance, 1560m elevation)
-Agia Galini coastal (43km distance, 1120m elevation)
-Matala coastal (69km distance, 1460meters elevation)
All Year round
Agia Galini
Although Plakias is more convenient as a stop on your cycling trip through South Crete, Agia Galini is also a place to consider with many hotels taverns and beaches to visit. (During winter months, Plakias is more vibrant).
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Agia Galini to:
-Rethymno through Amari (62km distance, 1100m elevation).
-Plakias coastal (43km distance, 1120m elevation)
-Zaros (32km distance, 770m elevation)
-Matala (28km distance, 410meters elevation)
Mainland.
Mountain villages
Tzermiadon
Lasith is the most famous plateau of Crete and one of the must see areas. Lasithi Plateau looks like nothing else in Crete, it is famous because of the white windmills and Tzermiado is the big village to stay. Although Tzermiadon is the perfect place to visit in the summer, as it is cooler compared to lower places, we do not recommend traveling during winter months because of a big possibility of rain and cold weather
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Tzermiadon to:
-Hersonissos (34km distance, 240m elevation).
-Agios Nikolaos (42km distance, 370m elevation)
-Tsoutouras (54km distance, 970m elevation).
Cold during winter months
Zaros
A famous picturesque mountain village at the south slopes of Psiloritis mountain. Zaros is located at a very good place to stop when you follow a round trip at Central Crete or when you want to ride from Heraklion to the south Rethymno and south Heraklion regions. You can also do a daily round trip and visit Matala. Taverns and hotels are open all year.
For your tour around Crete, we recommend one-way trips from Archanes to:
-Matala (28km distance, 250m elevation)
-Tsoutouras (63km distance, 880m elevation)
-Lentas (35km distance, 730m elevation)
-Plakias (77km distance, 1250meters elevation)
-Rethymno (75km distance, 1270meters elevation)
-Heraklion (50km distance, 720meters elevation)
All Year round
Archanes
Crete's most picturesque big village is just 15 Kilometers south of Heraklion. Although it is very close to Heraklion some travelers will find at Archanes the tranquility they are looking for. Hotels and taverns operate all year round. Located at the heart of the wine area of Crete, you will find many wineries to visit and taste some Crete wines.
All Year round
Males
A quiet mountain village located at the south slopes of the Dikti mountains near the Selakano forest with amazing views. Males is a perfect stop when you travel from Agios Nikolaos to the south, but you do not want to go all the way down to the sea. (Males is the alternative option of Myrtos or Ierapetra)
There is only one hotel VILLA MALA, but it is one of our favorites. Inside the hotel there is a very good restaurant.