Crete, one map

Shallow turquoise lagoon on Crete's north-west tip - the island's most photographed beach.

Pink sand, warm knee-deep water - perfect for families.

Wide-open west coast sand - Crete's finest sunset.

A slim fjord-like bay between white cliffs, reached by a steep goat path.

Europe's longest gorge hike - 16 km down to the Libyan Sea.

The easy 8 km alternative to Samaria - narrow walls, shade, 2-3 hours.

Dramatic iron bridge over a 138 m drop, above an abandoned stone village.

Car-free white village reachable only by boat or footpath.

Venetian harbour, lighthouse and lantern-lit lanes.

Off-grid stone hamlet serving what grows around it.

Palm-lined river meeting the Libyan Sea below a monastery.

Venetian fortress, tiny harbour and the island's prettiest evening stroll.

Waterfalls, plane trees and trout tavernas - 10 degrees cooler than the coast.

The 4,000-year-old Minoan palace and the labyrinth legend.

The world's best Minoan collection - the Phaistos Disc lives here.

Hippie cave cliffs and a fiery west-facing sunset.

Spring-fed lake, trout tavernas and the start of Rouvas gorge.

A short, easy gorge that ends at a hidden pebble cove.

Venetian island fortress and Europe's last leper colony.

Europe's largest natural palm forest right behind the sand.

Bottomless Lake Voulismeni ringed by cafés and bougainvillea.

Tables on the water, boats at your feet, an islet in front of you.

One of Crete's oldest hill villages, with a frescoed Byzantine church.

A green mountain plateau dotted with white-sailed windmills.

Golden sand and calm shallow water in the Gulf of Mirabello.

Three rocks in the Libyan Sea and almost nobody around.

Sheer red walls, a roaring waterfall and a chapel in the rock.

Everything cooked on wood, everything grown on the farm.

Ancient Cretan recipes rebuilt with produce from their own farm.

Venetian fort on a pirate island above a shipwreck.

Mountain village of shepherds, lyra music and slow-roasted lamb.