It's not possible to see everything that Crete has to offer in one trip.But we will give you a selective and subjective taste of the island's highlights: from world-famous archeological sites to stunning mountains and gorges,lively resorts and great beaches.Hire a car in Crete from Venus rent a car and start your journey.

01.Rethymno. Dominated by its magnificent Venetian fortress,elegant Rethimno has plenty of museums,monuments and nightlife plus a very long beach just in the center of the city.

02. Chania. Wander the streets of Chania's old town,to discover its beautiful harbour and haunting vestiges of the Minoan,Venetian and Ottoman past.

03.Heraklion.Crete's capital offers a host of monuments,museums and churches all within easy walking distance of the elegant Venetian Morosini fountain.

04.Agios Nikolaos.Overlooking twin harbours from its hillside setting, this is one of the island's most picturesque towns.

05.Elafonissi beach.A turquoise sea, rose-tinted sands and swallow warm waters make this coral reef lagoon one of Crete's most exotic locations.

06.Spinalonga. A visit to the forbidding islet of Spinalongs makes for a memorable excursion -once an impregnable Venetian fortress, it later served as a leper colony,the last of its kind in Europe. 

07.Knossos. Crete's biggest attraction, this remarkable 3500-year old Minoan palace- the legendary seat of King Minos- is a sprawling maze of royal chambers, grand staircases,storerooms, and workshops.

08.Gramvoussa -Balos.One of the most beautiful spots in Crete.Lagoon of Balos with the fabulous clear water and the coral sand.

09.Paleochora. The major resort of the southwest Crete, Paleochora has fine beaches and bags of laid-back charm.

10.Preveli palm beach & monastery. The monastery is proud of its role in centuries of Cretan resistance.Behind the beach, you can walk up the palm-lined riverbanks or paddle through the water upstream.

11.Archaelogical museum,Heraklio.Crete's major museum reveals the world's finest collection of Minoan frescoes, jewellery, ceramics and sculpture.

12.Seitan limania. An amazing well hidden beach located at the east side of Akrotiri in Chania, known as Stefanou beach.

13.Vai beach. This shimmering white-sand beach is fringed with exotic palm trees,claimed to be Europes's only wild date-palm grove.

14.Arkadi monastery.Crete's most celebrated monastery with its fine Venetian church is an emblem of the island's struggle for independence.

15.Margarites potters' village.Carrying on an island tradition thousands of years old, the potters of Margarites turn out a variety of ceramic wares.

16.Elounda.The coast around Elounda has the most exclusive luxury hotels on the island.

17.Svendoni cave.The awesome Svendoni cave is only one of the thousands of caves and potholes dotted around the island,many of which can be visited.

18.Samaria gorge.Europe's longest gorge is a spectacular natural wonder,a magnet for trekkers and is only one of numerous scenic gorges on the island that can be hiked from end to end.

19.Byzantine frescoes.Some of the finest Byzantine frescoes in Greece are to be found in Crete's country churches, the most famous of which is the  Panayia Kira in Kritsa.

20.Gortys. The enormous basilica of Ayios Titos stands at the centre of the island's most extensive Greco-Roman city.

21.Loutro.Reachable only by boat or on foot, this tiny idyllic retreat on the edge of its own bay is the perfect place to get away from it all.

22.Matala. Explore ancient burial caves into the cliffs overlooking Matala's fabulous beach,also famed for its spectacular crimson sunsets.

23.Kules fortress.Heraklion.The Venetian fortress offers a lovely view of the busy harbour.

24.South coast of Rethymno. Agios Pavlos,Triopetra,damnoni,Plakias are some of the best beaches in south coast of Rethymno.Clear crystal water, amazing landscape where it's possible to leave the crowds behind.

25.Spili.A mountain village on the main road from Rethimno to Agia Galini and Festos that is the seat of a Greek Orthodox seminary.

26.Kournas Lake.Crete's largest lake is surrounded by mountains and is situated close to the bay of Georgioupoli.Ideal place for relaxing and having lunch.

27.Imbros Gorge.One of the easiest gorge hikes in Crete starts in Imbros,a town at the southern edge of the Askifou Plateau.

28.Chrisi island.Chrisi is a dream island for beach lovers.Excursioins and taxi boats travel daily from Ierapetra during summer.

29.Festos.In Minoan times the centre of the fertile Messara Plateau was the palace of Festos,laid out in a series of low ridge terraces.

30.Fortezza castle.Rethymno.Only the exterior walls of this 16th century Venetian castle still remain.Behind them in a wild and untamed landscape are the ruins of different buildings.