Crete: Chania to Knossos
Overnight ferry from Piraeus to Chania, the lagoons of Balos and Elafonisi, the Samaria Gorge, Venetian Rethymno and the Minoan palace of Knossos.
- Distance
- 631 km (392 mi)
- Driving
- 8 h 43 min
- Suggested days
- 7
- Stops
- 9
- Countries
- Greece
- Updated
- June 8, 2026
At a glance: 7-day road trip of about 631 km (392 mi) with 9 stops, from Athens to Heraklion. About 8 h 43 min of driving in total.
Route description
The overnight ferry from Piraeus, near Athens, reaches Souda, the port for Chania, early in the morning; book a cabin and a vehicle space in summer. Chania’s Venetian harbour, lighthouse and old town are best explored on foot in the early evening.
Head west to Kissamos. Balos lagoon lies at the end of a rough 8 km dirt track (small fee) followed by a steep path; many visitors take the boat from Kissamos instead. Elafonisi, on the south-west corner, is reached by a winding road through chestnut villages and has shallow pink-sand water.
For the Samaria Gorge, drive or take the early bus up to the Omalos plateau. The 16 km walk ends at Agia Roumeli on the south coast, where a ferry goes to Sfakia and buses return to Chania, so drivers often leave the car in town. The gorge is open roughly from May to October.
The E75 north coast road leads east to Rethymno, with a Venetian fortress and old town, and inland to Arkadi Monastery. End at Knossos and in Heraklion, where the archaeological museum holds the Minoan frescoes; ferries return to Piraeus from Heraklion.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Athens
Greece - 2345 km
Chania
Greece - 349 km
Balos Lagoon
NatureKissamos, GreeceA turquoise lagoon of white and pink sand at the tip of the Gramvousa peninsula. The last 8 km are a rough dirt track and a steep path down; boats run from Kissamos.
- 443 km
Elafonisi
NatureKissamos, GreeceShallow turquoise water and pinkish sand around a small island you can wade to. It is a protected area, so keep to marked zones and leave the shells.
- 544 km
Samaria Gorge
NatureOmalos, GreeceA 16 km descent from the Omalos plateau to the Libyan Sea, through the famous Iron Gates. Open roughly May to October; the return is by ferry to Sfakia and bus.
- 664 km
Rethymno
Greece - 718 km
Arkadi Monastery
HistoryRethymno, GreeceA fortified monastery with a Venetian Baroque façade, a symbol of Cretan resistance since its defenders blew up the powder store in 1866.
- 861 km
Knossos
HistoryHeraklion, GreeceThe largest Minoan palace, partly reconstructed with red columns and copies of its frescoes. Come at opening time and see the originals in the Heraklion museum.
- 97 km
Heraklion
Greece
