Most users here highly recommend going directly to Chania instead of Iraklion (Heraklion).

However, all of them also seem to highly praise the Palace of Knossos and Iraklion's museum. Is it possible to go to Chania and visit both the museum and the Palace on the same day (as a day trip)?

If not, would it be possible to stay in Iraklion and go for Samaria Gorge as a day trip?

I really would like to avoid changing hotels for a 2-day visit.

In addition, someone noticed in another post but never got a response, so I might give it another try: Does anyone know why Casa Delfino seems to be so highly-spoken of here and is so poorly ranked in Trip Advisor? I am guessing it is because of its "no car-street" issue and the lack of pool/beach ammenities (neither would be a problem for me). Can anyone comment on that? I notice some other people recommending Ammos and Mike Hotel too...

PS: I know, it is a short trip to Crete, but believe me, living in Brazil, it is so hard for me to get to these places that I really have to rush through some places, and, though I do know how much I am missing rushing like this, I guess I'd miss more by skipping the whole of it.

Tnx everybody who are really helping me planning my trip here, like brotherleelove. You guys are great.

Chania and Iraklion are very different cities to experience. Your guide book(s) will explain. Highly recommend Chania over Iraklion. Renting a car in Chania and driving to Knossos and Iraklion and back is very easy. Hard to see much of Crete in 2 days. Have no idea why the Trip Advisor does not like the C. Delfino. Do not find the Trip Advisor to be that helpful to me. I can only tell you that we really like the hotel and would stay there again. One of our favorite vacation hotels over the last several years along with the Lungarno Suites in Florence, Grand Quay Suites in Sydney, Westin Ebisu in Tokyo, Four Seasons in Maui to give you some idea of our particular tastes in hotels from around the world.

YOu can easily do Knossos and the Museum in a day trip. I'd do them in that order and if going in the summer would start early. There's little shade at Knossos.

I've not stayed in Casa Delfino, but passed it many times. It looks lovely and is in a nice place. looking at Trip Advisor, there's really only one bad review, plus comments about the fact that it's up a lane and you can't drive to it, and some leaky showers. (I know there may be real leaky showeers, but I found myself wondering if it's the Greek thing about letting the water just evaporate from the floor. Very common)

Base in Chania (far more charming). 1st day Knossos & museum & 2nd day Samaria Gorge.Arrange for these tours before trip.Samaria is a long, arduous hike downward. Depending on time of year, it could get very hot.Try to get on earliest trip in the morning. Wear sunscreen, hat,& load up on water bottles. Crete deserves far more than 2 days.

You can easily do both Knossos and the museum in one day. Put me on the list that wasn't wowed by Knossos, which is primarily a reconstruction in concrete rather than original materials of a few things that once were. I found it a big bore compared to the "real" ruins throughout the rest of Greece. The museum was much nicer, but not that huge.

Stay in Chania, on a scale of 1 to 10, Chania is a 9, Iraklion is a 2.

I really liked Casa Delfino. We had a very nice room on two levels and the staff was really nice. When I checked on where to go to a laundramat, they called someone who owned one who actually came and picked up all our laundry and returned it that afternoon, washed, dryed, and folded for the same price as if we had done it ourselves. This was instead of the hotel's own laundry service. How unusual!

If he onlly has TWO days in Crete, one of them should not be spent walking 8 hours down a gorge in a line of people... Marcio doesn't say where he arrives. is he coming in on the overnight ferry to either port? Or by plane to Heraklion? If the latter... why not get car at airport, go to Knossos, then to Museum, then head straight west along the coast, to Chania. Spend day #2 exploriing the beauties of that town -- If you want to see a terrif gorge, drive West of Chania then South along the rim of the mile-deep Topolian Gorge. Breath-taking. Keep eye out for cliffside sign: Ag. Sofia -- climb stone steps to a cave lookin out on space, used for worship since the STone Age. ... then back to Chania, and turn in car (I think you can rent in IRak & turn in at Chania, if you arrange in advance.)

I wouldn't disagree with that comment about town. Two other options of nice country things to do near Chania would be to go to.

One is to go out to the Akrotiri and visit the monasteries of Agia Triada and Katholika, and walk down the gorge past Katholika to Agias Ioannis and the sea. That's a good half day and you can swim if you like.

The other is to drive due south from the city through the Therisos gorge to Theriso. Unless you have a 4 wheel drive that's a dead end, but it's absolutely beautiful As I type I am remembering driving there on 1st may- an Orthodox Easter Monday- a few years ago. the coutryside was full of people out for their traditional flower picking walk, and there was a HUGE party going on in the village.

Yes; get off the beaten track