Hello all
I am in the VERY early stages of planning a trip to Crete in September/October
We can plan up to 4 weeks in Crete. I've been reading up on Crete and it seems the island is divided east/west.
We are interested in the seeing the ancient ruins, including lesser known or less visited. We would like to visit the beaches and generally hang out and go at a relaxing pace. We enjoy exploring and experiencing the people and culture. We did spend a month in Greece in the fall of 2023 and we loved everything about it.
If we spend time in the cities and explore the local area do we need a car or is it better to rent a car as needed to travel from place to place and to explore?
With 3-4 weeks it seems like we can split our time among a few locations. Does it matter if we start on the west side and work our way east or go east/west?
Also any input for places to explore "off the beaten track" are top of out list.
As I mentioned we are at the early stage of planning. This forum was super helpful when we went to Greece and all the advice was spot on.
Thanks

Unfortunately I only spent 2 nights and most of 3 days on Crete. I didn't rent a car. There are buses and taxis. When I got off the ferry in Heraklion, there were multiple waiting taxis. I took a taxi to my hotel, local bus to Knossos, KTEL bus to Chania, and local bus to the ferry dock near Chania. I didn't make time for the Samaria gorge which you probably shouldn't drive to because by the time you get to the other end you will still need a ride back to your car. My preference in travel is to avoid renting cars unless driving would be significantly better than the alternatives - missing something or the buses are supposed to take a lot longer than driving. Investigate whether buses and taxis could take away your need to rent a car. Most rideshare apps like Lyft, Uber, and Bolt are not allowed to operate in Crete. The internet says there is only one rideshare app that works in Crete, called FreeNow, and only in the city of Heraklion.

A month in Crete! Should be wonderful!

Whether you need a car really depends on what you want to see and experience. You can check rome2rio.com for your transportation options. And if you don’t already have it, you might consult the Rough Guide – it’s an excellent source of information about Crete.

I think the east / west split has more to do with how guidebooks are organized than with the island itself. That said, I think most of us find more of compelling interest to the west, so you decide: start small, end with a bang or vice versa?

You might find some useful information in my report of a trip that began in Crete:
With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

Thanks for the info! We did spend a month in Greece but did not have time for Crete so... I enjoyed your TR. We visited a lot of the same places as you did. I loved Greece and I am really looking forward to going back. If we can I might add Corfu for a week. I am currently looking at sample itineraries. When I get some idea I will post my plans and get feedback form the group. I agree-I had great advice on the Forum!

Antique ruins:
Knossos, Phaistos and Aghia Triada, Kato Zakros (landscape!), Mallia
Holiday ghettos (around Heraklion, up to Agios Nikolaos)
The sandy beaches I like best:
Xerokambos, Palekastro, Falassarna, Paleochora, Elaafonisi (when not overrun by daytrippers)
Medieval buildings: Chania, Rethymnon, Iraklio