4 Best Sights in Vai, Crete

The last and smallest of the Minoan palaces to be unearthed, Zakros is still an impressive site of over 150 rooms. It probably acted as a religious and administrative center, and also as a gateway to the East and to Africa, a view supported by an elephant tusk and Canaanite jars found on-site. Initially built circa 1900 BC and destroyed by fire around 1450 BC, the excavations were some of the most important in Crete as the palace had been preserved over time, untouched by robbers. The artifacts are displayed in the Archaeological Museums of Sitia and Heraklion.

An hour's hike away is the barren beauty of the valley that leads from Ano to Kato Zakros. Numerous caves dug into the sheer sides were the burial ground for the Minoan inhabitants of the area, leading to the gruesome name today—Gorge of the Dead.

A sprawling Minoan town, formerly known as Roussolakkos, is currently being excavated by archaeologists. Palaikastro is missing any Knossos-type drama; here, for instance, there is no large palace structure, but you get a strong sense of everyday life amid the stony ruins of streets, squares, and shops.

Nearby, Chiona and Kouremenos beaches make for pleasant diversions after clambering over the excavations.

Even the classical Greeks recognized the beauty of this palm grove at the eastern end of the island, which is unique in Europe. It stood in for the Caribbean in a famous television commercial for a chocolate bar, and it's easy to see why. Indeed, the sandy stretch with nearby islets in clear turquoise water is such a stunner that many bus tours come all the way east just to show off the sand and palms, so Vai can get jammed in the summer. If the sand in front of the grove of 5,000 palms is too crowded, follow the path south over the headland to a slightly less crowded cove, Psili Ammos, or better still head north to Erimoupolis, overlooked by the ancient kastro of Poli Itanou. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Follow the coast south from Vai, passing through the resort of Zakros, an important harbor and commercial center of Minoan Crete, and its ruins of a palace. The drive corkscrews down to Xerokambos, less of a destination and more of a series of stunning beaches. There are a couple of tavernas, a mini-market, and not much more except idyllic white sand and nothing between yourself and Africa apart from the warm Libyan sea. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; walking.