Kokkini Hani Holidays

Kokkini Hani is on the north coast of Crete. It used to be a fishing village, then the locals from nearby Heraklion started popping by for the beach at weekends – and before you knew it, the place had holiday destination written all over it. That said, it hasn’t overdone things as far as bars and restaurants are concerned, so it’s still got a low-key vibe. If you fancy upping the pace in the evenings, Heraklion has all the buzz.

The locals from Heraklion still can’t get enough of Kokkini Hani’s beach, so there’ll be a few extras here at weekends. Nobody seems to mind sharing the 400 metres of hourglass-fine sand, though, and there are plenty of sunloungers and umbrellas to go around, not to mention beach bars. The gently sloping shore keeps paddlers happy, and thanks to the breezy position it’s great for windsurfers, too.

You can be in the capital, Heraklion, in just 20 minutes. It’s packed with cafés, and shops selling everything from gifts to designer clothes. Sights-wise, there’s a waterfront Venetian fortress to look around and a great archaeological museum that gives you the scoop on the Minoan period onwards. Speaking of which, the famous Knossos Palace – a partly restored Minoan palace – is quarter-of-an-hour from Heraklion.