Sfakaki Holidays

Holidays to peaceful Sfakaki let you see beyond Crete’s tourist veil. The village is stretched out along the island’s northern coast, around 15 minutes’ drive from lively Rethymnon. Family-run tavernas and whitewashed hotels edge closer and closer to the seafront, where a sandy beach provides one of the region’s more untrodden sunbathing spots.

Sfakaki might be on the smaller side, but the surrounding countryside goes a step further. Pine-coloured hills rise and fall as far as the eye can see, punctuated by standalone villas wrapped in vines and flowers. Villages crop up along the winding rural roads, providing an unfiltered snapshot of local life, and you’ll see Mount Ida standing tall on the horizon.

Crete’s third-largest city, Rethymnon, boasts a lengthy to-do list for holidaymakers. Sandy beaches are just footsteps from the town centre, and the architecture’s inspired by former Venetian and Ottoman settlers. Pass by the generous helping of shops and restaurants, and you’ll reach an old town that’s crammed with ancient buildings. It’s only 15 minutes’ drive from Sfakaki, too.