Driving In Crete – 7 Things To Know Before You Rent A Car
Crete is an amazing place to visit. And given that it’s Greece’s largest island, Crete offers lots to see and do. Beaches, mountains, vineyards, ancient ruins, and out-of-the way tavernas serving up some the best food you’ll ever eat. And while Crete does have a public bus system, driving in Crete opens up so much more of the island to you. As slow travelers on a budget, we generally depend on public transportation when we travel. We seldom rent cars. But I made an exception during our travels in Crete. Here are some of the most important things I learned while driving in Crete.
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Yes, Having A Car In Crete Is Ideal
We spent a little over three weeks in Crete. Our itinerary included individual weeks based in three of Crete’s four largest cities – Chania, Heraklion, and Agios Nikolaos. It’s easy to travel between these cities via public bus (as I wrote about in my post Chania to Heraklion by Bus – Everything You Need to Know). And then after arriving in these cities, each is very easy to explore locally by foot.
However, as I finalized our itinerary and our potential activities, it became clear that we would be missing out on a lot without a car. Driving in Crete provides the most convenient method for accessing Crete’s best beaches, Crete’s beautiful countryside, Crete’s quaint mountain villages & hiking trails, and many of Crete’s ancient ruins.
While some of these top locations are accessible by public bus, many of them are not. Taxis can get you from place to place around the island, but it’s an expensive option. And you will not find Uber or any other ride sharing platform on Crete.
You can find plenty of tourist agencies offering transportation to some of the most popular spots around the island – as part of tour packages (such as those found on Viator). But tours can be significantly more expensive than simply renting a car and driving yourself.
Ultimately, I decided to rent a car for our Saturday and Sunday in Chania. Then I also decided to rent a car for our last two days in Heraklion and extending through our entire week in Agios Nikolaos.
And I’m so glad we ended up driving in Crete. It absolutely expanded our Cretan experience. It will undoubtedly expand yours too.
Renting a Car In Crete Isn’t Expensive
Regular readers know that we are frugal travelers and keep to a budget to help us afford our slow travels. That’s one reason we primarily depend on public transportation when we travel. However, renting a car in Crete is very affordable. It was not difficult to work those 11 days of driving in Crete into our budget.
Our rental costs averaged about $35 USD a day (including full comprehensive insurance and gas). I can’t remember the last time I spent that little on a car rental.
Obviously the cost would have been even less without the additional insurance. But as insurance prices skyrocket in the US, I prefer to decrease the risk to my own insurance if I can. And with the overall low car rental prices in Crete, it was a no-brainer for me.
Be Sure To Rent Local
But in order to get your very best price when renting a car in Crete, you’ll want to use a local rental company. As is typical elsewhere around the world, local car rental companies in Crete generally offer much better pricing than the on-airport car rental chains.
But even better, the two local companies I used for renting a car in Crete provided the best customer service that I’ve ever had when renting a car….anywhere.
We first used Go Car Rental in Chania. They have a small office near Chania’s central bus station. I found them using Google Reviews where their rating is 4.9 with over 2000 reviews. As an added bonus for us, they also happened to be the closest car rental company to our Airbnb. But they will bring your car and meet you at the airport too. And their online booking platform was convenient and easy to use.
Then in Heraklion we used Niki Cars. Their Google Rating is straight up 5.0 with nearly 400 reviews. I also reserved through their online platform. We picked up our car in central Heraklion (where the company also operates a public parking lot…very convenient). And then we dropped it off at the airport prior to our flight.
In both cases, the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. And there were absolutely no hassles or surprises whatsoever…not always the case with car rental companies.
You Should Also Rent Small
I cannot stress enough how important it is to rent small when renting a car in Crete. We rented a VW Polo in Chania and a Toyota Yaris in Heraklion (both with manual transmissions – though each company did have automatic options for a higher price). These are both considered Group B Medium Cars.
When driving in Crete, you will quickly discover that the roads are very narrow. Both in the cities and out in the countryside. I’ll show you a perfect example in the next section that illustrates why I was regularly grateful for my small car.
Plus, every time you try to park your car on the street or in a tight parking lot, you will be equally grateful for its small size.
Prior to arriving on the island, I did have two concerns about going smaller when renting a car in Crete. After all, as a typical American driver, I haven’t driven a small car at home in decades.
First of all, I’m fairly tall at 6’3″. And in the past, smaller cars have been a challenge for me. But I had no issues with head or leg room in either the Yaris or the Polo
Second, I thought we might struggle to fit our luggage into such a small car. But again, no issues whatsoever. In fact, all three pieces of our hard luggage fit inside the Yaris hatch (two carry-on size and one medium-sized piece)
Challenges of Driving in Crete
Overall, I didn’t think that driving in Crete was difficult. The main roads are in good condition and streets signs are clear. Plus, despite reports of crazy local drivers, I personally never came across any. (Ok…except a couple of times on the main highway when someone would tail me a little too close for comfort while I was trying to obey the speed limit).
That’s not to say we didn’t have the occasional challenge. But, these are expected anytime you are driving in an unfamiliar place…
Some GPS Confusion
We used Google Maps to direct us from place to place. And for the most part, it did a good job. However, as I recounted in my post on Searching for the Best Alhambra Viewpoints, Google Maps isn’t perfect. It will generally guide you along the quickest most-direct route…even if the quickest route involves back roads…including barely-used-anymore back roads. Which can definitely be a problem outside of Crete’s bigger population centers.
We ended up turning around a few times – in both the countryside and in small villages – after finding ourselves in tricky spots.
Plus sometimes there was a lack of clarity in terms of which road was the correct road when approaching various types of intersections. I become quite accustomed to turning back and trying again. (It was never hard to figure out when we took the wrong road – since Maps would recalibrate the directions.)
Despite these annoyances, we never found ourselves significantly lost. That’s certainly one of the great advantages of GPS. So be sure that you have cell coverage with data when driving in Crete. It would be very very easy to get lost without it, especially in the countryside.
Narrow Streets
I mentioned Crete’s narrow streets earlier. These were responsible for our other main driving challenge.
Here’s an example. One day while driving through the small mountaintop village of Kritsa, I was trying to get to one of the town’s public parking lots. Google Maps was guiding me through the town, but I mistakenly took the wrong street.
As I drove further down the street, a local held up his hand, and indicated that I would be unable to pass. Not only had I taken the wrong street, but I’d also missed this sign…
It meant that I could not pass through (at the very end, it narrowed even more). But I was near the end of the street before the local gentleman stopped me. So, I had to carefully….very carefully…reverse my way back to where I’d made the wrong turn. While plenty of tourists and locals watched. Just a little stress (OK a lot) at that moment.
Several other times while driving in Crete, we found ourselves on narrow streets that were passable, but just on the edge of my comfort zone.
So remember what I said earlier about opting for small when renting a car in Crete? I’ll say it again! Rent small!
Do You Need An International Driver’s Permit?
Is an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) required for driving in Crete? I personally found this to be a point of great confusion as I prepared for our trip. While EU residents can use their usual driver’s license, and while most travelers from other countries need an IDP, I struggled to find the definitive answer online for US residents prior to our trip.
Most sites suggested that according to a 2021 revision to Greek law, Americans can drive with their US driver’s license only – no International Driver’s Permit required. However, the US Embassy website recommends that American travelers carry both.
And so I did go to my local AAA (IDPs are only available through AAA in the US), and I did take an IDP with me.
However, when I rented our first car in Chania, I was told by the staff that I didn’t need an International Driver’s Permit in Crete, and so could have saved myself the hassle of getting one.
In my research for this post, I have confirmed with my rental company friends back in Crete that travelers from the US, Canada, and Australia are allowed to drive in Crete with their regular licenses.
What About Gas Stations?
Finally, a few words about buying gas when driving in Crete. I did experience a little bit of confusion with this. I’d read that most gas stations in Crete are not self-service….someone pumps your gas for you.
But both times I pulled into a gas station, no one immediately approached my gas tank. I waited for a few minutes each time. And both times I concluded that I’d pulled into the rare self-service station. So each time I ultimately got out of the car and started the process of pumping my own gas. And both times, someone immediately showed up and took over. And both times I felt like a foolish tourist.
So my advice….patience!
And yes, like most of Europe, gas in Crete is quite a bit more expensive than in the US. Another reason that it’s a good idea to rent a fuel efficient small car in Crete. Because we did, I ended up spending less on gas than I anticipated.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully now you see the value of renting a car in Crete when you visit. Driving in Crete gives you the opportunity to see all the amazing sites this island has to offer. Plus it won’t crush your budget, especially if you rent from a highly-rated local company. Just remember….rent small!
If you would like to read more advice about traveling in Crete, then check out these posts:
Heraklion or Chania – Which City In Crete is Better?
18 Great Things To Do In Chania
Eating At Ntounias: A One-of-a-Kind Food Experience in Crete
Kritsa Crete – 5 Things You Shouldn’t Miss When Visiting
And if you are thinking about island hopping around Greece, then you should check out this post.:
I would not have enjoyed driving on that narrow street where you got by accident:)). But you almost convinced me to try. Or, I might still wait for a navigator, as both driving and reading signs in foreign language is not my idea of relaxing. But, I agree – it’s great for couples! 🙂
Ah, the stress of doing the reverse of shame while dozens of onlookers mercilessly stare! Glad you made it out without a scratch!