Rhodes or Crete: what is the best choice for a vacation in 2021?

Greece at gunpoint: Crete or Rhodes? We consider the islands in all respects - from flight time to the number of all-inclusive hotels. Backed up by personal experience.

A hospitable culture, preserved history, delicious food and a beautiful sea - for this, tourists travel to Greece. Therefore, on the islands - Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos - a beach vacation, like it or not, but always combined with an excursion. The first two, as the most popular, will be discussed.

So, we begin to find out: Rhodes or Crete - which is better? But first, here are some indisputable facts:

• Crete is the most visited island in Greece and is almost 6 times the size of Rhodes
• 950,000 Russians vacationed in Greece last year, of which 600,000 chose Crete

Tours to Greece - where to look and how much does it cost?

To fly to the islands, you need a Greek visa (Schengen). It costs 35-50 euros, depending on the place of delivery. Schengen of any other country is also suitable - the main thing is that it is valid and rolled back.

The convenience of departure is our everything. In 2018, we took a tour to Rhodes with a direct flight from Kazan, but in 2019, alas, such charters were not approved. Now we fly from Moscow. From Kazan, it remains to be content with only Crete.

To find out how the situation is with the city in / near which you live, and how much to expect a vacation, take a look at the tour aggregators:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

They collect offers from all leading tour operators directly, conveniently rank in ascending order of price (which means that last minute deals will be displayed first) and pull up reviews of tourists about hotels from the most trusted resource.

Where is it cheaper - in Crete or Rhodes? The price of the vouchers is almost the same, the minimum tours there and there cost from 42,000 rubles in the high season for two. Here is a comparative table (departure from Moscow):

Starting price of the package in July for 7 nights, two adults:

Flight and transfer to resorts

Airport transfers around the island are usually performed
such buses from the tour operator

Do you dislike the phrase "go on tour"? Then you can go to Skyscanner or Aviasales for inexpensive air tickets (from 14,000 rubles round trip for one).

Rhodes.

Flight time from Moscow ≈ 4 hours. Diagoras Airport is located on the western coast, 14 km from the capital city of Rhodes. Due to the compactness of the island, a bus transfer will take, on average, about an hour and a half. The longest drive to Lindos is about 2 hours.

Crete.

The flight from Moscow lasts ≈ 4.5 hours. Crete has two international airports - Heraklion and Chania, but charters from tour operators fly only to the first. Add here considerable distances and numerous resorts, and the travel time of a tourist from the airport varies greatly:

• to the city of Heraklion and the nearest tourist zone - 30-60 minutes
• to Agios Nikolaos - 1.5 hours
• to Rethymno - 2 hours
• to Chania - 3 hours or more

Interesting: Crete is preparing to build a new large airport - in the city of Kissamos.

How to get to your resort on your own?

✓ Taxi at the airport. In Rhodes, prices are fixed: to the capital € 25, to Faliraki € 30, to Lindos € 75. In Crete, you can use services such as CreteCab. Taxi from the airport to Chania - about € 130.

✓ Bus. The price to the center of Rhodes is € 2.5. From there we get with the RODA company within the city and to the west - to Kolimbia € 8, then only Lindos. Price to the center of Heraklion - € 2, carrier in Crete - K.T.E.L.

✓ Private KiwiTaxi transfer. The most comfortable thing that can be for a family or a company of 3-4 people. It is profitable both in Crete and Rhodes, and we tested in Athens.

Where is it warmer: Rhodes or Crete?

In Rhodes, we went on an excursion to the island of Symi

Where is the best climate? It is similar: soft, Mediterranean, below + 10 ° C on the thermometer is rare even in winter, be it Rhodes or Crete. However, in Crete, due to its large size, the weather is slightly different in different parts of the island.

But still, where is it warmer: Crete or Rhodes? Albeit insignificantly Rhodes weather wins: the temperature of the air and water is two degrees higher. It is located to the east and is less prone to storms than Crete. Strong winds are typical for both resorts. In summer, during the heat, they are refreshing, but they raise the waves.

We were in Greece in Rhodes in early June, and it was already a 30-degree heat. The wind, of course, was very helpful - I didn't want to run to the room to hide under the air conditioner. By the way, at night we just slept with the window open (and it would be great if not for the mosquitoes).

High season on the islands - from June to October. You can continue swimming until the end of October: the sea is still warm, + 23 ° C, but the weather is changing. In winter, Rhodes and Crete suffer from heavy rainfall, up to flooding, and sandstorms from the Sahara. In the spring, their precipitation is less and less, a maximum of 3 days in April. Well, in May, Greece is one of the most popular vacation destinations.

Monthly weather

Comparison: air and water temperature, ° C

According to the tradition of any summer resort, at the beginning of the season (in May) and at the end (in October) the prices for the key components of the holiday - tours, tickets, hotels - are lower.

Food prices in Rhodes and Crete

Definitely worth finding a good tavern and trying
Greek salad and gyros in pita

Which is cheaper - Crete or Rhodes? It is believed that Crete is a little more budgetary. According to the all-knowing internet, the prices for food in cafes and restaurants in Crete are 12% lower than in Rhodes, and for groceries - by 15.5%. But since we - as well as you - do not get anything from these percentages, let's compare different positions / services in business!

Catch a selection of establishments in Rhodesthat captured our stomachs and memories:

✓ Taverna Tsambikos

✓ Hermes Greek Grill House (Rhodes)

✓ Nikos (Kolimbia)

✓ Mousikorama (Faliraki)

Where is cheaper to relax in Greece?

As you can see, there is not much difference, but if saving a couple of euros is essential, then in Crete it is a little cheaper. Plus, the number of hotels-guesthouses-apartments is again higher in Crete. However, on the island you can find both economy and very expensive options.

This is how the streets look in Crete / And this is what we are walking in Rhodes in the Lindos area

Resorts

Even having decided on the choice, Crete or Rhodes, the question "where is it better to go?" do not close completely. Each will have a dozen resorts - you can't do without a "memo".

Excursions and attractions

Where is it better to go - to Crete or Rhodes, if you want to see as much interesting things as possible? The first island is richer in natural and historical sights, although the second one will not be bored either. Judging by personal experience, Rhodes is enough for 7 days :)

On a note:

• Bus tour in Rhodes - 50-55 euros
• Bus tour in Crete (for example, to the Libyan Sea or to Aptera) - 60-65 euros
• Atypical excursions from local Russian-speaking residents are collected on Tripster

Entertainment in Rhodes

Walk in the capital of the island of Rhodes / View from the top of the island of Symi (excursion from Rhodes)

• Excursion from Rhodes by ferry to the island of Symi... It takes an hour on the way, first arrives at the Panormitis monastery in the south, stop for an hour, then north to the town of Symi itself, stop for 3 hours, return to Rhodes. We regretted the first part, the second impression was smoothed out by the instagram colorful houses (half abandoned) and huge (and expensive) shrimps in the cafe.
• Price: € 23-30 per person if you buy tickets yourself at the port. Excursion with transfer from the hotel - € 50 (ferry) or € 80 (fast boat).
• Ferry to Turkey - to Marmaris... We did not risk it, but we found out the cost: a ticket at the port is € 75 per person.
• Kiss of the two seas. The place where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet. Between them is a wide beach, polluted with rubbish ... From the city of Rhodes, you can take a bus by bus for € 10.5. But it's worth a trip, at least for ↓
• Kitesurfing and windsurfing on Prasonisi. For the first: € 30 rental of equipment per hour (the next ten euros), € 50 lesson. For the second: € 40 for 2 hours with an instructor.
• Lookout on Mount Tsambika with a chapel. Picturesque, but difficult to enter by car, steep climb. Then the rise is already on your feet, it is also not easy.
• Lindos. The ancient city of snow-white color, where the second largest and most important Acropolis in Greece is located. Entrance - € 10, from Rhodes by bus - € 5.5.

Our friends went to the butterfly garden and seven springs - they did not cause delight.

Entertainment in Crete

• Antique landmarks in Crete: the Palace of Knossos, the labyrinth of the Minotaur, the museum of Agios Nikolaos.
• Ferry travel in Santorini... The beaches of the island are known for their diversity: they have black (volcanic), red, white sand. On the way from 2 to 6 hours. Price - from € 70.
• Medieval city of the Venetian era Rethymno... The price from Heraklion by bus is € 8.3.
• Visiting the gorges, for example, Samaria - the largest in Europe.
• From monasteries our tourists are primarily interested in Preveli and the monastery of St. George.

Which is better - Rhodes or Crete? Vacation with children

There are many pebbly beaches in Rhodes, but you get used to them
and you find many advantages in this 🙂

Families vacationing with a child need a smooth descent into the sea, the absence of waves and a clean coast. Crete or Rhodes - where is the best with children according to these criteria?

Rhodes.

The sea is warmer and calmer on the southeastern beaches of Rhodes, they are just sandy - Tsambika, Lindos. There are a lot of children with their parents here, but there were enough of them on the other small-pebble beaches. They say that Rhodes is better than Crete, for allergy sufferers - it is less blooming.

Good kids' hotels:

✓ 4 * Lindos Princess Beach Hotel

✓ 4 * Esperides Beach Family Resort

✓ 4 * Eden Roc Resort Hotel

Crete.

If a vacation with children is planned in Crete, you can stay in the village of Bali, where there are three bays, sand, shallow and no waves. Agios Nikolaos is also suitable, family tourists note that it is more interesting there.

Best hotels for kids:

✓ 5 * Pilot Beach Resort

✓ 5 * Creta Maris Beach Resort

Where is vacation safer?

With peace of mind, you can go to Crete and Rhodes: Greece is generally recognized as one of the safest travel destinations.

In contrast to the same Turkey, where the principle “everything is on the territory of the hotel”, Greece has a “non-hotel” vacation because of its hospitality and safety. What makes a vacation in Greece different is that the crime rate on the islands is low. There are practically no migrants in Rhodes and Crete - they pass through the islands of Lesvos and Kos.

One should beware of living creatures - sea urchins and snakes, especially in Crete. If meeting a snake is not so easy, then the likelihood of literally running into a hedgehog is great. Wear special swimming shoes.

Beaches and sea

Beaches in Crete and Rhodes (viewpoint on Mount Tsambika)

Crete.

Beach vacation in Crete 24/7 is a rather dubious undertaking. Strong winds blow, and huge waves on the sea, especially on the northern open beaches: Malia, Anissaras, Heraklion.

Better to choose a hotel with a breakwater or in a bay. For example, in Chania, where sandy beaches and a gentle entrance to the water. But the calmest sea is in Mirabello Bay. The beaches of Crete, such as Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, Bali, are also closed from the wind.

Of the beautiful beaches for photos, one can single out Balos - with white sand, and Elafonisi - with pink (yes).

Rhodes.

In Rhodes, the typical sandy beaches are to be found. Mostly they are gray because lies sand mixed with small pebbles.

The island is washed by two seas - the Mediterranean (south) and the Aegean (north), but the part adjacent to the second is not explored by tourists, everyone is resting in the Mediterranean. Swim in Faliraki, where there is sand and lots of fun. Also good:

• bay with clear water of Kallithea
• wide and long Stegna beach
• golden and sandy Lindos and Tsambika
• and the sooo beautiful and rocky Anthony Queen Cove, where you can snorkel

The beaches in Greece are municipal, you can come with your own towel. An umbrella and sunbed set both in Rhodes and Crete will cost 10 euros.

Transport and infrastructure

We didn’t have a chance to travel by bus, as we rented a Volkswagen Up!
- cost 25 euros / day

Crete.

Public transport in Crete is represented by K.T.E.L. The infrastructure is much more developed in the north. Buses run regularly along the coast between the largest cities: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. From them you can also get to the villages of South Crete.

Rates: Chania-Rethymno - € 6.8, Heraklion-Chania - € 15.1.

Rhodes.

RODA operates in Rhodes within the capital of the island and on the west coast. The beaches of the east coast can be reached by K.T.E.L. buses. Rhodes.

Rates: Rhodes-Lindos - € 5.5, Rhodes-Faliraki - € 2.4, Rhodes-Prasonisi - € 10.4.

Rent a Car

A very popular activity both in Rhodes and Crete. As much as the excursions are unpopular. Well, really, why take an 8-hour trip with a guide for 100 euros for two, when you can rent a car for those very hundred euros for 3 full days (this also includes gasoline)?

If you now sigh doomedly "well, I am alone / alone / cannot drive", calmness - we are from the same, without experience. Therefore, in advance, in the almighty Internet, we found those with rights and would not mind sharing the lease.

Because the trip to the rental office was entrusted to our fellow travelers, and they are not strong in English, we still did not understand whether the car was insured. Volkswagen Up! on the handle came out to us at € 125 - i.e. € 25 a day - and 5 days of hypertrophied accuracy, especially on the narrow roads of Rhodes.

The bottom line is that on RentalCars you can take Up! for € 20 / day and exactly with basic insurance. Now we know :)

Hotels: where is the best all inclusive system in Greece?

Hotel in Crete and hotel in Rhodes (Loutanis)

Remember what tours are worth looking for on Travelata? But hotels for independent travel - on Booking or RoomGuru.

We consider it necessary to warn you: all Greek hotels have their own specifics. Even in 4-5 stars there can be paid safes and bad wi-fi (or even for money, at 2 euros per day), food - exactly 3 times a day on schedule, and alcohol - wine and beer how".

Reviews of tourists say that after Turkey and "all inclusive" in resorts in Greece, this option will not please. In terms of food, this is not the case, because good Greek hotels serve amazing national dishes, there is SPA, animation, water activities, breakwaters. The resorts themselves and service are much better and, accordingly, more expensive. All they lack is the service for children - a huge hotel with a kids club, slides and various animations is almost impossible to find.

Due to the scale in Crete, the choice of hotels under the all inclusive system is greater, including the level of 5 stars. In terms of the distance between them, the island also wins. If you need animation in Russian - again, Crete: all inclusive in Rhodes is more focused on Europeans.

Which one to choose - Rhodes or Crete? Outcomes

The landscapes on the islands are very similar
(photo on the right was taken at the exit from the old town of Rhodes)

Rhodes or Crete in 2021 - it's up to you what to choose. And to help - a list of pros and cons, compiled according to reviews of tourists and our personal experience after a trip in June.

Pros of Rhodes and Crete

Cons of Rhodes and Crete

It seems that they have sorted everything out. In fact, is it really that important, Rhodes or Crete, if for Greece 2018 became a record year in the history of tourism - it hosted 33 million foreigners? Let's join the establishment of the new in this! 🙂