Sailing Crete

Season : May to OctoberLevel : IntermediateWind : Meltemi N, strong north coast, softer south

Crete is the only Greek island where part of the coastline still cannot be reached by road. Between Palaiochora and Cape Sideros, whole villages — Loutro, Agia Roumeli — get their supplies by boat. That is what keeps bringing us back: anchoring off a beach with no road behind it is a privilege even the Cyclades no longer offer.

Here, the mountains dictate the sailing. On the north coast the meltemi hits unobstructed, 20–30 knots for days on end in midsummer; on the south, the Lefka Ori break it down to 5–15 knots. Our rule after sailing here: build the route along the south coast, and round the capes early — before 9 am, while the wind is still asleep.

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Route

The itineraries — Crete

Weekend

Option 1 — Heraklion › Bali › Rethymno, round trip

Three days on the north coast out of Heraklion: the sheltered bay of Bali, Rethymno's Venetian old town, and a 45-mile return leg best handled with a dawn start. One for windows of reasonable meltemi.

Day	Leg	Distance	Highlights
Day 1	Heraklion › Bali	25 nm	A bay well sheltered from the meltemi, anchor off the village.
Day 2	Bali › Rethymno	20 nm	Quay in the old Venetian harbour, ramparts and tavernas.
Day 3	Rethymno › Heraklion	45 nm	The long leg: leave at dawn, before the meltemi wakes up.

7 days

Option 2 — The wild west coast from Chania

Our favourite loop on the island, roughly 147 miles: the beaches of Gramvousa and Phalasarna, then the meltemi-sheltered south coast — Palaiochora, Sougia, the mouth of the Samaria Gorge and Loutro, the village with no road.

Day	Leg	Distance	Highlights
Days 1–2	Chania › Kissamos › Phalasarna	32 nm	The Gramvousa beaches, then the great wild beach of Phalasarna.
Days 3–5	Phalasarna › Palaiochora › Sougia › Agia Roumeli	65 nm	Over to the south coast: calm anchorages while the north takes the meltemi, and the mouth of the Samaria Gorge.
Days 6–7	Agia Roumeli › Loutro › Chania	50 nm	A night at Loutro, reachable only by sea, then home — round the cape early in the morning.

When to go

When to go — Crete

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Advice from sailors

Guides & articles — Crete

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Frequently asked questions

What level do you need to sail Crete?

The north coast asks for crews comfortable in 20–25 knots: the meltemi hits it head-on and builds a real sea. The south coast, shielded by the mountains, stays within reach of an intermediate crew — but shelters are spread out, sometimes 25–30 miles apart, so plan every leg with the day's forecast.

North coast or south coast?

In midsummer, the south coast without hesitation: while the north takes 20–30 knots, the mountains cut the wind to 5–15 knots on the south side. It is also the coast of the roadless villages, Loutro and Agia Roumeli first among them. Beware Cape Matala and Cape Sideros, meltemi acceleration zones: round them early in the morning, in light wind.

When is the best time to sail Crete?

May to October, with the sweet spot from June to September. Outside July–August the meltemi eases and the north coast becomes pleasant again. For bases: Chania for the west and south coasts, Heraklion for the centre and east — both have direct flights in season.