Rhodes or Crete: which is better to choose for a holiday in 2019?

Hospitable culture, preserved history, delicious food and beautiful sea – for this, the tourists go to Greece. Because on the islands – Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos – beach vacation, you want, you do not want, but always combined with excursion. About the first two, as the most popular, and will be discussed.

So, we start to find out: Rhodes or Crete – which is better? But before Here are some indisputable facts:

• Crete – the most visited island of Greece and almost 6 times more Rhodes
• In Greece last year, 950,000 Russians rested, of which 600 thousands have chosen Crete

Content

1. Where is the tour cheaper?
2. How much to fly, and then get there?
3. Weather
4. Food prices
5. Resorts
6. What is fun?
7. Children’s holiday
8. Beaches and the sea
9. Transport and car rental
10. Hotels and all inclusive
11. What are we choosing?

Tours to Greece – where to look and how much?

To fly to the islands, you will need a Greek visa (Schengen). It costs 35-50 euros, depending on the place of filing. Suitable and Schengen Any other country – the main thing that would be valid and skated.

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

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

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

They collect offers from all leading tour operators directly, conveniently ranked in ascending order of price (and therefore, burning permits will be displayed first) and pull up the reviews of tourists about hotels from the most trusted resource.

Where is cheaper – in Crete or Rhodes? The price of trips is almost not different, the minimum tours and there, and there cost from 42 000 rubles in high season for two. We give a comparative table (departure from Moscow):

The initial cost of the trip in July for 7 nights, two adults:

Flight and transfer to resorts

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

Do not like the phrase “go tour”? Then go to Skyscanner or Aviasales – for cheap air tickets (from 14 000 rubles round trip one).

Rhodes.

Flight time from Moscow ≈ 4 hours. Diagoras Airport is located on the west coast 14 km from the capital – the city of Rhodes. By virtue of compactness of the island shuttle bus will take, on average, about hour and a half. The longest ride to Lindos is approximately 2 hours.

Crete.

The flight from Moscow takes about 4.5 hours. Crete has two international airport – Heraklion and Chania, but charters from tour operators fly only at first. Add here significant distances and numerous resorts, and the travel time of a tourist from The airport is very different:

• to the city of Heraklion and the near 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 for the construction of a new large Airport – in the city of Kisamos.

How to get to your resort by yourself?

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

✓ Bus. Price to the center of Rhodes – € 2,5. From there we get with by RODA within the city and to the west – to Kolymbia € 8, further only Lindos. The price to the center of Heraklion is € 2, the carrier is Crete – K.T.E.L.

✓ Individual transfer KiwiTaxi. The most comfortable that can be for a family or company of 3-4 people. Profitable and Crete, and on Rhodes, and we tested in Athens.

Where is warmer: Rhodes or Crete?

On Rhodes we went on an excursion to the island of Symi.

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

But still, where is warmer: in Crete or Rhodes? Let and slightly, the weather in Rhodes wins: air and water temperatures are a degree or two higher. It is located east and less prone to storms than Crete. Strong winds characteristic of both resorts. In the heat of summer, they are refreshing, but make waves.

We were in Greece on Rhodes in early June, and already stood 30 degree heat. The wind, of course, very much saved – to run to the room, to hide under the air conditioner did not want to. By the way, at night we slept just with the window open (and it would be fine if it weren’t for mosquitoes).

High season on the islands – from June to October. Until the end of October, you can continue to swim: the sea is still warm, + 23 ° C, but the weather becomes changeable. Winter Rhodes and Crete suffer from heavy showers, even to flooding, and from sandy storms from the Sahara. In the spring of their – precipitation – all less, a maximum of 3 days in April Well, in May Greece is one of the most popular destinations. for holidays.

Weather by Month

Comparison: air and water temperature, ° C

According to the tradition of any summer resort, at the beginning of the season (in May) and in late (in October) prices for key components of the rest – tours, tickets, hotels – below.

Хочу проверить >>

Rhodes and Crete prices for food

Be sure to find a good tavern and try Greek salad and gyros in pita

What is cheaper – Crete or Rhodes? Argued that Crete is a bit budget According to the omniscient internet, food prices in cafes and restaurants in Crete are lower by 12% than in Rhodes, and for food products – by 15.5%. But since we – like you – these percentages do not give anything, Let’s compare different positions / services in business!

Catch a selection of institutions in Rhodes that captured our stomach and memories:

✓ Tsambikos Original Rodian Cuisine (Tsambika)

✓ Hermes Greek Grill House (Rhodes)

✓ Nikos (Kolymbia)

✓ Mousikorama (Faliraki)

Where is cheaper to rest in Greece?

As you can see, there is not much difference, but if you save a couple of euros important, Crete is a bit cheaper. Plus, the amount Guesthouse-apartment hotels, again, more on Crete. However, on the island you can find both economy and very expensive options.

This is what the streets look like in Crete / Lindos area

Resorts

Even having decided on a choice, Crete or Rhodes, the question “is much better go? “until the end is not close. Each will be typed with a dozen resorts – without a “reminder” is indispensable.

• Rhodes

  • Rhodes – the capital with a nice old town, fortress and port. Here you can buy everything: Simka and Cosmos from Rihanna in Sefore. And sail to Turkey / Crete / Kos on the ferry. In short, everything roads lead to rhodes. The beaches here are pebbly and the sea is Aegean. (more restless, but just as warm).
  • Faliraki – resort-tusa. Forever downtrodden embankment, wide and long sandy beach, a lot of cafes, hotels and young-carefree-muffling at night.
  • Kolymbia is our resort. I mean, we are there rested, and the village itself is more Polish contingent. Or German In fact, one main street is an alley framed tall eucalyptus trees. Cafes, shops and even a supermarket are attached. Beach – gray under-sand under-pebbles, sea purest.
  • Lindos is like Santorini on a minimum salary. High hill, on it crystal white buildings, picturesque cliffs and species. There were a lot of descents, both to the city and to the beach – it was hard in the heat. The beach is golden sandy, with a smooth entry into the water, really liked.

  Continuing the walk through Lindos / Eucalyptus Grove in Kolymbia (near our hotel Loutanis)

  Crete

  Here, in brief, because on Crete we were not. Pulled out friends of all that could

  • Chania and Agios Nikolaos – the most beautiful cities in Crete. Getting to Chania is further and more difficult; Agios Nikolaos closer, the resort is loved by families with children.
  • Heraklion and his whole tourist zone (plus Hersonissos) – the capital. Most likely the cheapest tour leads here, because tourists to failure. But 10-15 km from the airport.
  • Rethymno – something similar to the city of Rhodes, too the old fortress itself is large and developed.
  • Bali is a small fishing village with cafes and taverns, it stands out except that the name, a good sandy beach and location in the bay (which means – there are no waves and warms up faster water).

  

A series of comparisons: Greece or … Turkey? >>

Excursions and attractions

Where better to go – on Crete or Rhodes, if you want to see how can be more interesting? Natural and historical attractions richer first island, although the second will not be bored. Judging from personal experience, for 7 days of Rhodes enough

On a note:

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

Entertainment in Rhodes

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

• Excursion from Rhodes by ferry to the island of Symi. AT an hour’s journey, first sails to 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. On the first part, we regretted the second impressions smoothed instagramme colorful houses (half abandoned) and huge (and expensive) shrimp in the cafe.
• Price: € 23-30 per person if you buy tickets on your own the port. Excursion with transfer from the hotel – € 50 (ferry) or € 80 (fast boat).
• Ferry to Turkey – in Marmaris. We did not dare but the cost is learned: a ticket in the port is € 75 per person.
• Kiss the two seas. The place where they meet Aegean and Mediterranean. Between them is a wide beach, crap rubbish … From the city of Rhodes you can take a bus for € 10.5. But It is worth going, at least for ↓
• Kiting and windsurfing on Prasonisi. For first: € 30 rental equipment for an hour (the next ten euro), € 50 lesson. For the second: € 40 for 2 hours with an instructor.
• Lookout on Mount Tsambika with a chapel. Picturesque, but to enter by car complicated, steep climb. Then getting up already on his feet is also not easy.
• Lindos Antique city of snow-white color, where is the second most important and largest Acropolis in Greece. Entrance – € 10, from Rhodes by bus – € 5.5.

Our friends went to the butterfly garden and seven sources – delight not caused.

Entertainment in Crete

• Antique sights on Crete: Knossos Palace, the labyrinth of the Minotaur, the Museum of Agios Nikolaos.
• Travel by ferry to Santorini. Beaches Islands are known for diversity: they have black (volcanic), red, white sand. On the way from 2 to 6 hours. Price – from € 70.
• The medieval city of the Venetian era Rethymnon. Price from Heraklion by bus – € 8.3.
• A visit to the gorges, for example, the Samaritan – the largest in Europe.
• From the monasteries of our tourists, first turn, Preveli and the monastery of St. George are interested.

Which is better – Rhodes or Crete? Vacation with children

Rhodes has many pebble beaches, but you get used to them and find a lot of advantages in this?

Families, relaxing with a child, are important to smooth descent into the sea, lack of waves and clean shore. Crete or Rhodes – where is better with children according to these criteria?

Rhodes.

Warmer and calmer sea on the southeastern beaches of Rhodes, they are like sandy times – Tsambika, Lindos. It is full of kids with parents but on the rest of the small pebble beaches they were enough. They say that Rhodes is better than Crete, for allergic people – it is less flowering.

Good kids hotels:

✓ 4 * Lindos Princess Beach Hotel

✓ 4 * Esperides Beach Family Resort

✓ 4 * Eden Roc Resort Hotel

Crete.

If a holiday with children is scheduled for Crete, you can stay in Bali village, where there are three bays, sand, shallow and no waves. Agios Nikolaos will also come up; family tourists point out that there more interesting.

Best hotels for children:

✓ 5 * Pilot Beach Resort

✓ 5 * Creta Maris Beach Resort

It makes no sense to understand for a long time and in detail, because we have written article about holidays in Greece with children. We advise you to read if it is your topic

Where is rest safer?

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

Unlike Turkey, where the principle of “everything is the territory of the hotel “, Greece has to” out-of-hotel “vacation because of its hospitality and safety. What is different holiday in Greece is the fact that the crime rate on the islands is low. There are practically no migrants in Rhodes and Crete – they pass through Lesbos and Kos Islands.

It is necessary to fear the living creatures – sea urchins and snakes, especially on Crete. If you meet a snake is not so easy, then the probability in literally run into a hedgehog great. Wear a special bathing shoes.

Beaches and the sea

Beaches on Crete and Rhodes (lookout on Mount Tsambika)

Crete.

Beach holidays on Crete 24/7 – a rather dubious idea. Blown strong winds, and the sea – huge waves, especially in the northern open beaches: Malia, Anissaras, Heraklion.

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

From the beautiful beaches for photos you can select Balos – with white sand, and Elafonisi – with pink (yes-yes).

Rhodes.

In Rhodes, typical sandy beaches must be sought. Basically, they gray because sand is 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 mastered by tourists, everyone is resting on the Mediterranean. Bathe on Faliraki, where the sand and a lot of fun. Also good:

• bay with clear water Kalithea
• wide and long beach Stegna
• golden and sandy Lindos and Tsambika
• and sooo beautiful and rocky bay Anthony Quinn, where you can snark

The beaches in Greece are municipal, you can come with your towel. Set “umbrella and lounger” and in Rhodes, and Crete will cost 10 euros.

Transport and infrastructure

We were not able to ride the bus, because we rented 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 regularly run along the coast between the largest cities: Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. From them you can also get into South Crete villages.

Prices: Chania-Rethymnon – € 6.8, Heraklion-Chania – € 15.1.

Rhodes.

On Rhodes within the capital of the island and on the west coast RODA company works. To the beaches of the east coast you can get on buses K.T.E.L. Rhodes.

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

Rent a Car

A very popular activity in Rhodes and Crete. Just as unpopular excursions. Well, really, why take an 8-hour trip with a guide for 100 euros for two when you can for these same hundred euros to rent a car for 3 full days (it’s also from taking into account gasoline)?

If you now willfully sigh, “well, I’m alone / alone / not able drive “, calm – we are from the same, without experience. Therefore, in advance in the omnipotent Internet found those with rights and would not mind split rent.

Because the trip to the rental office was entrusted to our fellow travelers, and they are not strong in English, we did not understand whether or not insurance auto. Volkswagen Up! on the handle came to us at € 125 – i.e. € 25 per day – and 5 days of exaggerated accuracy, especially on narrow roads Rhodes.

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

Hotels: where is the best all inclusive in Greece?

Hotel in Crete and Hotel in Rhodes (Loutanis)

Remember that tours should look at Travelata? But hotels for self-travel – on Booking or RoomGuru.

We consider it necessary to warn: in the Greek hotels at all has its own specificity. Even in 4-5 stars there can be paid safes and bad Wi-Fi (or even for money, 2 euros per day), food – exactly 3 times a day on schedule, and from alcohol – wine and beer than”.

Guest reviews say that after Turkey and all-inclusive resorts in Greece, this option will not please. In terms of food, it is not so, after all, in good Greek hotels they serve amazing national dishes, there is a SPA, animation, water activities, breakwaters. The resorts and service themselves are much better and accordingly, more expensive. They lack only the service for children – a huge hotel with a kids club, slides and a variety of animations almost not found.

Because of the scale in Crete, the choice of hotels on the system all inclusive more, including the level of 5 stars. According to the distance between the island also wins. If you need animation in Russian – again Crete: all inclusive in Rhodes is more focused on Europeans.

For approval: 10 best countries for recreation for all включено >>

What to choose – Rhodes or Crete? Results

Landscapes on the islands are very similar (photo taken on the right departure from the old city of Rhodes)

Rhodes or Crete in 2019 – what to choose, you decide. And to help – a list of pros and cons, compiled from the reviews of tourists and our personal experience after the trip in june.

Pros of Rhodes and Crete

Cons of Rhodes and Crete

It seems to be dismantled everything. In fact, is it important, Rhodes or Crete, if for Greece the 2018th year was a record in the history of tourism – she took 33 million foreigners? Let’s join establishing a new one at this! ?