Pick up in Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, Sitia or at your resort. Plan your own route around pink-sand beaches, gorges, wineries and Minoan palaces, with local partners, clear pricing and flexible payment.
Pick up in Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, Sitia or at your resort. Plan your own route around pink-sand beaches, gorges, wineries and Minoan palaces, with local partners, clear pricing and flexible payment.
Local prices, no surprises
Rates come straight from Cretan partners, with no airport mark-up and no extras added at the desk.
Island-wide delivery
We meet you at the airports (CHQ, HER), the ports, resorts, villas and villages well off the main road.
No credit card or deposit needed
With Premium Insurance you pay on arrival in cash or by debit or prepaid card, and nothing is held as a deposit.
Cover that matches the terrain
Protection for mountain roads, the gravel tracks down to the beaches and tight old-town parking.
A car for every route
Economy cars for the towns, SUVs for the mountain plateaus, automatics for easy hill starts and 7-seaters for families.
Skip the fixed tour schedule and plan your own day around the beaches, the ruins and the food.
A wide sandy beach with clear water, 45 min west of Chania by road. No boat needed.
Pink sand and shallow water. Come early if you want shade and a parking space.
Walk the Minoan palace, then see the finds themselves at the museum in town.
Set off before dawn. The walk ends at the Libyan Sea, and you come back by boat and bus.
Beaches, villages, wineries and mountains, strung into easy day routes.
60–90 min legs
Old towns, harbours and food stops along the VOAK. Add Knossos or the wineries near Heraklion if the day allows.
60–90 min from Heraklion
Caves above the beach, clear water and a short walk into the Agiofarago gorge.
20–40 min from Agios Nikolaos
A coastal drive with island views, a boat across to Spinalonga and seafood tavernas at the end of it.
45–70 min from Heraklion/Elounda
Windmills, cool plateau air, the Dictaean Cave and family-run tavernas.
Start early for the busy spots
Elafonissi and Preveli fill up fast. Arrive around sunrise and parking is easy.
Use the shoulder on the VOAK
Locals keep right so faster cars can pass. Do the same, and signal clearly when you overtake.
Park outside the old towns
The lanes in Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion are narrow. Leave the car in a public car park and walk in.
Carry cash for remote stops
Most places take cards, but small tavernas and kiosks on the south coast often prefer cash.
Mind the wind
On exposed coastal and mountain roads, slow down and leave more space than usual.
No tolls in Crete
Nothing to pay on the road, but budget the time: the scenic stretches are slow going.
Use the 'No Deposit' filter on our search page to see only cars with no security deposit. Each carries Premium Insurance (zero excess), so nothing is blocked on your card and no credit card is needed, or comes from a partner taking debit cards and cash. The price shown is what you pay at pick-up.
Yes, one-way drop-off works across almost all of Crete. Pick up at Chania Airport (CHQ) and return at Heraklion Airport (HER), or the other way round; Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia and the main ports also pair up. Choose different pick-up and drop-off points when you search to see every combination.
We cover the main entry points: Heraklion Airport (HER), Chania Airport (CHQ), Heraklion Port, Chania Port (Souda), Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos and Sitia, along with most hotels and villas on the island. Tell us your preferred pick-up point and your arrival details in the booking notes.
It is part motorway, part single carriageway. Keep right on the shoulder to let faster cars past, which is normal Cretan road etiquette. Slow down at night, in a strong Meltemi wind, and after rain, when the surface turns slippery. Chania to Heraklion end to end takes about 2 to 2.5 hours.
For Elafonissi, leave early: the road from Chania is paved but narrow and full of bends, and arriving before 09:00 means easy parking and no midday heat. For Preveli, use the upper car park and walk the marked trail down in proper shoes. Avoid mountain roads after dark; a compact car handles both.
A compact or economy car covers the north coast, town driving and the popular beaches. A small SUV is easier on the steep climbs to the Lassithi Plateau and the Asterousia. Either way, keep to asphalt — the car can go anywhere that is paved, and that covers every route on this page.
Three or four days covers the headline stops: Knossos, Elafonissi, Rethymno old town, Spinalonga and Chania. A week lets you add the south coast and Lassithi at a slower pace, with time for the quieter corners. With only two days, pick one region rather than crossing the island.
Yes, with a few things worth knowing. The north coast roads are well kept; in the mountains and the south they narrow and wind. Goats and sheep wander onto them, so keep your speed down through villages and avoid rural roads after midnight. An automatic eases hill driving if you are new to it.
Book in a few minutes, choose your insurance, and collect the car where you land or where you are staying.
