Collect your car at Sitia port or in town, then take your time over Vai, Xerokambos, Zakros gorge and the coves in between, with no bus timetable to work around. Local partners, clear prices and flexible payment.
Collect your car at Sitia port or in town, then take your time over Vai, Xerokambos, Zakros gorge and the coves in between, with no bus timetable to work around. Local partners, clear prices and flexible payment.
Local rates, no surprises
Prices come straight from our East Crete partners, with nothing added at the desk.
Flexible delivery
Port, airport, hotel or villa — you pick where to take the keys.
No credit card or deposit required
With Premium Insurance you can pay by cash, debit or prepaid card and leave no deposit behind.
Insurance for remote roads
Cover that suits narrow coastal roads, gravel pull-offs and tight village parking.
A car for every road
Economy cars for town, an SUV for the gorge roads and the coast, automatics if you would rather not change gear.
Palm beaches, monasteries and gorges, all at your own pace.
A real palm forest behind a turquoise bay. Come early for parking and shade.
Historic monastery just inland from Vai, with wine and olive oil tastings.
A shaded walk down to a waterfall. Bring water and shoes with grip.
Quiet beaches and Minoan ruins right at the eastern end of the island.
Quiet roads, sea views, gorges and villages.
Half-day loop
Swim at the palm forest, taste wine at the monastery, then back to Sitia for dinner on the harbour.
70–90 min one way
See the Minoan palace at Kato Zakros, then swim in the clear, uncrowded bays at Xerokambos.
20–30 min one way
A morning walk in the shade to the waterfall, and a swim at the small beach where the gorge comes out.
35–45 min one way
Seafood lunch by the water, a look round the craft shops, then an easy drive back to Sitia.
Start early for Vai
Arrive before 10:00 for easier parking and softer sun. Take water and a hat.
Watch the wind on coastal roads
East Crete gets gusty. Slow down on exposed bends.
Fuel and cash
Petrol stations and ATMs thin out towards Zakros and Xerokambos, so fill up and keep some cash on you.
Respect village speed limits
Coastal villages have narrow lanes with people walking in them. Drop to the local limit.
Footwear for gorges
Richtis and Zakros are rocky underfoot. Wear shoes with grip and carry water.
No tolls, but plan the time
The routes are free, though the scenic stretches are slow. Allow for that.
Use the No Deposit filter on the search results page and you will only see cars that need neither a credit card nor a deposit. Sitia partners offer this all year, particularly with Premium Insurance.
Yes. Sitia is on Crete, so you can leave the car almost anywhere on the island — Heraklion (HER), Chania (CHQ), Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos and most other Cretan towns are all options. Just enter the drop-off point you want when you book.
Sitia port, the small Sitia airport (JSH), your hotel, or any address you like in the East Crete area. Add the pick-up point you want when you book.
An economy or compact car is fine for the north coast road and around town. For the Zakros or Richtis gorges a small SUV buys useful ground clearance. The last stretches to Kato Zakros and Xerokambos are unpaved: park where the asphalt ends and walk the final minutes — the car stays on the tarmac.
Vai Beach is 25–30 minutes away, Toplou Monastery 20–25 and Richtis Gorge 20–30. Kato Zakros and Xerokambos take 75–90 minutes, Agios Nikolaos 60–75, and Heraklion around 2–2.5 hours along the north coast road.
Yes. Fill up in Sitia before you head south or east, because there are no fuel stations between Sitia and Kato Zakros or Xerokambos. The same goes for cash: take out what you need in Sitia, as there are no ATMs at the far eastern end of the island.
Yes — the main north coast road is well maintained and easy going. The mountain roads to the gorges are narrow with passing places, so go slowly, sound your horn at blind corners and never drive a gorge road after dark. Keep to asphalt: the car goes anywhere that is paved, and that covers every route on this page.
Two days covers the essentials: Vai, Toplou, Richtis Gorge and an afternoon in Sitia itself. Add a third for Kato Zakros, Xerokambos and Mochlos, which sit far enough east that rushing them spoils the day. If you also want Agios Nikolaos, Elounda or Heraklion, give yourself four days or more.
Book in a few minutes, pick the insurance that suits you and collect the car where you are staying.
