Numo Ierapetra Beach Resort

Worth getting out of bed for

Chrissi island (‘golden’ in Greek) is an uninhabited isle a 15-minute boat ride off the coast of Ierapetra that more than lives up to its name, and an ideal day trip for scuba diving, watersports, and clothing-optional pursuits (there’s a nudist beach on the north coast). Water babies will love Ierapetra Diving Centre, a diving centre offering courses and dives to southern Crete’s most photogenic sites, including a WWII shipwreck, a beginner-friendly reef, and Agia Fotia island for cave diving. For nature lovers, there’s mountain horse riding, fishing, jeep safaris and hiking – especially spectacular in the spring, when the waterfalls and gorges are at their best (Sarakina Gorge canyon is particularly impressive and the endless green pines of Selakano forest valley provide a welcome shaded canopy for weary trekkers). Beach hoppers shouldn’t miss Agia Fotia, Koutsounari and Ferma.

A tad further afield is Crete’s blockbuster Minoan Palace of Knossos, where aspiring archeologists can trace the famously flummoxed footsteps of King Minos’ beleaguered Minotaur.  

Local restaurants

Ierapetra is a small town with more locals than tourists, and the rustic hole-in-the-wall cafés and eateries to match. Think beachside tavernas serving own-caught fish, and kafeneia (coffee houses) where matriarchs brew traditional Greek coffee.

Vira Potzi is an enticing tavern right by the harbour, next to the 17th-century Venetian Kales Fortress. Expect just-caught grilled sardines and calamari, rainbow salads and cumulus-fluffy feta doused in peppery olive oil. Bakalogatos is set in an old-fashioned stone house with a buzzy backyard for casual outdoor dining. Carnivores will appreciate the chargrilled meats, kebabs, and juicy, smoky souvlaki. For sunsets-over-the-sea views, Pelagos is an elegant eatery with a comprehensive wine list that showcases an extensive selection of Greek wineries, and dishes including delicate fennel-paired squid, stuffed onions, and artichokes with grilled goat, smoked over a wood-fired oven. 

Pair a trip to hunt the Minatour at Knossos with a meal at Peskesi in nearby Heraklion. Set in a wood-beamed, stone-walled Venetian mansion that was once a sea captain’s abode, Peskesi serves up slow-cooked Cretan masterpieces with local produce sourced from its own farm. Try creamy fried eggs with black truffle, shrimp with pine nuts and raisins, slow-cooked goat paired with velvety Greek yogurt and cheese, or succulent pork chops with scorched sage and thyme, brought to your table still smoking. For dessert, there’s a traditional Minoan baklava with sesame, pepper and grape syrup. 

Local bars

For a traditional Cretan atmosphere, Ntoukiani is a tiny boho bar with basket lamps, live music and meze.