Driving in Crete: our tips (+ photos)

Not to worry. Here’s our complete guide to driving in Crete:

Safety and driving difficulties
Rules of conduct
Road conditions

This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.

Content

Driving in Crete: What you need to know

1. Rent the right car in Crete

2. Know the rules of conduct

3. Preparing for different types of road

4. Understanding signs and tolls

5. Safety: understanding potential hazards

6. And the rest: parking, fuel…

Crete’s most beautiful roads

Video

Frequently asked questions

Driving in Crete: What you need to know

If you don’t want to read the whole article, at least read this summary of the key points to know:

Driving on the right-hand side of the road
The minimum drivingage is 18, but some rental agencies may require drivers to be 21 and have at least one year’s driving experience.
Items to bring along – reflective warning triangle, fire extinguisher, first aid kit
Habit in Crete (not a rule): On high-speed roads with hard shoulder, you must drive halfway along the shoulder to let others overtake you.
Beware of animals on mountain roads
No tolls
In case of accident – emergency number: 112

And of course:

Seat belts are mandatory for all
The tolerated blood alcohol level is up to 50 mg per 100 ml of blood .

Here are the driving times in the region, to give you an idea of how to get around:

Carte temps de route crete — Map: driving times in Crete

OUR GUIDE TO Crete

To plan your road trip:

5 Maps to Help You Find Your Way
76 selected locations
150 photos to help you decide
Lots of practical tips

1. Rent the right car in Crete

To make driving easier, it’s best to choose a car adapted to the type of road and conditions. In the case of Crete, we recommend..:

A good engine, because the island has mountains with lots of winding roads that go up and down. So you don’t have to change gear all the time.
No particular recommendation on size. A narrower car might be easier to pass other vehicles on narrow roads and in some villages, but this is not often the case in Crete.
Automatic if possible. The choice of manual cars is wider, so if you need an automatic, book early.
No 4WD required

The choice of rental companies is impressive!
Our favourite local agency is Rental Center Creteeverything is included in the price and the service is excellent.
If you prefer more choice, compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars

Find out more in our article: how to rent a car in Crete (coming soon).

2. Know the rules of conduct

Permit requirements

It is always best to have your international driver’s license when traveling outside the country. That way, you’ll never have to wonder.

However, to be authorized to drive in Crete (for a short stay):

European Union citizens can use their European Union license
Visitors from outside the European Union must have an International Driving Permit in addition to their country’s valid driver’s license.

Age

The official driving age in Greece is 18.
However, if you rent a car, companies will ask you to be 21 years old and to have held a license in your home country for one year or more.
It is also compulsory to carry your vehicle registration documents and a valid form of identification, such as your passport, at all times.

General rules

In Crete, you drive on the right-hand side of the road
Seat belts mandatory for all
No cell phones while driving
Children under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front of the car.
Traffic on the traffic circle has priority
The legal limit for driving is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood. However, we still recommend that you do not drink if you are driving.

Mandatory in-car equipment

In Greece, the following equipment is compulsory in the car:

Safety triangle
First aid kit
Non-expired fire extinguisher

Compulsory insurance

The compulsory insurance in Greece is third-party liability insurance – this is automatically included in the price of all car rentals.
The other insurance we offer is to cover damage to the car.
If you come with your own car, don’t forget to bring proof of insurance.

Our preferred local agency is Rental Center Creteeverything is included. No worries about insurance.

beware of landslides - take out car window insurance

WHERE TO STAY IN Crete

Our independent picks for the accommodation of your dreams:

Where to stay in Crete
The most beautiful hotels
5-star hotels
Boutique hotels
Hotels for families
Adults-Only Hotels

Select by city:

3. Preparing for different types of road

Main roads

Along the north coast of Crete, you have a main road from Kissamos to Sitia. This is a high-speed road with varying speed limits, generally around 90km/h.

Most of this road is fairly wide, with hard shoulder on either side. It offers excellent surfacing and allows higher speeds. These roads are free and easy to drive.

Note that there is an unwritten rule that on major roads with hard shoulder lanes, you must drive halfway down the lane to give other cars space to overtake you. If another driver gives you a headlight signal, it probably means you need to move over.

Mountain roads

The roads in the mountains are generally in very good condition: wide, well-graded, and with lines to delimit the sides. These roads offer a more adventurous driving experience with their many bends. They don’t always have guardrails, but as they’re quite wide, we didn’t find this difficult.

Of course, you can always find a few isolated mountain roads that aren’t so good. But on these, there’s no traffic, so you have time to drive slowly and won’t be afraid of passing other cars.

Given the summer crowds, it becomes increasingly difficult to drive in July and August, especially when passing large buses. We advise you to leave early to avoid traffic.

In towns and villages

City driving is not too difficult compared with other countries. Traffic can be more complex around old towns and villages, where cars are not allowed on all streets at all times of day.

In major cities, you’ll often find a large outdoor parking lot or an underground parking lot. Don’t forget to check with your accommodation if they have parking facilities, or what they recommend.

HAVE FUN in: Crete

4. Understanding signs and tolls

Speed limits

The speed limits are indicated on circular signs with a red border and a number.
Speed limits are expressed in kilometers per hour
Between 30 and 50km/h in residential areas
Note that there aren’t always enough speed limit signs, and you won’t always be sure how fast you can drive.

Road signs

Road signs are very clear. Town names are written in both Greek and Latin alphabets. Nothing specific to know.

Tolls

There are no tolls on Crete’s roads.

It’s time to book!
Compare everything: companies, prices, schedules and availability.

5. Safety: understanding potential hazards

Is driving in Crete dangerous?

No, we don’t think it’s difficult. You sometimes read online that driving in Crete is not easy. Don’t forget that only the few people who have problems write about their experience. All the people who don’t have problems don’t take the time to share their journey.

It’s certainly not a country where you’ll be driving at high speed, but who wouldn’t with such beautiful scenery. Most of the roads are winding, around the mountains. In general, we found the roads to be in good condition. Only a few were narrow, with no guardrails or lines.

Potential hazards

The animals

There are lots of animals on the mountain roads. We saw them every day. This is clearly their domain, and they’re not afraid of cars.

So always be careful, don’t drive too fast and slow down on bends. This is the main danger we found on mountain roads.

animals and rock falls on mountain roads

Falling rocks

The other danger on mountain roads is falling rocks. We hardly saw any nets on the mountainsides. So there were a lot of rocks on the roadside. We strongly recommend insurance for protection against gravel.

With our preferred local agency is Rental Center Creteeverything is included. No worries about insurance.

Landscapes

The scenery can be so beautiful that you let yourself get distracted. Don’t forget to concentrate on driving. And if there’s more than one driver, take your turn to admire the views.

Winter driving

Yes, Crete is generally a warm country. However, because of the mountains, you can get snow and ice on the plateaus in winter.

Specific driving tips

There’s no shame in driving slowly on mountain roads. If you’re feeling a little stressed, take your time. There’s no rush. With the summer crowds, driving in July and August becomes increasingly difficult. We recommend that you start your day early to reduce traffic.

On main roads with hard shoulder lanes, don’t forget the overtaking rule: you must drive halfway along the lane to let others overtake you. This can make for a strange situation when it happens on either side and you have four cars lined up on a two-lane road, but it usually works without a hitch.

What to do in the event of an accident

If people are injured or there is a conflict, the emergency number is 112.
The best order of action is:

contact emergency services
contact the police
contact your rental provider

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6. And the rest: parking, fuel…

Fuels and service stations

In Crete:

The petrol is called “Benzine”.
Diesel is called “Diesel”.
The service stations are called “Benzinadiko”.
There’s a gas station attendant
There are stations in the main towns and around the airport. They are normally open at night
Outside, stations are widely spaced and may not open at night.
They accept credit cards

Parking in town

Parking can be difficult in towns and villages, especially on narrow roads. Main towns often have a large outdoor parking lot or an underground parking lot. Don’t forget to check with your accommodation if they have parking facilities or what they recommend.

Parking at beaches and attractions

Most attractions have free parking. Some beaches have private paying parking lots (normally covering the whole day). For example: Preveli.

In the shoulder seasons, there’s always room. But in the heat of summer, you may find it difficult to park near beaches or famous attractions. We recommend arriving early.