Retreat to Crete: why the Greek island is a perfect escape
The unspoilt northeast of Greece’s largest island offers a restorative mix of uncrowded beaches, authentic tavernas and extraordinary views
January 2024
‘We came away awestruck’: 13 writers on Europe’s hidden treasures, from Chagall in Kent to Rome’s secret Caravaggios
David Bowie’s Berlin bolthole and the world’s most stolen artwork in Ghent are among the cultural icons that our writers have long wished to visit
August 2022
Discreet Crete: exploring the Greek island’s gorges and ancient villages on a new eco-tour
Away from the bars and bustle, Crete’s spectacular White Mountains are opening up to sensitive and sustainable travel – with scrumptious food
April 2022
My big, fat, Greek Easter: food and spectacle on Crete, Corfu and Tinos
Ditch the chocolate eggs and daffodils – Easter tradition in Greece means firecrackers, processions and flying clay pots
January 2022
Walk like a Minoan: hiking and foraging in eastern Crete
Awinter hike on a remote section of Crete’s E4 trail, fuelled by feta cheese and wild herbs, proves the perfect antidote to bleak times
July 2021
Holidays from hell: Naga Munchetty, David Baddiel, Jon Snow and others on their worst breaks
We’re all so desperate to get away. But were our summer breaks as good as we remember? Famous travellers tell their sorry tales to Michael Segalov
May 2020
10 of the best novels set in Greece – that will take you there
From the natural beauty of Corfu and Kefalonia to the caves and myths of Crete, Greece has inspired writers for millennia
August 2018
Open and shut case: why the package holiday is back
Cost, convenience and the Love-Island effect mean ready-made holidays are back in fashion, with giant operators Thomas Cook and Tui opening swish new hotels
January 2018
Running away
Running away: Crete's winding paths
The Greek island is fantastic for running, offering decent roads, winding paths and plenty of opportunities for hill reps
February 2017
Police confirm remains found on Crete belong to British holidaymaker
Steven Cook’s skeleton found down well more than a decade after he went missing on first holiday without his parents
September 2015
Be a farmer for a day in Crete
An organic farm near Rethymno in the island’s north-west, teaches visitors traditional skills. Our writer mucks in
Crocodile that mysteriously appeared in an artificial lake still at large on the Greek island, despite Olivier Behra's efforts
August 2014
Books blog
Books go on holiday: your summer reading roams the world – in pictures
They don’t often get snapped, but books are surely the most important travel companions – so this summer we asked you to photograph them. They have been to some enviable locations
July 2014
Brits abroad, feel no shame! We can’t let the Germans spoil our summer
Holly Baxter
Tourist snap: crocodile on the loose in Crete sparks visitor rush to island
July 2013
Body not beach-ready? So what?
Alex Clark
Alex Clark: The whole joy of being on holiday is feeling free to eat, drink and let it all hang out
May 2013
Readers' travel tips
Cheap holidays in Greece: readers' travel tips
Beat expensive air fares by booking a cheap package holiday to Greece, then absconding when you arrive; or fly to Corfu, but slip away to a quiet village; or camp in the unspoilt South Pelion
March 2013
Experts' and readers' tips
Historic sites in Greece and Turkey: readers' travel tips
Greece and Turkey are both staggeringly rich in sites – and sights - from the ancient world. Readers reveal their favourite places to muse among pillars, tombs and temples
August 2012
Travelling solo – a new singles' hotel in Crete
In need of sun and travelling solo? A new singles' hotel in Crete offers trips that are about as far from the booze-and-bazouki 18-30 crowd as you could get, says Rhik Samadder
January 2012
Adventure holidays: a Guardian Weekend special
Action stations: win the holiday of a lifetime
It's always fun learning something new, be it quad biking in Iceland or belly-dancing in Morocco. It's even better when it's free – here's your chance to win one of five holidays
