Crete from Edinburgh

A flight from Edinburgh to Crete is the starting point for a holiday shaped around sea views, historic places and unhurried meals. Crete is Greece’s largest island, so your plans can bring together a coastal base, mountain scenery and local food without changing accommodation every day. A map based itinerary makes the shape of the holiday clear before departure.

CreteiPhoto: Taxiarchos228 · FAL · Wikimedia Commons

EdinburghiPhoto: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The page can connect that journey with your home, airport and transfer to the first stay. You can then place days, stops and bases on the map, giving the whole trip a clear route from arrival to the final morning.

Think about the kind of holiday you want before choosing the flight. A beach holiday benefits from a coastal base, while a touring holiday works better with two areas and a relaxed pace. Families, couples and groups can use the same plan, with the stops adjusted to suit each traveller.

A coastal base gives you easy access to the sea and makes mornings simple. You can build a day around a beach, a swim, a shaded lunch and a walk after the strongest sunshine. Staying in one area also reduces the amount of packing and gives children or mixed ability groups a familiar place to return to.

If you want to see more of Crete, use a second base rather than covering the whole island at speed. A week can include several days in one coastal area and a few days elsewhere for scenery, villages or local food. Leave travel days light, with one main activity or a relaxed evening at the end of the route.

HolidayWow can draw every day as a route, place each stop on the map and show the travel time between legs. You can choose a relaxed pace with one to two stops, a balanced pace with two to three, or a packed pace with three to five. The plan checker can reorder the day after you move or swap a stop.

On the first day, arrive at your accommodation and keep the plan light with a nearby beach, a meal and an evening walk. On the second day, explore the local coastal area and add a scenic viewpoint or a short outing. The third day can introduce another part of Crete, with a slow lunch and time to swim before evening plans.

Use the middle days for the experiences that matter most to your group. One day can focus on a village, local food and a walk through the landscape. Another can remain close to the sea for a beach morning, a boat trip or a relaxed afternoon. Keep the final full day for a favourite place or a walk near your stay.

On the last day, return from your accommodation with enough time for the onward journey. The outline is a starting point rather than a fixed rule. Move a stop to another day, make a day lighter when the weather calls for it, and add a new activity if the group has extra energy.

For families, include a mix of swimming, food and a short walk, with a return route to the accommodation. For couples, leave space around the best stops so the island can shape the day. Active travellers can add more scenery and villages, while a relaxed group benefits from a coastal base and a smaller number of transfers.

The Bank Holiday planner can turn public holidays and leave days into a longer trip using official holiday data for the UK market. Dates are optional, so you can first decide whether spring, early summer or late summer suits the group. Adding dates later helps you turn the idea into a detailed plan with weekday cards.

HolidayWow is free to download and plan with, and it accepts a sentence or voice request. A packing list and checklist can be built from the plan, month and climate data. This is useful for remembering swimwear, sun protection, comfortable walking shoes and the small items that make a family beach day easier.