Info - Travel to Crete
Time zone difference
There is a 1 hour time difference between Greece and France (Belgium, Switzerland). When it's 12pm in Paris, it's 1pm in Heraklion.
Helth
No vaccinations are required. Before leaving, ask your health insurance fund for a European health card, valid for EU countries, which means you do not have to pay in advance. Finally, think about repatriation insurance.
Papers
No visa is required. A valid passport or identity card is sufficient. Check them well before departure. It takes 3 weeks for a new document to be issued...
Language
La langue officielle de la Grèce et de la Crète, est le grec moderne. Mais la plupart des crétois (sauf les anciens !) parlent un anglais de base. Le français est plus rare.
Money
Currency unit: Euro since 2022, replacing the drachma.
Payment : Your credit card is accepted in most tourist areas. Outside of these places, keep a few notes in your wallet.
Climate
The climate is generally mild in winter and warm in summer. In April and May, the weather is fine during the day but you should bring a jumper for the evenings. In July and August, the maximum temperature varies between 30 and 35° but it is not unbearable. (see our weather page)
Transportation
Crete is 260km long and 60km wide. An expressway on the north side of the island connects the east with the west. Buses are quite frequent on this route. However, if you want to travel to the centre or the south, a rental car is essential. (see our rent a car)
Telephone
– To call Greece, you dial: 00 + 30 + number of the correspondent, starting with 2 (for a fixed line) and 6 (for a mobile). You dial a 14-digit number.
– Pour téléphoner à partir de la Grèce, you dial : 00 + 33 + number of the correspondent without the initial 0 for France. Other country codes : 32 (Belgium), 352 (Luxembourg), 41 (Switzerland).
For mobile phones, the Greek network works very well (Panafon, Cosmote, Telestet, ...). And it is no longer necessary to buy a Greek sim card in Greece. EU nationals who have a flat rate in their country of origin can use their mobile phone at the national rate in the 27 countries of the European Union. Finally, free wi-fi is available almost everywhere in hotels, and often in restaurants and cafes.
– European (EU) emergency number : 112
Not to be forgotten
- Your mobile phone for calls and the great photos you take!
- Your credit card, and if you have a "Gold", "Premium" etc. card, use it to buy plane or boat tickets, but also for local rentals.
- A photocopy of your identity papers, useful in case of loss (or a pdf on the cloud)
- Your European Health Insurance Card, so you don't have to pay medical expenses in advance
- Your flip-flops but also good walking shoes for your hikes
