Crete - which areas do you rate or avoid?

[reup]

Thinking of going next summer, getting a villa /pool ideally somewhere very quiet (will hire car). We would like to visit Knossos and maybe Spinalonga. How are the roads? Does it take a long time to get from one area to another.

Any recommendations for areas/villas would be great.

Thanks

We stayed in Sissi which is between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. The hotel was fantastic and the resort low key and quiet. It ticked all the right boxes for us. This was our second visit to Crete and the roads have improved immeasurably. Greek drivers seemed more sensible than last time. There is a new highway that runs along the north coast so it only took 40 minutes to get to the hotel from the airport.

Locationwise it is handy for being able to visit Knossos, Spinalonga and the Lassithi Plateau. Sissi is a few miles along the coast from Malia, but it couldn't be more different.

Is malia more resort-ey then? That's good news about roads. I've looked at some isolated villas but wondered how long distances really take.

Thanks

Malia is often thought of the Cretan version of Magaluf. In the height of the season it appeals to the party crowd. Local people we spoke to find it frustrating because it has such a bad reputation. This reputation puts off people who want quieter holidays, and they go elsewhere. So it is apparently fairly quiet outside of the main summer holidays without the party goers and without people like me who chose low key resorts.

Thanks for that. I never knew!

We've been to Koutouloufari which is on the hill above hersonissos. It's one of 3 villages strung our along the hill and is quiet but with a choice of restaurants etc. It's well out of the hersonissos bustle/tack but it is walkable if you want to go.

We were in koutouloufari too, and had a great time. Far enough away from hersonissos to be quiet, but close enough to make use of star beach for the kids. Ag nik is lovely.

We've stayed in a tiny village called Kaliviani once before, on the far west of the island. Very remote, rugged landscape. Just one or two bars and an excellent restaurant (voted best in Crete on Tripadvisor). Chania is a day trip from there, Spinalonga more difficult.

Excellent for some stunning beaches though, Elephonissi and Balos are both very close.

Thanks everyone- its great to have some points of reference.