Where to go in Crete

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Just back from my first holiday in Greece for many years. Went to Katelios in Kefalonia. It’s a very quiet resort but with just enough lovely tavernas , and people were very friendly. I did love it but I’m not good at just sitting around and would love to find somewhere with a similar vibe but a few more shops etc. Kefalonia was very beautiful and we went on a couple of excursion which were amazing. We were however reluctant to drive in our own hire car given how steep and narrow the roads are there .
I do fancy Crete for next year. Can anyone recommend a resort there with tavernas and a few shops but somewhere not too touristy and built up. Not interested in night life and prefer staying in a villa. Not much bothered about the beach .
Would also be interested in recommendations for other Greek islands

I think you might like Panormos

We stayed in Agios Nikolaos this year and it was wonderful

If you go to Ag Nik, don't take one of the big boats to Spinalonga for a trip. Take the bus up to Plaka, then cross on the small boat from there, they queue jump in front of the bigger boats. Read The Island by Victoria Hislop before you go. We like Ag Nik, or just up the coast at Elouda. Neater to the airport is Hersonnissos. I wouldn't stay in the town, but there are several nice hotels on the coast both sides of the town. We like Nana Beach. The old village has a Cretan night with dancing on Mondays through the season.

Paleokastritsa in Corfu!! Its gorgeous!! No real village or town centre but great tavernas and shops spread out along a few bays.
It's really beautiful and apart from restaurants and a few cocktail/wine bars, no real nightlife to speak of.

Rethymno on Crete might work for you, although perhaps a bigger town than you’d like but have a look.

Also Lindos on Rhodes (but best May/June or Sept as very hot in midsummer).

Fiskardo on Kefalonia and Kassiopi on Corfu are nice harbour towns, Paxos has several too.

Panormos is nice but it’s quite sleepy iirc, not much to do/see, perhaps I never found it though as we mainly went to the beach

is herssonisos worth a visit?

self guided tour of Spinalonga or best to do a tour?

Fly to Chania (on the less touristy side). It’s a beautiful Venetian port. Great for a day trip.

Stay in Almyrida or Kalyves, about 30 minutes from Chania airport.

Rethymno is also a great port to spend the day.

Georgiopoulos in Crete. It's approximately halfway between Rethymnon and Chania so a great base for exploring. It also has a couple of lovely sandy beaches.

anyone been to lyttos beach in crete?

Thanks for all the replies. Have lots of googling to do tomorrow now

DH and I stayed in Rethymon pre-covid. I'd never been to Greece, so really can't compare it to any other Greek island. We did a day trip via bus to Heraklion because I wanted to see the museum and Knossos- which I'd highly recommend if you are into history. I've read good things about Chania, but its the other end of the island to Heraklion.
Rethymon has a pretty port, lots of tavernas and shops. There is the beach, but we didn't use it at all. We did walk along the boardwalk to the next village and had a lovely lunch. I looked into the boat trips to Santorini, but we went late in the season and they only had slow, overnight boats going.

I found the resort area of Hersonnisos a bit nondescript, but the villages just up the hill are lovely. Lots of tavernas and bars, and the Greek night is a really good night, just book one of the restaurants in the square in Old Hersonnisos as soon as you get there to be sure if a table in a good spot. You are not far away from Knossos, where the Minotaur lived in Greek myth, and the centre of the Minoan civilisation. Some ruins still there, but they were hit by the tsunami following the explosion of the Santorini Volcano which wiped out the Minoans. Interesting if you like that sort of thing. We did a self guided tour of Spinalonga which suited us. There are lots of info boards as you go round, and lots on line too. We like to go at our own pace.

We stayed in Koutouloufari which is one of 3 traditional villages up from Hersonissos. Beautiful location. We stayed in a placed Marni Village & would highly recommend it

@hby9628 I was just going to say Koutaloufari and Piskopiano both absolutely beautiful. We stayed at Marni too it was fabulous! Next time we will go will be our honeymoon so I'm hoping for one of the wee villas with private pool ❤️

@Lillipops it's beautiful isn't it although I get nervous telling people about it as then they will all know!
Perfect honeymoon destination congratulations

@hby9628 I know it's a hidden gem! Restaurants and bars are lovely. Thankyou I'm looking forward to 2026 🤩🥳

Crete my favourite big island. Fly to Chania sone of the resorts on the northern coast are lovely. Chania and Rythomnon beautiful full of history. My best southern coastal village is Paleochora. It’s a working village with many really good tavernas. Its friendly and many visitors get addicted, becoming returners (yes me).
it’s great walking country in May, September/october. Good mix of Northern European visitors. Great base to hire a car and explore. Souda Bay in the north has a huge war grave site because of the Battle of Crete. Crete’s history is fascinating.

Another vote for Rethymnon, a quaint old town clustered around a Venetian port, There is a good range of restaurants, and some nice shops scattered amongst traditional houses.

Or Skopelos is a very pretty, laid back island.