Crete: Listed by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 European destinations for sunny winter holidays

 “The southern regions of Europe offer plenty of blue skies, sunshine, and mild temperatures,” writes Lonely Planet.

Lonely Planet has presented the top 10 best destinations in Europe for sunny winter holidays, and Crete is featured in this list

These 10 destinations evoke summer in winter, according to Lonely Planet. “Europeans do not need to travel far to find places for holidaying in good weather during the winter months,” the publication states.

“The southern regions of Europe offer plenty of blue skies, sunshine, and mild temperatures. Moreover, traveling in the low season means holiday packages at lower costs, as well as exclusive travel experiences, such as beaches and villages without hordes of tourists,” according to Lonely Planet.

Crete ranks 10th on the list, providing moments of tranquility and serenity along with quality services, allowing visitors to enjoy paradise beaches like Elafonissi, explore unique historical sites such as the Palace of Knossos, discover favorite spots in Chania and Heraklion, dine in beautiful restaurants, and have fun in bars and cafes.

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Crete Sees Rise in UK Pre-Bookings for 2025, Following Strong 2024 Arrivals

 UK pre-bookings for Crete in 2025 mirror the 10.8 percent increase in air arrivals recorded during the first half of 2024, according to data presented by the Region of Crete at the WTM London 2024 exhibition.

From November 5 to 7, a delegation from the Region of Crete participated in the prestigious London fair, showcasing the island as an ideal luxury destination for spring and autumn travel.

Deputy Governor of Tourism Kyriakos Kotsoglou highlighted the importance of Crete’s strategic presence at WTM London 2024, particularly given the UK’s position as Crete’s second-largest tourism market.

UK market nearing 1 million annual arrivals to Crete

“With air arrivals increasing by over 10 percent in the first half of 2024 and pre-bookings for 2025 reflecting a similar rise, the UK market is steadily nearing the milestone of 1 million annual arrivals to Crete,” Kotsoglou stated. “This growth could solidify its leading position in the region, a status it already holds in Chania.”

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Eurostat: Crete and South Aegean Among EU Regions with Most Foreign Tourists

 

Over a third of all overnight stays by foreign tourists in the EU are concentrated in ten popular tourist destinations, including several Greek islands, according to Eurostat data for 2023.

Specifically, data analysis from last year, which was a record year for many tourism metrics, shows that the regions with the highest number of overnight stays by foreign tourists were the Canary Islands, with 83.2 million overnight stays, followed by Spain’s Balearic Islands and the Croatian coast.

The top 10 regions also include Spain’s Catalonia and Andalusia; Greece’s South Aegean – which includes islands such as Mykonos and Rhodes – and Crete; the Greater Paris area; Italy’s Veneto; and Austria’s Tyrol.

Collectively, according to the EU’s statistical authority, these ten regions accounted for 37.6 percent of overnight stays by foreign tourists last year.

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ETC: Greece Among Top 10 European Destinations for Fall and Winter 2024/2025 Travel

 Greece is among the top 10 European destinations that travelers plan to visit between October 2024 and March 2025, according to the latest report from the European Travel Commission (ETC).

Greece in top 10 of preferred countries for vacation

The report positions Greece in 6th place among the preferences of European travelers for intra-European travel. Topping the list are Spain and France, each chosen by 7 percent of respondents, followed closely by Italy at 6 percent, Germany at 4.8 percent, and Austria at 4.7 percent in 5th place. Greece is chosen by 4.5 percent of respondents. Croatia ranks 7th with 4.1 percent, while the top 10 is rounded out by the United Kingdom (3.9 percent), Portugal (3.8 percent), and Belgium (3.4 percent).

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ABTA Reports Greece as a Steady Holiday Choice for Brits in 2025

 

Greece remains Britain’s fifth most popular holiday destination for summer 2025, securing an 11 percent market share, according to the 2024-25 Holiday Habits report of ABTA – The Travel Association.

Released during ABTA’s 2024 Travel Convention at Costa Navarino in Greece, the report is based on a survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted from July 24 to August 2, 2024, by The Nursery Research and Planning. It examines travelers’ habits over the past year and their plans for the upcoming one.

In the last 12 months, Greece again ranked fifth among Britons’ preferred holiday destinations, with a 13 percent share, following Spain (31 percent), France (22 percent), Italy (17 percent), and the United States (15 percent).

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World Tourism Organization: Anogia among the 55 best villages in the world for 2024

Awarded as an excellent destination in the field of Rural Tourism

The World Tourism Organization of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has included Anogia in the 55 Best Villages of the World for 2024, awarding it as an Outstanding Destination in the field of Rural Tourism, giving them credit for everything that the village and the Municipal Authority have committed to in terms of innovation and sustainability in the broad field of society, economy and environment.

More than 260 nominations from more than 60 UN member states were put under the microscope of the experts, whose judgement highlighted Anogia, Crete, among the 55 villages, as a tourist destination that meets the requirements for the future of tourism in small communities. “The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative, which is part of the United Nations’ Tourism Development Programme for Rural Development, not only recognizes the remarkable achievements of these villages, such as Anogia, but also highlights the power of tourism and how it can influence the healthy development of areas such as small villages,” noted Anogia Mayor Socrates Kefalogiannis.

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Easter in Greece: 6 destinations for your travel list (photos)

 Destinations that have their own identity and are governed by a cultural and aesthetic richness capable of satisfying every mood

With March 25th behind us, the next, springtime travel destination for most people mainly concerns the week of Easter. For this destination, which serves the need for contact with nature, a change of scenery, and refuge in tranquility, away from the intense rhythms of large urban centers, there are suitable destinations for us.

Places full of such experiences that will offer you a fruitful and rich Easter experience and will relax you. Places not prohibitive in terms of distance from the capital or other major urban centers.

Responding to this need, travel.gr has compiled a list of destinations synonymous with strolls, relaxed mood, and contact with nature in a mountainous or seaside version. Places that have their own identity and are governed by a cultural and aesthetic richness capable of satisfying every taste as you savor the early joys of religious devotion.

Rethymno

Rethymno, the third largest city in Crete, is a multifaceted, vibrant organism that combines liveliness and a rich past, with its streets narrating a life of centuries and overlapping civilizations. 

The Old Town of Rethymno, with the Venetian Fortress of Fortezza, dominates and invites you to discover the local version of the Cretan soul, while the impression it leaves on the visitor is intense also by the Holy Monastery of Arkadi, with its thousand-year history and its glorious contribution to the cause of national integration. Since you’re in Rethymno, it’s an opportunity for a flavorful introduction to the wine wealth of the region. 

The particular climatic atmosphere shaped by the presence of Psiloritis creates a temperature difference between day and night, which helps the grapes to ripen at a slower pace, developing a rich aromatic profile and a distinctive quality imprint.

And, of course, Rethymno offers you the opportunity for swimming in some of the most stunning beaches, which combine azure waters, dense vegetation, and white or golden sand, such as Preveli, Souda, Ammoudi, and Ammoudi.

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