Santorini, the most-visited Greek island, is incredibly beautiful—just ask any of the 3 million-plus tourists who descend on this tiny speck of land every year. The crush can be so intense that last summer, the local government asked its 20,000 permanent residents to stay off the roads to make room for all the visitors (the request did not go over well).
For island hoppers who want to experience Greece without the crowds, Crete, which is roughly twice the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, might be the perfect alternative. Sure, some places on the country’s largest island get packed in the height of summer, as you’ll discover when elbowing your way through Knossos, the awesome palace complex that was the center of the island’s Minoan civilization 4,000 years ago. But you’ll also have the roads almost to yourself as you meander through the vineyard-clad countryside that surrounds pretty Archanes village or wander into the mountains to visit the Psychro Cave, where Zeus was said to be born.
The beautiful blue lagoons of Elafonissi, protected as a national park, are among many idyllic spots on the island’s 650-mile-long coastline. Some places in Crete, like Loutro, on the isolated southwest coast, can only be reached by boat. One of the island’s most popular excursions offers the chance to leave civilization behind and get away from it all on a 10-mile trek through the Samaria Gorge, a deep, narrow cleft in the White Mountains.
And here’s something to consider: While most Greek islands close up shop to tourists between October and May, many of Crete’s hotels, restaurants, shops, and sights remain open year-round. Wintertime temps hover in the 50s and 60s F, and there won’t be a tour group in sight as you wander the back lanes of Chania (pictured above) and Rethymnon, the beautiful, character-filled Venetian/Ottoman cities on the north coast, or admire the Minoan jewels and frescoes in the Archeological Museum in Iraklion (Heraklion), the island’s capital. Who knows—you may even have Knossos all to yourself. —Stephen Brewer
Stephen Brewer is the author of the Frommer’s guide to Athens and the Greek Islands.