Local Guide • 6 min read
You wake up ready for the beach, open the curtains and realise the weather has other ideas. Maybe the wind is too strong. Maybe clouds have rolled in. Maybe rain is forecast for the afternoon and your carefully planned beach day suddenly doesn’t look so clever.
Don’t worry.
Crete is a big island, and bad weather in one place doesn’t always mean bad weather everywhere. Even when the beach is off the table, there are plenty of ways to make the day worthwhile. The trick is not trying to force the original plan. Change it.
First, Check What the Weather Is Actually Doing
Before cancelling the whole day, have a look at the forecast for the area you’re planning to visit. Crete has its own little weather surprises.
A windy morning in Heraklion doesn’t necessarily mean the south coast is having the same day. Clouds around the mountains can also make the coast look much worse than it actually is.
And sometimes the forecast says rain when you end up getting twenty minutes of drizzle followed by sunshine. So don’t immediately give up on the day. Give yourself options.
If the North Coast Is Too Windy, Go South
This is one of the most useful things to know when visiting Crete in summer.
The Meltemi, the northerly wind that often affects the island during the warmer months, can make some north-facing beaches rough and uncomfortable.
The south coast can tell a very different story. Places such as Lentas, Kali Limenes and Agiofarago can be much more sheltered depending on the day’s conditions.
Of course, the south isn’t guaranteed to be calm. Weather changes, and local conditions matter. But if you wake up in Heraklion to whitecaps and flying umbrellas, checking the southern coast before abandoning your beach plans is well worth doing.
If It Rains, Head Somewhere You Can Explore
A little rain doesn’t mean you need to spend the entire day in your hotel. It’s actually a good excuse to do some of the things you might have been putting off.
Heraklion Archaeological Museum is an obvious choice if you’re staying around Heraklion. It also pairs naturally with a walk through the city centre when the weather improves.
You could also visit Knossos Palace if conditions allow. Cloudier weather can actually make an archaeological site more comfortable than standing under the August sun.
And if the forecast is only showing a short shower, don’t be surprised if you find yourself back outside an hour later.
Go Into the Villages
Some of our favorite bad-weather plans involve simply changing direction. If the coast isn’t looking great, drive inland. A village lunch can be far more enjoyable than sitting in a hotel room waiting for the clouds to disappear.
Archanes is an easy option from Heraklion. You can walk around the village, find a café, have lunch and see a completely different side of Crete without committing to a full-day expedition.
For something further into the mountains, Zaros gives you a combination of countryside, food and nature.
And if it rains? Well, that’s what tavernas are for.
Don’t Underestimate a Cloudy Day
Crete’s famous blue skies are wonderful. But a cloudy day can actually make some places more interesting.
Mountain landscapes can look dramatic when clouds settle around the peaks. Old villages feel different under grey skies. The light can be softer for photographs, especially around traditional stone buildings and narrow streets.
You might even discover that the place you almost skipped because it wasn’t “beach weather” becomes one of the better memories of the holiday.
Have a Flexible Beach Plan
Sometimes the weather simply needs a few hours. If rain is forecast for the morning but sunshine later, don’t immediately write off the beach.
Have breakfast slowly, visit a village, get some lunch.
Then check the sky again. The same applies to wind.
A beach that isn’t pleasant at 11am may be perfectly comfortable later in the afternoon. This is one of the reasons we like having a car in Crete. You don’t have to decide at breakfast exactly where you’ll be at 3pm.
This Is Where a Car Really Helps
Public transport is perfectly useful for getting between the main towns and popular destinations.
Weather changes are where having your own car becomes particularly convenient.
You can look at the forecast, change direction and choose another part of the island without having to work around a fixed bus route. You can also combine several smaller stops.
A village.
A museum.
Lunch.
A short walk.
Maybe the beach after all.
None of them needs to be the original plan.
If exploring Crete is part of your holiday, having a rental car gives you that flexibility. And when the weather decides to rearrange your day, you’ll probably appreciate it even more.
What We’d Do on a Cloudy Day Around Heraklion
If we woke up in Heraklion and the weather wasn’t great, we’d probably keep the day simple.
Morning:
Take our time over breakfast and check the forecast.
Late morning:
Visit the Archaeological Museum or explore the city.
Lunch:
Drive to a nearby village and find a traditional taverna.
Afternoon:
If the weather improves, continue towards Knossos or head back towards the coast.
Evening:
Stay for dinner somewhere that looks good rather than driving around trying to tick off another attraction.
That’s not a bad day.
And If the Whole Island Has Bad Weather?
Occasionally, you really do get one of those days.
Don’t fight it.
- Have a long lunch.
- Explore Heraklion’s cafés and shops.
- Visit a museum.
- Take a proper break at the hotel.
- Then try again tomorrow.
One rainy day doesn’t need to ruin a week in Crete.
In fact, it might be the day that gives you a break from the constant cycle of beach, lunch, beach, dinner and repeat. And you might discover that you quite like it.
Let the Weather Change the Plan
One of the nicest things about travelling around Crete is that there isn’t just one version of the island.
There are beaches for sunny days, mountain villages for cooler afternoons, museums for rainy mornings and little tavernas that work in practically any weather.
So when the forecast changes, don’t think:
“What can we do instead?”
Think:
“Where should we go today?”
That small change in thinking can turn a disappointing morning into a completely different kind of Cretan adventure.
Continue Exploring Crete
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