7-Night Crete Circumnavigation — Heraklion to Chania

Day 1 — Heraklion: Embarkation

Board at Heraklion Marina, the capital of Crete. An afternoon visit to the Palace of Knossos (20 minutes by taxi) — the most important Bronze Age site in the Aegean — and the extraordinary Heraklion Archaeological Museum, home to the world's finest Minoan collection. Welcome dinner in the historic city centre.

Day 2 — Elounda & Spinalonga

Sail east to the beautiful bay of Elounda — one of the finest anchorages in Greece, protected by the Spinalonga peninsula. By tender to the island fortress of Spinalonga — a Venetian fortification that served as Greece's last leper colony until 1957, made famous by Victoria Hislop's novel 'The Island'. A deeply moving and historically extraordinary visit.

Day 3 — Agios Nikolaos & Mirabello Bay

The elegant resort town of Agios Nikolaos overlooks the beautiful Mirabello Bay — the harbour lake (connected to the sea by a channel) is a unique feature. Excellent restaurants, a fine archaeological museum, and the Minoan site of Gournia accessible by road. A pleasant overnight berth.

Day 4 — Sitia & Vai Palm Beach

Continue east to Sitia — a relaxed eastern Cretan town with an excellent local wine and raisin culture. A short drive north to the extraordinary Vai Beach — a unique natural palm forest growing directly on the beach, the only such ecosystem in Europe. Return to Sitia for dinner.

Day 5 — Ierapetra & South Coast

Round Crete's eastern tip (Cape Sideros) and sail west along the wild southern coast — more exposed to the open Mediterranean, with dramatic cliffs and very few visitors. Ierapetra is Europe's most southerly town, with a Venetian fort and a simple, authentic character. Anchor off the nearby island of Chrissi (Donkey Island) — a desert island of cedar forest and white sand dunes.

Day 6 — Matala & Plakias

Continuing west along the south coast to Matala — once a hippie haven (Joni Mitchell lived in the famous cave dwellings in 1970), now a pleasant small resort. Plakias Bay further west is one of the finest anchorages on the south coast — a long sandy beach and a backdrop of dramatic mountains.

Day 7 — Chania

Arrive at Chania — arguably the most beautiful city in Crete, with a Venetian harbour, a lighthouse, a covered market and some of the best restaurants on the island. The mosque above the harbour is now an exhibition space; the Archaeological Museum is housed in a former Venetian church. A perfect final evening.

Day 8 — Chania: Disembarkation

Farewell breakfast before disembarkation. Chania International Airport is 15 minutes east; Heraklion Airport is 2 hours east along the northern coast road.