Generally speaking, the Greek Mediterranean islands are small territorial gems that in just a few square kilometers offer breathtaking views and incredible natural beauty to tourists.
This is not the case in Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, which, given its size, offers a wide variety of landscapes, history, culture and art, as well as archaeological sites.
Chartering a private jet to Crete is certainly a rewarding, safe, comfortable and exclusive travel experience given the many benefits it brings that allow the passenger to be served and revered from the very first moments after landing.
Parameters such as flexibility, privacy,time optimization, and personalized assistance are ensured by the flight staff and premium privileges available at the airport, for a journey of comfort and elegance.
Once there, Crete is most ready to welcome the traveler by endowing him or her with the opportunity to explore its ancient ruins, wonderful beaches and local food and wine dishes.
But what only other attractions on the island of Crete?
Let's find out together in this guide!
Historical and geographical background on Crete
Crete is located exactly on the southern border of the Aegean Sea, abutting the Libyan Sea: it is an island entirely surrounded by numerous smaller islets about 95 km from the Greek mainland. As its name implies, Crete is known for the huge amount of clay in its subsoil, which, for centuries, has helped it grow economically and make a name for itself on the European scene. Its morphology consists largely of mountains at the expense of plains; because of this, the coastline is jagged, interspersed with steep and craggy stretches and other parts of the coastline that are somewhat gentler. Although the earliest evidence of human presence on Crete dates back to the Neolithic period, it was the Minoan civilization that established the first settlements thanks to the legendary King Minos, who made Crete a trading power. The classical era, however, relegated Crete to a minor role in the economy of the Greek world, so much so that it declared itself neutral during the conflict between Athens and Sparta. Alexander the Great used many Cretans in his conquests, but upon his death the island's territory was divided among his satraps. Subsequently, the Romans exerted a brief influence on Crete, giving way to the Byzantines, who annexed it to the Eastern Roman Empire, voting it into Christianity. A real economic and social decline of the Byzantine Empire facilitated the rise of the Venetians, who gave a new luster to Crete, which experienced a period of great scientific and artistic growth to the extent that they called that time frame the Cretan Renaissance. When the Venetians began to lose power, they were taken advantage of by the Ottomans, who tried to get the Cretans to convert to Muslimism, failing miserably and sparking several rather bloody uprisings; the tensions resulted in the declaration of the Independent State of Crete in the late 19th century. At the height of World War II, Crete was occupied by the Germans until it was liberated in 1945; since then, the island has been a major tourist destination and a crucial hub for the East.
What to do and see in Crete
Olive oil and wine tasting tour
The island of Crete is extremely well known for its incredible olive oil and wine, products of its thriving land thanks to an exceptional climate that persists throughout the year. Therefore, wealthier tourists have the opportunity to participate in private tasting tours of such food and wine goods to admire even more of the island's agricultural heritage. Not only that, it is also possible to visit family-run olive farms located in the island's hinterland or renowned wineries where you can taste award-winning wines derived from an endless variety of grapes. Finally, in the vineyards you can enjoy a gourmet lunch made from local ingredients to be paired with wines from nearby estates, a delicious and educational experience in the discovery of Cretan treasures.
The archaeological sites of Crete
Crete's historical and cultural heritage is indeed extensive: just think of the Palace of Knossos, the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion or the village of Archanes, all beauties that can be explored by taking advantage of the many private guided tours organized for wealthier tourists. Thanks to the expertise and professionalism of the guides, it is possible to explore the ancient Minoan civilization, the architecture that distinguished it, as well as the frescoes and artifacts still perfectly intact today in the island's various museum centers. Multiple tailor-made tours for charter flight passengers offer the opportunity to fully immerse oneself in Crete's fascinating history and culture, still rooted in the hearts of its inhabitants.
Luxury activities to do in Crete
Crete is not only an island brimming with history and culture, but it also offers tourists several luxury activities to take advantage of the mild climate that reigns on the island for long months. For example, it is possible to charter private yachts or catamarans from the port of Heraklion to explore the island's most remote nooks and crannies and beaches, stopping offshore to have lunch on board before diving back into the crystal-clear sea that washes Cretan shores. Not only that, wealthier tourists could also go to the famous Crete Golf Club, the island's first 18-hole golf course consisting of perfectly maintained greens, all while enjoying a truly sublime surrounding landscape overlooking the various mountain ranges present.
Crete's luxury hotels
There is certainly no shortage of luxury hotels in Crete: among them is undoubtedly the Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, a chic and elegant stay option given the hotel's sophisticated and upscale design, which offers as many as 75 suites with private pools and sea views. Also worth mentioning is the Elysium Boutique Hotel, an upscale hotel that allows travelers to relax with its various swimming pools and enjoy the splendid view of the Aegean Sea before their eyes. Finally, the Abaton Island Resort and Spa, a hotel with 14 rooms distinguished by white furnishings and hand-carved design elements, as well as a vast garden to relax in.
Climate and best time to visit Crete
Due to its geographical location, Crete enjoys a pleasant climate for much of the year in both summer and winter. The spring period is marked by rather unstable weather, with cool nights and temperatures hovering around 20°C; however, it is the segment of the year where nature awakens, providing beautiful vistas with entire flowering meadows that are colored in sublime pastel shades. The months from June to August, on the other hand, see rising temperatures that can reach as high as 40°C (104°F) during heat waves; nevertheless, there is almost always a pleasant breeze blowing that makes the heat bearable and not too suffocating. The weather only cools down from October, with precipitation returning but temperatures rarely falling below 15°C. Cretan winters are cold but not excessively so: the temperature range is from 10 to 15°C, although inland they can go as low as 5°C on the coldest days. That said, the best time to charter a private jet to Crete is in spring or early summer since the tourist influx is not excessive and the weather is perfect for both sightseeing and going to the beach.
How and why to fly by private jet to Crete
Crete Heraklion International Airport (ICAO code LGIR) is a fairly large hub that operates a variety of scheduled and private flights in any time slot thanks to a dedicated general aviation terminal that allows charter passengers to land and take off from or depart from multiple European destinations. In addition to being the main airport on the island of Crete, recent expansion and renovations have enabled it to become the second busiest and most important hub in Greece. Passengers on private flights thus have access to a range of exclusive services including several VIP lounges, customs and personalized assistance on the ground, refueling of the aircraft at any time, dedicated concierge, free WiFi available throughout the airport, as well as a large number of bars and eateries scattered throughout the terminal. Not only that, various airport procedures such as check-in or baggage check are operated completely detached from the area dedicated to scheduled flights, giving passengers on private flights their fair share of privacy. The distance separating the hub from the center of the Cretan capital is about 5 kilometers, which can be covered by the various private transfer services available outside the terminal such as cabs, car rental with or without a driver, and limousines ready to accompany tourists wherever they wish.
How much does it cost to fly private to Crete
Among the most important routes that make it possible to get to Crete fairly quickly is the one that connects it to Saint Tropez, a refined and chic destination favored by private jet travelers. Given the small size of the runway at the Côte d'Azur airport, it is only possible to rent a light jet at a cost of about €15,000 for a flight of about 3 hours and 30 minutes. Barcelona is also well connected with Crete by a flight lasting about 3 hours and 40 minutes: in this case, the rental of a Light Jet is available at figures ranging around €17,000, that of a Medium Jet involves an expense of about €32,000, while that of a Large Jet implies a price of about €44,000. Finally, Crete is also connected to Cyprus, which is about 1 hour and 40 minutes away by total flight time; opting for a Light Jet costs approximately €8,000, selecting a Medium Jet is priced at about €15,000, and booking a Large Jet assumes an expenditure of about €23,000.
The best jet to fly to Crete
One of the most suitable light jets to get to Crete is definitely the Cessna Citaton CJ2, an aircraft that makes use of a range of more than 3,000 km, a cruising speed that touches 750 km/h and a very spacious cabin capable of making the 7 accommodated passengers comfortable thanks to the presence of reclining seats, comfortable sofas and small tables. Equally satisfactory parameters are given by the Gulfstream G150, Medium Jet capable of flying up to 880 km/h with a range exceeding 5000 km total. The wide, oval cross-sectional cabin makes available more head and shoulder room than other jets in the same category, while the 55-cubic-foot luggage compartment eliminates any space problems. Among the Large Jets, one cannot fail to mention the Bombardier Global 5000, an incredibly high-performance aircraft capable of reaching a top speed of more than 900 km/h with a range of as much as 7500 km total. Due to its width and capacity, the cabin has seats with higher armrests, super-comfortable backrests and sofas where you can relax, as well as an onboard WiFi connection that allows you to hold video conferences or enjoy streaming content without hassle!
The most frequent flights to and from Crete
Below of the most frequent links to Crete:
