Driving in Crete (on the right side of the road!), especially in the mountainous inland, can be a challenge, and accidents are common. But, this shouldn’t discourage you from exploring Crete by car.
Before you hit the road though, here are a few tips about driving in Crete
As a tourist who is not used to the Greek style of driving, let’s call it a ‘lose interpretation of the rules of the road’, it pays to be very careful and attentive.
The countless mini roadside chapels, which come in all shapes, colours and sizes, are a constant reminder to take your foot off the accelerator.
There are only a handful of dual-carriage motorways in Crete, one running along the north coast from Kissamon in the West all the way to Agios Nikolaos in the East, and a couple connecting the North with the South. The rest tend to be smaller roads, where road conditions range from well maintained and wide, to rocky and treacherous.
Always drive defensively
Especially on the larger roads, slow drivers are expected to pull on to the hard shoulders to make room for faster drivers. Although hard shoulders can quickly turn into soft shoulders or disappear entirely, so one has to be very careful.
Take great care when driving across mountainous regions in Crete, where road conditions can be outright dangerous (see our drive from Paleochora to Elafonisi!).
Driving at night time is strongly advised against, roads are not well lit at night and drink driving is common (although the police is starting to crack down on this a little).
As long as you stick to day light, take great care and drive defensively, the likelihood is you’ll be absolutely fine!
Read more about our roadtrip itinerary around Crete here!
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