12 Day Trips to Take from Malia by Car Quick Reference: Distance & Drive Time Table Trip 1 — Palace of Malia (3 km, 5 min) Trip 2 — Agios Nikolaos (29 km, 30 min) Trip 3 — Knossos & Heraklion (42 km, 45–60 min) Trip 4 — Elounda & Spinalonga (40–42 km, 45–50 min) Trip 5 — Lassithi Plateau & Dikteon Cave (55–70 km, 1h15–1h30) Trip 6 — Rethymno (112 km, 1h40) Trip 7 — Vai Palm Beach (123 km, 2h45–3h) Trip 8 — Chania (172 km, 2h30) Trip 9 — Samaria Gorge (210 km, 3h15) Trip 10 — Balos Beach & Gramvousa (222 km, 4h45+) Suggested Multi-Day Itineraries Vehicle Recommendation Summary 12 Day Trips to Take from Malia by Car Malia is well placed for exploring Crete by car. Ancient palaces, beaches, mountain roads, and Venetian old towns are all within driving distance. Here are 12 destinations sorted by distance from town. Quick Reference: Distance & Drive Time Table Drive Time Road Type Car Needed Entry Fee Trip 1 — Palace of Malia (3 km, 5 min) Walk or drive. The site covers 7,500 m² and is the third-largest Minoan palace in Crete after Knossos and Phaistos. Famous for the Golden Bee Pendant (~1800 BC), now in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Entry: €10. Free parking. Less crowded than Knossos. Trip 2 — Agios Nikolaos (29 km, 30 min) Easy drive east on the E75. Lake Voulismeni in the town center is the main landmark — cafes and tavernas around the water. Boat trips to Spinalonga depart from the harbor (€16 per person). Good lunch stop before continuing to Elounda. Trip 3 — Knossos & Heraklion (42 km, 45–60 min) Take the E75 west to Heraklion, then south to Knossos. Entry: €20. Arrive by 8:30am to beat tour bus crowds. After Knossos, visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum (€12–€15) — home of the Golden Bee Pendant and the Phaistos Disc. Walk to Koules Venetian Fortress at the harbor (€10). Parking: Heraklion Marina €3–€4/day. Eleftherias Square underground €4–€6. Trip 4 — Elounda & Spinalonga (40–42 km, 45–50 min) Via E75 east, then south from Agios Nikolaos. Elounda has crystal-clear water and resort hotels. From Plaka (just north), boats depart to Spinalonga Island. Spinalonga: Venetian fortress, later a leper colony until 1957. Boat: €12 from Plaka, €14 from Elounda. Island entry: €20. Total: ~€34 per person. Allow 2–3 hours on the island. Trip 5 — Lassithi Plateau & Dikteon Cave (55–70 km, 1h15–1h30) Mountain road with switchbacks — paved but steep. Add 25% to GPS time. The plateau sits at 840 m with farming villages and traditional windmills. Stop at Krasi village for the 2,400-year-old plane tree. Dikteon Cave (Cave of Zeus): mythical birthplace of Zeus. Entry: €15. Parking: €2.50. The walk up is steep — mule rides available (~€15). Any car can handle the road, but take hairpins slowly. Trip 6 — Rethymno (112 km, 1h40) Straight west on E75. Easy drive. One of the best-preserved old towns in Crete. Venetian streets, harbor views, Fortezza fortress (€5–€10). Egyptian lighthouse by the harbor. Parking: Rethymno Marina €2.50 short stay. Free parking near the stadium if you arrive before 9am. Trip 7 — Vai Palm Beach (123 km, 2h45–3h) Eastern tip of Crete. Europe's largest natural palm forest. ⚠️ No fuel stations between Sitia and Vai — fill up in Sitia. Free entry. Parking: €3–€5. Sunbeds: ~€20 for 2 + umbrella. Nearby: ancient ruins of Itanos for snorkeling. Trip 8 — Chania (172 km, 2h30) Farthest major town on the E75 west. Venetian harbor — the most photographed spot in Crete. Egyptian lighthouse, Maritime Museum (€15), leather lane (Odos Skrydlof). Worth an overnight stay — combine with Balos or Samaria the next day. If you plan to base yourself on the beach side rather than inside the old town, the village of Platanias sits 11 km west of Chania along the coast and works better for late dinners and morning swims. Travelers starting their west-Crete leg from there often pick up Trip 9 — Samaria Gorge (210 km, 3h15) Full-day hiking trip. Drive to Chania, then south to Omalos, down to Xyloskalo trailhead. ⚠️ Fill up in Chania — no fuel near Omalos. The hike: 16 km, 4–7 hours, one-way. Iron Gates: 4 m wide, 500 m high walls. You exit at Agia Roumeli — ferry to Sfakion at 12:30 or 17:30, then bus/taxi back. Entry: €5–€10. Free parking at Xyloskalo (~200 cars). Open May–October only. Trip 10 — Balos Beach & Gramvousa (222 km, 4h45+) The most stunning beach in Crete — turquoise lagoon, pink-white sand.