Best Road Trips from Platanias Quick Reference Table Trip 1 — Chania Old Town (12 km, 20 min) Trip 2 — Botanical Park of Crete (~18–32 km, 30–40 min) Trip 3 — Therisso Gorge (22 km, 21 min) Trip 4 — Seitan Limania (31 km, 37 min) Trip 5 — Samaria Gorge (40 km, 41 min) Trip 6 — Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa (40 km to Kissamos, 35 min) Trip 7 — Falasarna Beach (46 km, 45 min) Trip 8 — Lake Kournas (50 km, 45 min) Trip 9 — Elafonisi Beach (60 km, 1h–1h15) Trip 10 — Imbros Gorge (62 km, 1h) Trip 11 — Rethymno (68 km, 1h) Trip 12 — Heraklion & Knossos (148 km, 2h10) Suggested Multi-Day Itineraries 2-Day Western Beaches 3-Day Full West Crete 1-Day Culture Trip Vehicle Recommendations Chania Old Town Free €0.20–€4.80 (free Sundays) Botanical Park of Crete ~18–32 km 30–40 min €8 adult, €4 child Free Therisso Gorge Free Free Seitan Limania Free Free (limited) Samaria Gorge €10 Balos Lagoon (boat) 40 km to Kissamos 35 min + boat €40–45/person + €1 Kissamos port Falasarna Beach Free Free Lake Kournas Free Free or €2–3 Elafonisi Beach Free Imbros Gorge 1h €2.50–3 Free (tavernas) Rethymno 1h Fortezza €4–5 Free east lot or ~€3/hour Heraklion & Knossos Knossos €20, Museum €20 Best Road Trips from Platanias 12 unmissable day trips from Platanias — Elafonisi, Balos, Samaria Gorge, and more, with distances, times, and insider tips. Platanias is one of the best bases in western Crete for day trips by car. From here, you can reach Chania Old Town, Elafonisi Beach, Balos Lagoon, Falasarna Beach, Lake Kournas, Therisso Gorge, Imbros Gorge, Samaria Gorge, Rethymno, and even Heraklion and Knossos without changing hotels. Most of the best road trips from Platanias take 20 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, with Heraklion the main long-drive exception. Many visitors arrange car rental Platanias or car rental Chania Airport before landing at Chania Airport (CHQ), which sits about 25–30 km east of Platanias, or roughly a 30-minute drive via the E75/BOAK. A taxi from CHQ to Platanias usually costs €45–50 one way, so even a short rental can make sense if you are planning several day trips from Platanias or staying between Platanias and Agia Marina. This guide covers the 12 best road trips with the distances, drive times, entry fees, parking notes, and fuel warnings that matter on the ground. Quick Reference Table Destination Distance Drive Time Entry Fee Parking Trip 1 — Chania Old Town (12 km, 20 min) Making the short trip from Platanias to Chania Old Town is almost mandatory. The draw is the Venetian harbour, the Egyptian lighthouse, Leather Lane (Odos Skridlof), and the Maritime Museum at the harbour's edge. Museum entry is about €4 for adults and €3 for children. Parking: Chania uses a controlled parking system. Expect to pay between €0.20 and €4.80 depending on the zone and how long you stay. Parking is usually free on Sundays. Park outside the pedestrian core, or you can end up stuck in very narrow lanes. Tip: This is the easiest half-day drive on the list. Pair it with the Botanical Park of Crete if you want a full day without much time behind the wheel. Trip 2 — Botanical Park of Crete (~18–32 km, 30–40 min) The Botanical Park of Crete sits inland in the foothills south of Chania. It is known for a 2.5 km walking trail through fruit trees, herbs, flowers, and shaded sections that work well even on hot days. The site grew out of recovery after the 2003 wildfire that destroyed a large number of old olive trees in the area. Entry: €8 for adults, €4 for children aged 6–12, and free for children under 6. The park typically operates from March to November. The on-site restaurant is one of the better lunch stops on this side of the island. Tip: Walk the trail in the morning, then drive back down to Chania for the harbour later in the day. Trip 3 — Therisso Gorge (22 km, 21 min) Therisso Gorge is the easy scenic drive on this list. You do not come here for a hike. You come for the fully paved road, the high rock walls, and the quick transition from coast to mountain scenery. The road ends in Therisso village, which is well known for antikristo lamb cooked over open wood embers. That makes this one of the strongest food-focused road trips from Platanias. Parking: Free in the village. Entry: None. Trip 4 — Seitan Limania (31 km, 37 min) Seitan Limania is one of the most photographed coves in Crete. The water is vivid blue, the inlet is narrow and dramatic, and the final view is better than the road in. Access requires a rocky 15-minute scramble from the car park. Wear proper shoes. This is not a sandals route. There are no facilities on the beach — bring water, snacks, and shade. Parking: Free, but space is limited. Tip: In July and August, arrive before 9:00 am. After that, both the parking area and the small beach fill fast. Trip 5 — Samaria Gorge (40 km, 41 min) The classic hiking day trip. The hike is 16 km one way and usually takes 5 to 7 hours. The best-known point is the Iron Gates, where the gorge narrows to about 3 metres while the cliffs rise roughly 500 metres above you. Entry: €10. Samaria Gorge usually operates from May to October, subject to weather and fire-risk closures. The trail starts near Xyloskalo on the Omalos plateau and ends at Agia Roumeli on the south coast. From there, hikers continue by ferry to Sougia or Sfakia and then by bus, so this is not a simple out-and-back walk. Parking: About €5 per day at the trailhead. Refuel in Alikianos before climbing toward Omalos. Do not assume mountain stations will be open when you need them. Tip: The organized bus option is often smarter than driving yourself. It removes the car-retrieval problem at the end of a one-way hike. Trip 6 — Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa (40 km to Kissamos, 35 min) One of the most requested day trips from Platanias, and the route decision matters. By boat (Recommended): Drive about 35 minutes to Kissamos port. Boats usually depart around 10:30–10:50 am. Tickets are typically €40–45 per person in peak season, plus the €1 municipal fee. Many sailings also include Gramvousa. Parking at the port is easy. By dirt road (Not Recommended): There is an 8 km unpaved road to the Balos parking area, followed by a steep 20–30 minute walk down. Even drivers with SUVs underestimate the risk here. Driving the Balos dirt road voids all rental insurance, including CDW, SCDW, and FDW. That means no zero excess protection, no deductible reduction, and no protection for undercarriage, tyres, or rescue towing, even if the booking page makes the cover sound broad. Tip: The boat is the better call. You protect your rental contract, avoid the rough access road, and still get the lagoon experience. Trip 7 — Falasarna Beach (46 km, 45 min) Falasarna Beach is the west-coast sand-and-sunset option. The beach is broad, open, and much easier to handle logistically than Balos or Seitan Limania. The route is fully paved. Parking is free, large, and close to the beach. No entry fee. Tip: Wind can be strong here. If you are already overnighting in Kissamos after Balos or Elafonisi, Falasarna Beach is an easy add-on for sunset. Trip 8 — Lake Kournas (50 km, 45 min) Crete's only natural freshwater lake. It works well for families, mixed-age groups, and anyone who wants a break from the beach. The scenery is softer and greener than the west-coast routes, and the lake is known for ducks and terrapin turtles. Pedal boats usually cost about €8–15 per hour. Entry is free. Parking is either free or around €2–3. Tip: Combine Lake Kournas with Rethymno. The extra drive east is manageable, and the two stops complement each other well. Trip 9 — Elafonisi Beach (60 km, 1h–1h15) The best-known beach drive in western Crete. Elafonisi Beach is famous for shallow lagoons and patches of pink sand formed by crushed shells. The road is paved all the way. It passes through Topolia Gorge and gets narrow and winding in sections, but it does not require a 4WD. Parking at the main lots is around €5 per day. Sunbeds are commonly around €8 per day. Refuel before you leave the north-coast corridor. Petrol stations are much less frequent once you head south-west. Tip: Arrive by 9:30 am. By about 10:30 am, larger tour traffic starts to arrive and the easiest parking fills quickly. Trip 10 — Imbros Gorge (62 km, 1h) Samaria's quieter cousin. The walk is about 8 km and usually takes 2 to 3 hours. It is one of the best value hiking routes in western Crete if you want scenery without committing to a full-day trek. The trail runs downhill from Imbros village toward Komitades. Entry is €2.50–3, usually cash only. Parking near the entrance tavernas is generally free. At the finish, local drivers often offer low-cost shuttle rides back to your car. Refuel in Vrisses before heading into the mountains. Trip 11 — Rethymno (68 km, 1h) Rethymno gives you a different urban feel from Chania Old Town. The old town is compact, lively, and easy to walk, with Venetian facades and a strong food-and-evening atmosphere. If you decide to base yourself there rather than drive back the same day, it is easy to compare renting a car in Rethymno and explore the old town and Fortezza at your own pace. The Venetian Fortezza is the main paid sight. Entry is usually €4–5. The eastern lot near the marina is often the easiest free parking option. If it is full, paid options around €3 per hour are common. Trip 12 — Heraklion & Knossos (148 km, 2h10) The long-haul option. The drive is straightforward because you stay on the E75/BOAK for most of the route. Knossos is €20, and the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion is another €20. Parking at Knossos is free or low-cost. In central Heraklion, expect around €4–7. Tip: Start early. Arriving at Knossos by about 8:30 am gives you a better chance of beating both the heat and the larger group tours. Suggested Multi-Day Itineraries 2-Day Western Beaches Day 1: Do Elafonisi Beach early and continue north for a Falasarna Beach sunset. Sleep in Kissamos. Day 2: Take the morning Balos Lagoon boat from the port. 3-Day Full West Crete Day 1: Do Samaria Gorge with the bus-transfer option and leave the car parked at your hotel. Day 2: Keep it simple with Platanias to Chania. Day 3: Drive to Kissamos for Balos. 1-Day Culture Trip Start at the Botanical Park of Crete in the cooler morning hours. Continue to Chania Old Town for lunch, museums, and an evening harbour walk. Vehicle Recommendations Almost all of these routes work with a standard economy car. The one major exception is the Balos dirt road, but that is not a recommendation to rent a bigger car. It is a recommendation to avoid that road entirely. If you are choosing between airport pickup or hotel delivery, book based on your arrival pattern. Airport pickup usually makes sense for longer stays, while hotel delivery can work for visitors staying in Platanias or Agia Marina who want only a few driving days. Automatic car rental inventory is much smaller than manual — roughly 83–85% of rental fleets in this market are manual transmission, so book automatics well ahead. For longer motorway days, especially Heraklion, comfort matters more than raw size. Confirm the air conditioning works properly and verify the insurance wording before you leave the desk. If you are unsure about local rules, read our driving guide. Need to compare deals first?