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Chrissi Island

Chrissi Island: Our most recommended tours and activities

Heraklion: Chrissi the Southernmost Natural Park in Europe

1. Heraklion: Chrissi the Southernmost Natural Park in Europe

Take some time and experience the magic of the uninhabited island of Chrissi on a sightseeing cruise. Sail the Lybian Sea, take in your surroundings, and take your time with a short walk on the white-sand beaches, speckled with shells. Enjoy pickup from one of the designated meeting points and embark on a scenic drive to Ιerapetra. Once you arrive, discover the southernmost and warmest town in Europe for 45 minutes, while enjoying your free time. Depart on a boat for Chrissi Island, and cross the Libyan Sea to this stunning and uninhabited and exotic island. Admire the colors of the water and relax on a boat cruise around its most beautiful bays. Take your time to discover the natural landscape and swim to the shore, dive from the boat, and enjoy the clear waters of the island. Look out at the white sand beaches and view the millions of small shells that litter the beaches. Take the option to purchase lunch onboard the boat, and ask your guide in advance to get a discounted price.

From Ierapetra: Cruise Around Chrissi Island With Swimming

2. From Ierapetra: Cruise Around Chrissi Island With Swimming

Start your boat cruise from the port of Ierapetra and head to the exotic Chrissi. Sail in the emerald waters of the Libyan Sea, accompanied by seagulls and dolphins. The self-service bar of the ship remains open during the cruise, offering light meals, with salads, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and ice cream available to purchase. Jump off the boat and swim in the refreshing water off the coast of Chrissi Island. After a relaxing swim, dry off on board and enjoy views of the island's blue and green waters, golden beaches, and protected cedar forest. The cedar forest extends to the center of Chrissi, covering an area of 350,000 square meters. The colors of the rocks are spectacular, while almost the entire island is covered by golden sand. 

Crete: Day Trip to Chrissi Island by Bus and Boat

3. Crete: Day Trip to Chrissi Island by Bus and Boat

Travel from select locations on Crete by bus to the the town of Ierapetra and board a comfortable boat. Set sail towards the island of Chrissie and stop to swim and sunbathe at pristine beaches or take a stroll through cedar forests.  Choose from tour options that offer hotel pickup from many of Crete's towns. Hop aboard a spacious bus and relax on the ride to Ierapetra. Take in the stunning port as you board the boat and embark on your adventure to Chrissi Island.   Cruise to this uninhabited island around that is around 15 kilometers south of Ierapetra. This small island is only 7 kilometers in length and covers an area of 4,743 kilometers. Admire its golden sands and its rare variety of Lebanon cedars.  Anchoring on the south side of the island, head to the nearby beach for swimming and sunbathing. Walk a path that runs through the island and the cedar forest to the otherworldly beach of Chrissi Ammos. Have the option to hunt for seashells, check out the rockier coast of the island, or make the trek to the island’s lighthouse. Swim in turquoise waters and soak up the sun in this magical and totally undisturbed place of natural beauty. Return to the port in Ierapetra by boat, taking in views of the fort as you land. Transfer by bus back to your accommodation. 

From Heraklion: Chrissi Island Cruise

4. From Heraklion: Chrissi Island Cruise

Enjoy a day tour to the uninhabited island of Chrissi. Admire this small island with its natural cedar forest and beautiful sandy beaches. Drive to the south of Crete and reach the picturesque old town of Lerapetra. Climb aboard the boat at the port of Lerapetra and travel through the crystal clear waters of the Libyan Sea. With luck you will see dolphins, and finally reach Chrissi – also called the Golden Island. Admire untouched nature – a paradise of unparalleled flora and fauna. Stroll through a natural cedar forest, enjoy the incredible tranquility and discover corals and shells, dunes and salt marshes.

From Crete: Chrissi Island Yacht Cruise with Lunch

5. From Crete: Chrissi Island Yacht Cruise with Lunch

After getting picked up from your hotel, head to the port of Ierapetra where you will begin the 20-minute journey to Chrissi Island, admiring emerald green waters along the way. Upon arrival on the island, enjoy a walk on the white sand beaches and explore the extraordinary beauty of Europe's southernmost natural park. After your return to the yacht, cruise to a quiet bay where you can dive in crystal-clear waters. Make use of the snorkeling gear provided to explore the untouched and beautiful seabed of Chrissi Island. You can also enjoy a spot of fishing with the onboard fishing equipment. Relax with a drink while the crew prepares your lunch with fresh, local ingredients, guests. After lunch, enjoy another dip in the sea before returning to Ierapetra and heading back to your hotel.

Other Sightseeing Options in Chrissi Island

Want to discover all there is to do in Chrissi Island? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Chrissi Island

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 257 reviews

A lot better than expected! We were apprehensive of it after reading reviews but it turned out to be a great day! A few things I would recommend/ note for next time: the boat does stop a distance from the island and is approx. 5-10 minutes swim depending on ability, the boat supplies life jackets and floats if you aren’t a confident swimmer (I wasn’t!) so the swim really wasn’t that bad in the end. I would take a waterproof phone case/ bag if you want to take anything onto the island (beach towel, camera, shoes, snacks etc.) as whatever you want to take to the island you need to carry on the swim. Definitely take flip flops/ sandals to wear on the beach as rocks are quite sore on the feet. Overall a brilliant day out and feel like I stroked an item of a bucket list I didn’t even know I had!

Pros: -Good price at 27€ for a 6 hour stay -Well organized team -Good prices for beer and Co. -Super friendly team Cons The island looks better on pictures than in real life, but it's still worth a visit.

The Golden beach is the most breathtaking, wonderful and incredible beach i have seen in europe. Truly stunning! ALL Shades of blue

Had a great day with good views along the way, good swims and a nice guide that showed us the places around.

The water was absolutely unreal. A must-do while travelling through Crete.