Crete posts 7.2% rise in air arrivals as Athens dips in first seven months of 2026, INSETE reports
Crete recorded about 3.2 million international air arrivals in January-July 2026, up 7.2%, while Athens arrivals fell slightly,…
Friday, September 18, 2026
Crete News
The latest news from around Crete: weather, travel, local life and island events, updated daily.
More news
Agios Nikolaos Mountaineering Club to join 44th Pancretan Mountaineering Meeting in Rouvas forest
The Agios Nikolaos Mountaineering Club will send a bus to the 44th Pancretan Mountaineering Meeting in the Rouvas…
Civil Protection places Crete under ‘Red Code’ wildfire alert for Sunday
Greece's Civil Protection put Crete under "Red Code" mobilization for Sunday, August 30, banning outdoor fires, hot works…
Heraklion airport logs new single-day record above 68,000 passengers
Heraklion's "Nikos Kazantzakis" Airport logged a new single-day record of more than 68,000 passengers in August, its director…
Video of crowded Balos beach jetty goes viral with over 820,000 views
A video showing dense crowds of visitors on Balos beach's jetty in Chania has drawn more than 820,000…
Agios Nikolaos port to host Cretan Cooking Festival on September 24
The Cretan Cooking Festival 2026 will take place at the Port of Agios Nikolaos on September 24, marking…
Archanes residents report nightly motorbike noise disrupting sleep near village ring road
Residents of Archanes describe nightly disturbances from modified motorbikes and loud music near the village ring road, with…
Cruise ship Azura brings over 3,000 passengers to Chania’s Souda port
The cruise ship Azura docked at Souda port in Chania on Saturday morning carrying 3,276 passengers.
Heraklion airport sets back-to-back records, tracks toward more than 10 million passengers in 2026
Heraklion's Nikos Kazantzakis Airport posted record daily passenger and flight numbers in early August as 2026 traffic outpaces…
Chania closes Samaria Gorge again on Saturday amid category 5 wildfire risk
Samaria Gorge will stay closed to visitors on Saturday, August 29, after Chania was placed under category 5…
Heraklion airport posts two records in early August, tracks toward 10 million-plus passengers in 2026
Heraklion's "Nikos Kazantzakis" airport set back-to-back records in early August and is on pace to exceed 2025's 10…
Municipality of Kissamos closes Balos and Topolia Gorge routes over wildfire risk
The Municipality of Kissamos has temporarily closed walking routes to Balos and the Topolia Gorge due to strong…
Meteo.gr forecasts wind gusts up to 120 km/h in Crete as heat persists
Meteo.gr forecasts gusts up to 120 km/h in eastern Crete on Saturday, with temperatures still reaching up to…
Rethymno records Crete’s first locally acquired West Nile virus case
A 62-year-old woman is in intensive care in Rethymno with Crete's first confirmed locally acquired West Nile virus…
Chania closes Samaria Gorge on Saturday over extreme wildfire risk
Chania Regional Unit says Samaria Gorge will stay closed to visitors on Saturday, August 29, 2026, due to…
Wildfire near Prinias in Heraklion prompts Fire Service mobilization
The Fire Service mobilized firefighters, vehicles and a helicopter to a wildfire near Prinias in the Gortyna municipality…
Crete faces Category 5 wildfire risk on Saturday, forcing closure of forests and gorges
Crete's Civil Protection service places the whole island under Category 5 "Red Code" wildfire risk for Saturday, closing…
Heraklion accommodation revenue jumps 12.2% as dining turnover falls, ELSTAT data show
ELSTAT data for Q2 2026 show Heraklion's accommodation turnover rose 12.2% while food service revenue fell 3.1%, a…
Minoa Pediada municipality and quake survivors’ group urge changes to Greece’s disaster-housing bill
Minoa Pediada and the "Elpida" group ask Greece to revise its disaster-housing bill, citing unresolved damage from the…
Chania reinstates Blue Flag at Nea Chora beach after water tests confirm high quality
Chania officials reinstated the Blue Flag at Nea Chora beach, citing water samples of excellent quality and reassuring…
Crete records 7.2% rise in international air arrivals as Chania nears 1 million, INSETE data show
Crete recorded about 3.2 million international air arrivals in January-July 2026, up 7.2% year-on-year, with Chania nearing 1…
Meteorologist links Crete’s Red Code wildfire alert to wind, heat and terrain
Meteorologist Thodoris Kolydas says extreme winds, dry fuel and terrain, not wind alone, drove Crete's Red Code fire…
Lasithi closes Diktaion Cave on Friday amid extreme wildfire risk
Lasithi authorities will close the Diktaion Cave on Friday, August 28, amid a forecast of extreme wildfire risk…
Malevizi Festival opens September 4 in Gazi with free three-day program
The Municipality of Malevizi's 4th Malevizi Festival runs September 4-6, 2026, in Gazi's Mich. Katsamanis square with free…
Knossos and Heraklion Archaeological Museum see fewer visitors as Phaistos posts gains, ELSTAT data show
ELSTAT data show visits to Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum fell in early 2026, while Phaistos recorded…
Heraklion’s third Festival of the Walls opens August 31 with more than 35 events
Heraklion's third Festival of the Walls runs August 31-September 10, offering more than 35 mostly free events at…