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With its great sandy beach and close proximity to Irakleio International Airport, Malia was destined to become one of the island’s liveliest package holiday resorts. In July and August it is thronged, attracting a young crowd with its water sports and after-dark scene. But there are peaceful spots, too.

A collection of sheltered coves lined with smooth white pebbles. Marmara attracts nude sunbathers and can be reached by boat from Loutro.

Matala’s coves of fine golden sand, surrounded by rocky red cliffs harbouring Roman cavetombs, made the place a magnet for hippy travellers in the 1960s. Its tourism is more orthodox now, but Matala is still pleasantly lowkey. A good base for exploring Gortys and Phaestos.

A pebbly beach and surprisingly uncrowded compared with the teeming resorts only a few kilometres to the west.

Allow around five hours to climb from the remote village of Kapetaniana to the summit of Kofinas and back. There are fine views of Mt Idi, the Dikti range, and the south coast.

A fertile plain, ringed by rocky slopes, lies high up on the northern side of the White Mountains. Millennia of winter rains have washed the topsoil down from the surrounding slopes to create this upland oasis. Most people pass through without stopping, but, especially in spring, this is one of the prettiest, most peaceful spots in Crete.

The boat from Palaiochora hugs the rugged south coast, calling in at the lazy port of Sougia, before chugging along to Agia Roumeli, a cheerfully ramshackle village at the foot of the Samaria Gorge.

On a headland crowned by a dilapidated Venetian castle, Paleochora is part fishing village, part resort. It has a crescent of yellow sand on the west side of the promontory and a longer, less crowded pebbly beach on the east.