Visit the Archaeological Site of Knossos - and its famous palace, major city of the Minoan civilization 4,000 years ago.
Check more sites of interest to visit by consulting the Hellenic Minister of Culture web-site (http://www.culture.gr/)
Listen to traditional Cretan music: Lýra is the dominant folk instrument on the island; it is a three-stringed fiddle, direct descendant of the ancient Lyre, which is held vertically, resting on the thighs of the player and is played with a bow like a violin. It is often accompanied by the Cretian lute laoúto, which is similar to both an oud and a mandolin. The film Zorba the Greek helped to expand the audience for Cretan folk music; popularity peaked from about the middle of the 1970s to the middle of the 1980s.
Complete the walk down the Samaria Gorge from the Omalos plateau to Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, at which point tourists sail to the nearby village of Hora Sfakion and catch a coach back to Hania. The walk takes between four and seven hours and can be strenuous, especially in high summer.
Avoid overcrowded and touristic places as they are ugly and don't offer any of the qualities of Crete. In general, the North coast is much more busy and touristic than the South coast.
Go walking in the mountains.
Yakinthia Festival-this is an anual festival of music and dance, which also features presentations on Greek mythology
Excellent beaches: Balos Lagoon, Kissamos/ Red Sand Beach, Matala/ Palm Beach, Plakias/ and Elafonissi Beach, Elafonissi
Visit museums: Historical Museum of Crete, Heraklion/ Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Heraklion/ and the famous Lychnostatis Open Air Museum, Hersonissos
Shopping Centers: Idolio, Hersonissos specialty museum shop and Faestos, Hersonissos
The night life is great too; Bars: Ya Bar, Farbrica, and the White Lion which are all located in Hersonissos. Along with bars there are Dance/Disco Club: Camelot, Enigma, and Amnesia clubs all in Hersonissos
