Crete is the largest Greek island, and the most packed with culture. If you are a classical history and mythology nerd, there is more than enough to feast on in Crete; ancient monasteries, ruined palaces and the legendary birthplace of the god-of-gods Zeus is just the start of it. Aside from the archaeological attractions, Crete has its tourist side, with cheap accommodation and anglicised entertainment in the north of the island, as well as gorgeous beaches all over.

If you’ve always fancied yourself a bit of a Lara Croft type, Crete offers enough ruins and historical sites to truly immerse yourself in. The Knossos Palace was the largest of the Minoan palaces, and was partly rebuilt by adventurer Sir Arthur Evans. Phaestos is an equally impressive, but smaller palace that also provides mind-blowing views. For the less adventurous, there is Hania Old Town, a town so quaint it hurts your eyes. The Venetian and Ottoman rulers have left their marks on the town, and it is littered with restaurants, cafes, and crafts that create the ultimate Greek shopping experience. Gay culture, as expected due to the lack of equality for gays, is not as vibrant on Crete as in other areas. There are, however, places for gays to meet and mingle. Eros Bar in Malia is the only exclusively gay bar on the island, but there are many gay or gay-friendly apartments, hotels and villas, so socialising with other gays and lesbians is not impossible.

Greek gay rights are a little behind other European states. The legal age of consent for gay men is 17 if the other man is over 18, whilst for straights it is 15. Homophobic discrimination is only outlawed in employment terms, in line with EU legislation, and civil partnership, although legally impossible in theory, is not widespread and frowned upon.

By air, you can fly to Crete’s two international airports, Iraklio and Hania, which flights from Athens and Thessaloniki arrive at. There are also ferries from the mainland, arriving at ports around Crete including Souda, Sitia, Kissamos, Iraklio and Rethymno.