Crete is the largest island in greece and that is why renting your own car is not a bad idea for vacationers. Especially if you do not want to book tours from different providers, a rental car can be advantageous for exploring the island. So, with your rental car in crete, a good guidebook and a map, you can set out to discover the island. Having a car on vacation is more comfortable and faster than any other means of transportation. We ourselves have travelled with the here you can get to our report.
Why book a rental car in crete?
It often happens that the most beautiful beaches are further away from the inhabited hotel. This would not be a problem for example with a rental car. There are many places of interest in crete that are easily accessible by bus or tour operators. However, it can often be more expensive than having your own car. In addition, the duration of the trip is usually much longer. If the large groups of tourists cannot gather at the appointed time, there are always delays. If you value your precious vacation time, you should rent a car in crete especially for this reason. Vacations are for relaxing and recharging your batteries, not for being robbed of your last remaining nerve.
Prices
Prices in tourist places are often related to the tourist season. So if you fly to crete in high season and want to rent a car, you must also consider all the costs involved. But already in the middle season the prices decrease up to 50%. I would also recommend that if you are going to be on vacation in Crete for a longer period of time, i.e. more than 2-3 days, it is worthwhile to rent a car in Crete because of the long booking discount. Even if you don’t want to use the car on some days because you want to rest in the hotel complex, you should still book it. The longer you book, the cheaper the price will be. The handing over of the keys at the airport of chania or heraklion or at the hotel belongs to the free service, on which the inhabitants of crete set a high value, so that the guest feels at home. As a rule, the price per day for the smallest category of rental car is 25 – 40 euros. This price changes depending on the duration of the rental and the season.
What you should consider when renting a car!
First of all, think about what kind of insurance you need. We recommend fully comprehensive insurance, because it often includes protection against theft, fire, glass and underbody damage. You should also pay attention to whether the insurance covers possible damage to tires and rims. Contact the car rental company beforehand and ask them several times if all insurances are really available. In this way you can avoid possible problems that may arise when you return the rented car.
The second step is the so called "check" of the complete car. look at the car very carefully when renting it. Scratches, dents, dings and other damage should be recorded with the car rental company. Do not forget to ask for a written form with the damages. Because everything that is not confirmed can be your downfall when you return the rental car, which either you or your liability insurance in germany has to pay for.
A very, in our opinion, very great and competent rental company is tracer car rentals.
The tank
Important is another point, which deals with the fuel conditions of the rental car. Usually you have to return the car as you received it. "full to full" means that you got the car with a full tank of gas and you have to return it with a full tank of gas, "empty to empty" means that you got the car empty and you have to return it with an empty tank of gas. Even if you did not manage to get the tank empty, you can return the car. You will not get a refund for the fuel, but maybe a nice thank you. "full to empty" is when you get the car full of gas and return it empty. This condition is not so advantageous for you, because you will have to pay for the full tank of gas when you return the car and you will not be reimbursed if you have not driven very much and the tank is still full.
How to proceed now?
You now have a car and try to orientate yourself with a map. Do not panic! you are at the other end of europe, but still in europe. The island of Crete is a touristy place and there are road signs in Greek and English everywhere. So it will not be a problem for you to reach a certain place. The main connections between major cities is usually very good. Avoid small roads that lead to villages or remote locations because they are often narrow and bumpy.
The parking
Tourist places and big cities on crete already cause big difficulties for the driver. There is paid parking near the center of each city, but if you want to save on parking costs, you can find parking outside the center. If you have your accommodation in the city, you should make sure that the hotel has a private parking lot for its guests when booking a rental car in Crete.