I have been living in Chania, Crete, for the past three years and one month, and I am happy to share my experience.

I had never dreamed of living on this island, and the decision was made in a single day due to emergency situations.

But living by the sea, somewhere in Europe, and working remotely wasn’t just a coincidence — it was my dream I had carefully planning, how a point on the map of my life.
In this article, I will share my personal top 8 reasons why I truly believe Crete is one of the best place in the world to live. Later, I will also highlight the top of disadvantages — and both lists are quite substantial.

The very first and most important advantage for me is safety.

1 – Safety

Nowhere else have I ever felt as calm and safe as I do in Crete.
You can go anywhere, at any time, and you will be fine. Whether you’re walking through the city or a small village, even in the middle of the night until sunrise — it simply doesn’t matter — you will be safe. Even if you’re a woman.

There’s no harassment, no catcalling, no “Hey, beauty, need a ride?” kind of behaviour. The crime rate here is close to zero, even though locals may not always agree.
Most of the time, I simply leave my clothes on the beach while I swim, and everything stays exactly where I left it.

Although, once (in three years), someone stole the side mirror cover from my car, which later cost me €30 to replace at the dealership. But that’s the worst you can expect here — just minor thefts. The petty thieves, allegedly Moldovan Roma, are few in number and stand out from the crowd, so it’s better to stay away from them to avoid any trouble. I actually talk the man who stole my mirror cover later — he is offering to sell it back for €25! business! haha 🙂

The local police spend most of their time dealing with illegal immigrants who arrive by boat to the island. I know this firsthand, straight from the source.

There is no “buy-sell” culture here, no one pulls you into stores or tries to sell you anything (like in Istanbul for example). It’s actually the opposite. You have to specifically choose a place, go in, and often even wait to be served.
In the most touristy areas, it’s not quite like that, but overall, the island doesn’t have any intrusive service.

It seems like this is just not in the Greeks’ nature. They have a deep sense of self-worth instilled in them from childhood, and that’s truly admirable.

Here, every delivery person, waiter, and cashier embodies this quality. And every job is valued, regardless of what you do. Especially here on the island, where 80% of the population relies on service and tourism.
This could be considered one of the downsides, but more on that later.

Recently, I walked past a motorcycle with a rusted key in the ignition. It seemed like it had never been used. What’s convenient, though, is that you just hop on and ride off — no need to search for keys all over the house or your bag.

Here, nothing is “snatched from your hands or taken while you’re on the go,” as you often hear about in Asian countries or places like Naples, for example, where motorcycles are everywhere.

You don’t need to tie your bag to your leg like I’ve seen in some places — I think I saw it in a Andrey Burenok episode about Mexico. Although, out of habit, I still keep my valuables close in crowded places. Traveling and living in Ukraine have definitely left their mark.

Even the dogs here are calm. When I run and meet dogs, their owners are genuinely surprised that I stop and feel cautious. The dogs don’t even bark. The only exception is in private residential areas and during the dark hours.

As for the relatively unsafe aspects, there are occasional earthquakes on the island, but they’re not scary or dangerous (unless you’re in the mountains at the time).
Also, there’s a NATO military base here. But neither of these things is felt in daily life. You’re warned — and that’s it.

The reason number two..

2 – Ecology and Bio Products

I love this about Crete – there are so many vegetables and fruits here, and they’re all super easy to get. It is fresh from the fields, from local villages. You can buy them for just €0.5-1 per kg or item, maybe a bit more expensive, but with a BIO label. This includes eggs too. It means the product is grown without additives and chemicals, and they really stick to that here.

On Saturdays, there’s a farmers’ market in the city center, and farmers bring products from their gardens. For just 1 euro, I can get a whole bag of small but incredibly delicious avocados. And for 4 euros per half liter, you can buy fragrant fresh olive oil. And a bag of greens for 2 euros.

The locals also love meat, especially lamb. They raise lambs almost everywhere on the island. But I don’t eat it, so let’s skip that. There are many goats and goat’s milk, olives, and olive oil — this is what Crete is truly famous for.

As for the local fish, I don’t find it tasty, so I don’t buy it. But it’s abundant, not predatory, and smells of grass. It’s also very affordable, 7 euros for a pack. And you can fish anywhere in the sea, it’s allowed. When you go snorkeling, you can see that there’s a lot of fish here.

The reason number three..

Preveli Beach

3. Mountains & Sea

The landscape here has both mountains and the sea. And that’s really cool. If you want cool weather or snow, you go to the mountains or head to a canyon. If you’re looking for a summer vibe, well, you get it. It’s all within a 30-60km radius or less.

The reason number four..

Balos Lagoon

4. Incredibly Breathtaking Beaches

Here, it’s not just the sea; it’s incredibly stunning beaches and views. My inner aesthetic is endlessly inspired and happy. The beaches are the best in the world, or certainly among the best. Three top-famous beaches promoted for tourists (there are many more): Elafonissi Beach, Balos Lagoon, and Preveli Beach.

And five, not as well-known but equally amazing in vibe and my personal favorites: Falasarna Beach, Stavros Beach, Damnoni Beach, Seitan Limania, Paralia Grammenou.

In general, every single beach here is amazing in its own way and has its own unique atmosphere, vibe, and mood. It also depends on the season and weather when you visit — you get a different view and mood each time.

The reason number three..

Hora Sfakion

5. Hospitality

This is probably the hallmark of Crete. As I mentioned earlier, the island thrives on tourism, and this may be interconnected. Here, everyone smiles at you, takes an interest ‘how are you?’, and so on.

It’s fair to note that immigrants aren’t particularly liked here, though not by everyone, and this also ties into the downsides, which I’ll discuss later.

In general, pleasant smiles, politeness, and casual conversations with strangers are the norm on the island.

The reason number six..

6. English Language

You can live comfortably in Crete without knowing Greek.

The English language is widely spoken here, and almost everyone can communicate in it. Some speak at a basic level, while many are fluent or even more advanced.

There are many tourists on the island, so at any gas station, store, or hospital, pet clinic, beach bar, communicating in English is normal. The exceptions are certain government institutions and in some villages, particularly among the older population, where it’s common to find people who don’t know English at all. This is quite logical.

In three years, I still haven’t found enough motivation to fully learn Greek, given the reasons mentioned above and the fact that I work remotely. However, I’m kind of lying back in that direction. Greek sounds beautiful and shares common roots with both Latin and Cyrillic. But my English level has improved significantly, and with constant practice, it’s an added bonus. 🙂

The reason number seven..

7. Greek Music

Greek music holds a special place in my heart.

It’s hard to find anything better than driving along the winding Cretan mountain roads, with breathtaking views of the sea lagoons or endless olive-covered hills, while listening to these songs and singing along. And if I ever decide to learn Greek, it’s worth doing so just to be able to sing them and hit every word. My favorite song (below) Konstantinos Argyros – ‘Since I found you, I won’t leave you’ , and my favorite singer is Nikos Oikonomopoulos (link YouTube).

The reason number eight..

8. Hiking, Swimming, Cycling…

Maybe this is my number one reason, but I decided to leave it for the final point. Movement is life. Living in a healthy, active, and beautiful body is pure joy. The variety of hiking routes in Crete is truly overwhelming. Most trails go through canyons, but there are also paths in villages, along beaches, and even in big cities like Chania, Heraklion, and Rethymno. Sometimes I used the Wikiloc – Trails of the World app to discover new routes.

For me personally, Crete is very hot, especially in summer. But depending on the season, you can always find the right type of activity. In winter, I enjoy cycling and running.

In summer, it’s all about swimming and hiking. The sea becomes a giant open-air swimming pool. From 7 to 9 in the morning, the beaches are almost empty, with kilometers of golden sand and crystal-clear turquoise water – a truly magical time.

P.S. In the photo – my personal record, on the way to the stunning Balos Lagoon.

Thank you very much for reading!