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Rent From Locals

Car Rental in Heraklion

Rent a car from verified, top-rated local suppliers at Heraklion airport, at the port, in town or in Hersonisos and Malia. Pick-up is flexible, no credit card is required and you can choose full insurance.

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107 cars available

107 cars

107 cars

How you pick up your car

Picking up in town suits you if you arrived some other way and only want a car for part of your stay. Many streets inside the Venetian walls are pedestrian-only, and the marked street spaces inside the walls are for residents with permits. The supplier brings the car to your hotel or sends you directions to their office, and confirms which after booking. If you're staying inside the walls, the handover is at the nearest street a car can reach, which your hotel can name.

Driving and parking

Parking in Heraklion

  • The old town: park outside the walls and walk in. Many streets inside are pedestrian, and the street spaces are for residents with permits.
  • Not on the walls: parking along the Venetian walls and in the moat is being cleared in 2026. The Ministry of Culture won't allow cars there, and the municipal police began warning drivers in the spring.
  • Enforcement is strict. In a 17-day operation in June 2026, the municipal police recorded 2,759 parking offences, 692 of them on pedestrian streets.
  • Port car parks: the cheapest option for the centre, about €3 a day and a 5-10 minute walk into town.
  • Old vegetable market (Palaia Lachanagora): the municipal underground car park charges €2 up to an hour and €10 for 24 hours, and a 10% rise was proposed in February 2026.
  • Line colours: white is usually free, blue is paid or time-limited, and yellow means no parking. Signs override the lines.

On the road

  • The north coast road (VOAK) skirts the south of the city: west to Rethymno and Chania, east to Hersonisos, Malia and Agios Nikolaos. Parts of it are narrow and old. Slower drivers pull onto the paved shoulder to let others pass, but the shoulder can end suddenly or be blocked.
  • Roadworks: work on the Heraklion-Chania section began in 2026. East of the city, the Hersonisos-Neapoli section towards Agios Nikolaos is being rebuilt.
  • Tolls: none are charged in Crete at the time of writing; they are planned once finished sections open.
  • Goats on mountain roads are normal, even on main roads.
  • Fuel: stations usually open about 06:00-21:00, later in summer. Many close on Sundays, with a duty rota, and most are attendant-served, with no pay-at-pump after hours. Fill up the day before an early or Sunday trip.

Practical tips

  • Which car: a small car is the better choice: the centre has narrow one-way streets and little parking. Every trip above is on paved roads except the track to Agiofarago, so a 4x4 isn't needed.
  • Unpaved roads: many insurance policies exclude damage on unpaved roads (tyres, underbody). If Agiofarago is on your list, ask the supplier before you book.

Driving rules in Greece

  • Speed limits: in towns the limit has been 30 km/h since 1 January 2026, and 50 km/h on roads with two or more lanes in each direction, on one-way roads with two or more lanes and on roads with a central divider. Outside towns it is 90 km/h, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways. Signs can set other limits.
  • Alcohol: the limit is 0.5 g/l. It is 0.2 g/l for new drivers, and for motorcycle and moped riders.
  • Phones: hands-free only. Since the new traffic code of 2025, a first offence costs €350 and a 30-day licence suspension.
  • Helmets: compulsory on mopeds, motorcycles and quads, for the rider and the passenger.
  • In the car: a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher are compulsory. Check they're in the boot at pick-up.
  • Emergencies: call 112.

Places to visit by car

  • Knossos

    Knossos

    6 km, 10-15 minutes south of the centre. Open 08:00-20:00 from April to October and 08:00-15:00 from November to March. Arrive at 08:00: tour buses come from about 10:30, and in July and August 11:00-14:00 is the worst time. Parking is next to the entrance.
  • Gortyna, Phaistos and Matala

    Gortyna, Phaistos and Matala

    across the island to the Messara plain. Gortyna is 46 km (45 minutes), Phaistos 55 km (55 minutes), and Matala 62 km (about 1 hour 10), 9 km past Phaistos. Matala's caves are a ticketed site, open 10:00-19:00 from April to September and shorter hours in winter. Beach parking in Matala is paid.
  • Kommos and the south coast

    Kommos and the south coast

    Kommos, one of the largest beaches in Crete, runs from Kalamaki almost to Matala; drive through Pitsidia to the end of the road (60 km, about 1 hour 5). Agia Galini (71 km) and Lentas (68 km) are each about 1 hour 20.
  • Agiofarago

    Agiofarago

    a pebble beach at the mouth of a gorge. Drive to Odigitria monastery (62 km, about 1 hour 5), then about 4 km of rough dirt track to a parking area, and 20-30 minutes on foot. See Practical on unpaved roads.

    Photo: Scharova, cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Lasithi plateau

    Lasithi plateau

    leave the VOAK at Hersonisos and climb past Krasi and the Seli Ampelou pass, with its old windmills. Tzermiado is 54 km (55 minutes) and Psychro 59 km (about 1 hour). The Dikteon cave (Cave of Zeus) above Psychro was still closed for works in May 2026, so check before you go.
  • Malia palace

    Malia palace

    38 km, 35 minutes. The Minoan palace is 2-3 km east of Malia town, and the road carries on to the sea, so you can swim afterwards.

    Photo: Simon L Kozhin, cropped, CC BY-SA 3.0

  • Agios Nikolaos

    Agios Nikolaos

    63 km, about 1 hour east on the VOAK.
  • Elounda and Spinalonga

    Elounda and Spinalonga

    Elounda is 68 km (1 hour 10) and Plaka, the closest point to Spinalonga, 68 km (1 hour 15). From Plaka, boats cross in about 5 minutes, roughly every half hour from 09:30 to 17:00, April to October. Parking in Plaka is limited, so arrive early in summer.
  • Rethymno

    Rethymno

    80 km west on the VOAK, about 1 hour 25: a day for the old town and the Venetian fortress.

Questions and answers

Is the new airport at Kastelli open?

No. It was about two-thirds built in January 2026, with opening planned for 2028. At the time of writing all flights use Nikos Kazantzakis airport, 5 km east of the centre.

Where can I park in Heraklion centre?

Not inside the walls, where many streets are pedestrian and street spaces are for residents. The port car parks are the cheapest, about €3 a day; the municipal underground car park at the old vegetable market charges €2 for the first hour. Don't park along the walls or in the moat.

My ferry arrives early in the morning. Can I collect the car at the port?

Yes. The overnight ferries from Piraeus arrive at about 06:00-07:00. Give the supplier your ship and arrival time when you book. They'll meet you off the ship, send you directions to their office or send a shuttle, and confirm which after booking.

Can I drive to Spinalonga?

No, it's an island. Drive to Plaka (68 km, about 1 hour 15) and take the 5-minute boat across. Parking in Plaka is limited, so arrive early.

Is the Cave of Zeus on the Lasithi plateau open?

It was still closed for works in May 2026, and no reopening date had been announced. Check before you drive up.

Are there tolls on the roads from Heraklion?

Not at the time of writing. Tolls are planned once the rebuilt sections of the VOAK open: expect roadworks towards Chania and between Hersonisos and Neapoli.