Sissi holidays 2026 / 2027 | £19pp Deposits

Sissi is a sleepy, palm-fringed village wrapped around a cute harbour that feels miles away from the hustle, bustle and neon lights, but with all the cold beers and fresh seafood you could ever need on your jollies.

☀️ Sissi Holidays 2026 — Good to Know

☀️ Summers hit 28–30°C with barely a drop of rain from June to September — Sissi gets over 300 days of sunshine a year, and a cheeky sea breeze keeps things comfortable
💶 Brilliant value — a meal for two with wine at a harbour taverna comes to around €25–30, and a beer is €3–4. Complimentary dessert and raki at the end of your meal is standard here
🦎 Sissi holds the European November temperature record — 35.1°C was recorded here in November 2023, making it one of the warmest corners of Crete well into autumn

Why do people love holidays to Sissi?

The "Real Crete" vibe - Unlike its noisy neighbours, Sissi has kept its village charm, complete with whitewashed alleys and locals who actually have time for a chat.
A foodie's dream - The harbour is lined with traditional tavernas where the "catch of the day" was probably in the water an hour before it hit your plate.
Botanical beauty - The village is famously picturesque and bursting with colours, packed with flowers that gardeners dream bout and tropical palms that make every stroll feel like a walk in paradise.
Prime location - You’re perfectly tucked between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos, making it a class base for exploring the island without the tourist crowds.

🏨 Where to Stay on Your Sissi Holidays 2026

Sissi's hotel scene is compact but covers all bases — from a 5-star adults-only boutique to budget-friendly apartment complexes. It's a small resort, so everything is within walking distance of the harbour and the beaches.

👉 All Inclusive Crete Holidays | All Sissi Hotels

Families

🏨 Kalimera Kriti — The biggest resort in Sissi and a proper family crowd-pleaser. Beachfront location, two large pools, kids' and baby pools, a mini club, watersports, tennis, and a great buffet restaurant with sea views. All-inclusive available.
🏨 Sissi Bay Resort — A modern resort on the shore with seawater pools, yoga and fitness sessions, a sushi bar, and family rooms. Jazz and piano evenings a couple of times a week add a grown-up touch. About 300m from Boufos Beach.
🏨 Maria Family Hotel Sissi — A friendly, good-value apartment complex about 700m from the beach with a pool, modern rooms with kitchenettes, and a restaurant serving proper Cretan dishes. Great for families who want self-catering flexibility.
🏨 Maritimo Beach Hotel — Right by the harbour with sea views from the terrace restaurant, family rooms, and a traditional Greek atmosphere. Brilliant location for evening strolls to the tavernas.

Couples

🏨 Castello Boutique Resort & Spa — Adults Only — The fanciest address in Sissi by a mile. A 5-star boutique with just 48 rooms, private pool options, a spa with hammam and sauna, and a gourmet restaurant using local Cretan ingredients. About 300m from the beach. Proper luxury without the big-resort feel.
🏨 Koutrakis Suites — Boutique property of just 26 rooms overlooking a bay, with a seafront pool and the village centre 800m away. Simple, peaceful and perfectly placed for couples who want quiet evenings and sea views.

Budget

🏨 Palm Bay Hotel — Set in the palm grove above the harbour, this hotel is all about the location — gorgeous harbour views and easy access to the village. Basic rooms, a pool, and a restaurant on site. About 700m from the beach.
🏨 Sissi Mare Apartments — A family-owned apartment complex with an outdoor pool, sea views, and kitchenette rooms. About 600m from the beach and 8km from Malia. No-frills, honest value.

What is the best time to visit Sissi?

Crete is the king of the long summer, and Sissi benefits from a sheltered position that keeps things feeling balmy for most of the year. Whether you're a sun-worshipper looking to bake or a hiker after that fresh mountain air, there's a season that will suit your Sissi holidays down to the ground.

Spring (March to May) - Expect pleasant highs of 18-24°C as the island erupts in colour, making it the best time for exploring the nearby Selinari Gorge.
Summer (June to August) - It’s officially red-hot with temperatures hitting a whopping 30°C+, perfect for lazy days spent floating in the calm harbour waters.
Autumn (September to October) - The heat mellows to a delish 25°C and the sea is at its warmest, offering a gorge vibe for late-season sun-seekers.
Winter (November to February) - Things get peaceful and a bit more drizzly with averages around 14°C, but it's a stun time to see the snow-capped peaks in the distance.

🏖️ Best Beaches on Your Sissi Holidays 2026/2027

Sissi doesn't do big commercial beach strips — instead, you get intimate coves and sheltered pockets of calm that feel properly tucked away. The harbour itself is one of the best swimming spots.

🏖️ Limani Beach — a tiny, protected patch of sand right in the harbour with clear, calm water. No waves, no fuss — brilliant for a quick dip between taverna visits
🏖️ Boufos Beach — a short walk east, this sandy-rocky beach has a lounge bar and is popular for sunset cocktails. A bit exposed to the wind but great atmosphere
🏖️ Avlaki Beach — a secluded cove hidden between headlands, ideal for couples who want a quiet, romantic spot
🏖️ Kalimera Beach — a well-kept sandy stretch with shallow, clear water in front of the Kalimera Kriti hotel. Brilliant for families with little ones

Things to do on your Sissi holidays

Don’t let the quiet reputation fool you; Sissi has more than enough going on to keep your holiday itinerary popping off. From ancient history to off-road thrills, you can be as active or as chilled-out as you like.

Visit the Milatos Cave - Head into the hills to explore this historic cavern, which offers a cool, eerie escape from the midday Greek sun.
Happy Train rides - Jump on the local "mini-train" for a breezy tour through the olive groves and traditional villages nearby.
Malia Minoan Palace - Step back in time at this impressive archaeological site, located just a 10-minute drive away for a yearned-after dose of culture.
Boat rentals - Channel your inner captain and hire a motorboat to find secret swimming spots that aren't on the map.
Selinari Monastery - Visit this stunner religious site tucked into the gorge, known as the protector of travellers - very appropriate for your jollies.
Sissi Mini Golf - Challenge the gang to a round at the island's largest course, complete with a bar for the losers to buy the rounds.

🗺️ Nearby Resorts

Sissi sits in a brilliant spot on Crete's north coast with easy access to some of the island's most popular destinations.

🏖️ Malia — Just 6km west, Crete's party capital is on the doorstep if you fancy a big night out. Brilliant beaches, buzzing strip, and the Minoan palace right next door.
🏖️ Hersonissos — About 13km west, a lively all-action resort with water parks, CretAquarium, beach bars and plenty of family entertainment.
🏖️ Agios Nikolaos — Around 22km east, this stylish harbour town has the famous Lake Voulismeni, gorgeous waterfront dining, and boat trips to Spinalonga Island.
🏖️ Stalis — About 10km west, a quieter family-friendly resort between Hersonissos and Malia with a long sandy beach and a relaxed pace.
🏖️ Heraklion — Crete's capital is about 40km west, home to the palace of Knossos, the Archaeological Museum, and a buzzing waterfront.

Popular Sissi hotels

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Weather in Sissi

JAN

12^°C

FEB

12^°C

MAR

14^°C

APR

19^°C

MAY

23^°C

JUN

26^°C

JUL

30^°C

AUG

30^°C

SEP

24^°C

OCT

20^°C

NOV

15^°C

DEC

13^°C

The climate in Sissi is essentially a love letter to the Mediterranean, boasting over 300 days of sunshine a year and a summer that stretches well into October. During the peak of July, you need to prep for 30°C on the regular, though a cheeky sea breeze usually keeps things from feeling too much whilst you're poolside. Even when the winter rains arrive to keep the Cretan landscape looking tip-top, the temperature rarely dips into what we'd call cold in the UK, making it a top-notch escape for anyone dodging the British gloom.

FAQs

Sissi is about 40km east of Heraklion Airport — roughly a 40-minute drive. The easiest option is to book your transfers through On the Beach when you book your holiday via our holiday extras page, and your driver will be waiting when you land. If you'd rather go independently, a taxi costs around €50–60, or you can take a KTEL bus to Malia and then a local bus or taxi for the last 6km. Buses from Heraklion to the main road junction run regularly, but the local connection into Sissi village is limited to about one bus a day, so pre-booked transfers are by far the smoothest option.

Brilliant for families who want something quieter than the big resorts. Kalimera Beach has shallow, calm water perfect for little ones, the Kalimera Kriti resort has a kids' club and watersports, and the harbour is a safe, compact area for evening wanders. Malia's Minoan Palace, Sissi Mini Golf, and the Happy Train keep older kids entertained too.

Absolutely. Sissi's whole vibe is romantic — a quiet harbour village with candlelit tavernas, secluded coves like Avlaki Beach, and the Castello Boutique Resort & Spa offering proper adults-only luxury. It's the antidote to the bigger, louder resorts along the coast.

The harbour is the heart of Sissi — a beautiful natural inlet where turquoise water cuts deep into the coastline, lined with tavernas, colourful fishing boats and palm trees. It's the kind of place where you'll find yourself sitting with a cold beer watching the light change on the water and wondering why you don't do this more often. Walk past the harbour to the breakwater for a proper view back across the village with the Dikti Mountains rising behind — one of the best photo spots in eastern Crete.

For a change of scenery, the Malia Minoan Palace is just 6km west — the third-largest Minoan palace on the island and far less crowded than Knossos. The fishing village of Milatos is a short drive east, with its own dramatic cave and seaside tavernas. And the Monastery of Agios Georgios Selinaris, tucked into the gorgeous Selinari Gorge about 8km south, has been blessing travellers since the 16th century — stopping to light a candle is practically a Crete tradition.

Culture
Sissi sits in a fascinating corner of Crete, with history stretching back to the Bronze Age — excavations at Kephali Hill, just west of the village, have uncovered a Minoan settlement considered one of the most significant archaeological finds of recent decades. During the Cretan Revolution of 1866–69, Sissi played a key role as a strategic port for smuggling weapons to the resistance fighters.
Today, Sissi's cultural calendar is quieter than the big towns, but there's still plenty going on. The Lato Festival in nearby Agios Nikolaos runs every summer (typically July–September) with traditional Cretan music and dance, theatre and art exhibitions. Sissi itself celebrates the feast day of Agia Paraskevi every July with a local village festival. And if you time your visit for 15th August, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is celebrated across Crete with feasts, music and dancing in every village.

Sissi Holidays

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