With so much to see on the island of Crete the best way of cramming as much as you can into your visit is to hire a car. The island is 250 kilometres long with superb things to stop and see around virtually every corner in the road. There are many reputable car rental agencies that rent out cars at very competitive rates, so finding one close to where you are staying is very easy indeed.
There are many advantages to hiring a car whilst you are on holiday in Crete. It gives you the freedom to go wherever and whenever you like to visit the marvellous places of interest that are literally dotted all over the island. You can stop where you please and enjoy the scenery as well as eating at a Taverna or restaurant that is off the beaten track. It is in these places that you will have the added bonus of sampling some of the best traditional Cretan dishes and their unique wines.
For the traveller who wants to plan ahead, you can book you hire car from the comfort on your home by going on the Internet. This makes things that much easier on your arrival in Crete because your car will be waiting for you as you get off the plane or even the boat should you choose to get to Crete by way of the sea.
The price of petrol varies from area to area with the lowest price being found in Heraklion. The reason that fuel costs more in the other areas is because of the transport costs involved in getting petrol delivered to these other areas of the island. Also in Heraklion the gas stations are owned by the bigger petrol companies whereas in other places they tend to be smaller companies such as Avin and EKO.
To give a rough idea of much you must expect to pay for petrol and diesel when you are on holiday in Crete you can go on the Internet and check out the current prices, but as a rough guide expect to pay €1.563for unleaded, €1.824 for super unleaded and about €1.337 for diesel. These are approximate prices that you will find at petrol stations in Heraklion.
There are some useful tips that are worth knowing when hiring a car in Crete and these are that the minimum age required to hire one is 21 years old, there are some rental companies who will not consider renting a vehicle to anyone over the age of 70. Drivers under 25 may be asked to pay a surcharge when they rent a car. Seatbelts are mandatory and a child who is 4 years old or younger must be safely secured in a child seat. All drivers who wish to hire a car must have held their licences for longer than 12 months. Drivers who are from outside the European Union must have International driving licences or European Driver’s Permits.
As elsewhere in the world it is always worth checking the exterior of the car before setting off from the rental agency. Third party car insurance is mandatory with an optional theft protection that can be taken out if the hirer wishes to do so. The collision damage waiver works much the same as it does all over the world and this said is always worth taking out in case of accidents.
