The Battle of Crete, on the road
In May 1941, Crete was the stage of the first airborne invasion in history — and of a civilian resistance that became legend. Here's a free, crowd-free driving route to understand it where it happened.
Dates
20-31 May 1941
Stops
6 places
Duration
1 to 2 days
No guidebook has written this route. Yet it's all there, free, in the open air.
On 20 May 1941, thousands of German paratroopers dropped onto western Crete. For ten days, Maleme airfield, the hills above Chania and the villages plunged into a battle of extraordinary violence — the first time an island was taken from the sky. The islanders, scythes and knives in hand, entered history; the reprisals would be terrible.
Eighty years on, the places are still there: two shattering cemeteries, a strategic hill, martyred villages, an evacuation port at the end of the world. Most are free to enter. This page links them into a route from west to east.
Drive slowly. These kilometres are earned.
Remembrance, every year
Each spring, around 20 May, Souda Bay War Cemetery hosts a commemoration ceremony: veterans, families, a Greek guard of honour and Commonwealth delegations gather among the graves. These photos were taken there.
The route, stop by stop
West to east, from Chania to the southern mountains.
Souda Bay War Cemetery (Commonwealth)
East of Chania, facing the bay: over 1,500 Commonwealth graves, aligned in a garden of absolute serenity, kept immaculate. The right, quiet place to begin.
Free access, every day. Parking on site.
Galatas
On the hills west of Chania, the village of Galatas was retaken at bayonet point in a famous counterattack. A plaque and the view over the plain tell the stakes: hold the road to the airfield.
Free-access village, 15 min from Chania.
Maleme: the airfield, Hill 107 & the German cemetery
The heart of the battle. It was here, on Hill 107 overlooking the airfield, that everything turned. Today it holds the German war cemetery — about 4,465 graves on the very heights of the fighting. Silence, pines, the sea below.
German cemetery: free access. Commanding view over the airfield.
Kandanos & Kondomari
The memory of the reprisals. In retaliation for the resistance, whole villages were razed and civilians executed. Kandanos still bears the German inscription of its destruction, turned into a monument. The hardest place, and the most necessary.
Southwestern villages, on the road to Paleochora.
Askifou & the road to Sfakia
Descending south across the Askifou plateau, a private war museum holds a striking collection gathered by a local family. Then the road plunges down to Chora Sfakion.
Private museum (variable hours, donation customary).
Chora Sfakion: the evacuation
At the end of Crete, on the Libyan coast, it was from here that thousands of Allied soldiers were evacuated by sea to Egypt, after an exhausting retreat across the White Mountains. Many never made it. A memorial overlooks the small harbour.
Village reachable by car; also the departure point for ferries to Loutro.
Possible extension further east: Preveli monastery, which sheltered and helped escaping Allied soldiers — its museum keeps the memory.
How to do this route well
By car
The route is free and open; only a car links it. Allow 1 to 2 days depending on stops.
With respect
Cemeteries and memorials are places of reflection: sober dress and manner, discreet photography.
Early morning
Maleme and the cemeteries are exposed: come in the cool, with water and a hat.
A little reading
Reading beforehand, even a summary, deepens the emotion on site — especially at Hill 107 and Kandanos.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the Battle of Crete take place?
Mostly in western Crete, around Maleme airfield, the hills of Chania (Galatas) and Souda Bay, from 20 May 1941. The Allied evacuation was via the south coast, at Chora Sfakion.
Can you visit the war cemeteries?
Yes, freely and at no cost. The Commonwealth cemetery at Souda and the German cemetery at Maleme (Hill 107) are open daily and beautifully maintained.
How long for the route?
A full day for the west (Souda, Galatas, Maleme), two days if you push on to Kandanos, Askifou and the south coast (Sfakia, Preveli).
Is it suitable for families?
Yes, it's an open-air memorial journey with no physical difficulty. The sites lend themselves to explaining history to older children; the cemeteries simply call for calm.
Is there anything to pay?
The cemeteries and most sites are free. Only the private Askifou war museum runs on donations. Budget for fuel: the distances are real.
Continue in the west
Around the memorial route.
Plan
Explore
Nature & adventure
Gorges & waterfalls›Things to do›Activities & tours›Boat cruises›Santorini day trip›Culture & history
Knossos (tickets)›Spinalonga›Lato (Dorian city)›Gournia (Minoan town)›Battle of Crete›Authentic villages›Living here