112
European emergency number: police, ambulance, fire, coastguard. Free from any phone, even with no credit or SIM card. Operators speak Greek, English and French.
166
EKAB — the national ambulance and medical-emergency service. Dial it directly for medical rescue.
Other numbers: 100 police · 199 fire · 108 coastguard · 171 tourist police.
Day / evening duty
εφημερεύον
Stays open through the midday break, in the evening, on Sundays or public holidays — when the others are closed.
Overnight duty
διανυκτερεύον
Stays open all night, until morning (around 8am). This is the one to look for after midnight.
Any closed pharmacy posts the day's duty roster in its window, with addresses. It's universal: it works even in a village, even with no signal or battery. Look for the notice on the door.
How to find a duty pharmacy
Four methods, from the most reliable to the fastest. The window first: any closed pharmacy posts the day's list, the only method that depends on neither signal nor language. Then the online directories vrisko.gr and xo.gr list duty pharmacies by region (Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, Lasithi) and can be read in English.
There's also a national phone directory, 14944 (premium-rate line, in Greek), and the simplest option is often to ask your hotel reception or a shopkeeper: the local duty pharmacy is something everyone on the spot knows.
The pharmacist, first port of call in Greece
In Greece the pharmacy plays a wider role than in many countries: many common medicines — painkillers, cold remedies, creams, anti-diarrhoeals — are sold without a prescription, and the pharmacist will readily advise on minor ailments. For sunburn, a jellyfish sting, traveller's tummy or a sore throat, the pharmacy is the right first move, before the hospital.
Bear in mind that antibiotics and serious treatments require a prescription. If you're on medication, bring the original boxes and your prescription: the pharmacist will more easily identify the Greek equivalent.
Hospitals and health centres, region by region
For a serious emergency, dial 112 or 166: the responders will direct you to the right facility. For reference, the public hospitals with 24h emergency departments:
Heraklion
Two hospitals: PAGNI (university hospital, Voutes district, the largest in Crete) and Venizeleio (on the Knossos road). 24h emergency.
Chania
Chania General Hospital, at Mournies, south of the city. 24h emergency.
Rethymno
Rethymno General Hospital, in town. 24h emergency.
Lasithi (east)
Agios Nikolaos General Hospital (24h emergency). The Ierapetra and Sitia health centres handle first aid but refer serious cases to Agios Nikolaos or Heraklion.
In tourist areas, private medical practices and clinics round out the offer for non-urgent care — often quicker for a simple consultation.
Getting treated: the EHIC card and insurance
Emergency care in Greek public hospitals is in principle provided to anyone, regardless of nationality. Citizens of the European Union and the EEA show their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to be treated in the public system on the same terms as Greeks.
That doesn't replace travel insurance: the EHIC covers neither repatriation, nor private clinics, nor certain extra costs. For peace of mind, insurance covering medical repatriation remains strongly recommended.
Frequently asked questions
What number should I call in an emergency in Crete?
112, the European emergency number, free from any phone and reachable in English. It covers police, ambulance, fire and coastguard. For a purely medical emergency you can also dial 166 (EKAB, the ambulance service).
How do I find a pharmacy open at night or on Sunday?
The universal method: any closed pharmacy posts the day's duty roster in its window, with addresses. Otherwise, vrisko.gr and xo.gr list duty pharmacies by region (Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, Lasithi) in English, there's a directory on 14944 (premium-rate line, in Greek), and your hotel always knows the local duty pharmacy.
What's the difference between εφημερεύον and διανυκτερεύον?
εφημερεύον (efimerévon) means day and evening duty — a pharmacy open through the midday break, in the evening or on closing days. διανυκτερεύον (dianykterévon) means overnight duty, open all night until morning (around 8am). After midnight, it's the latter you need to look for.
Do I need a prescription for medicines in Crete?
Not for many common medicines: painkillers, cold remedies, creams and anti-diarrhoeals are sold without a prescription, and the pharmacist will readily advise. Antibiotics and serious treatments, however, do require a prescription. Bring the original boxes if you're on medication.
Is healthcare free for tourists in Greece?
Emergency care in public hospitals is in principle provided to everyone. EU/EEA citizens show the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for the public system. But the EHIC covers neither repatriation nor private clinics: travel insurance is still recommended.
Checked 16 August 2026. The emergency numbers (112, 166) are stable; pharmacy duties change daily — check the roster posted in the window on the spot.