THE ISLAND OF CRETE

Crete is the most southern district not only of Greece but at the same time of all the European Community. It is also the biggest island of Greece and the second biggest (after Cyprus) of the East Mediterranean. It separates the Aegean from the Libyan sea and marks the boundary between Europe and Africa. Crete covers an area of 8.336 km². The length of the island is 260 km, while the shore-length is 1.046 km. Majestic mountains rise in its centre - the White mountains, Psiloritis, Dikti. Its plateaus are split by deep gorges and end up in fertile valleys.

The scenery is constantly changing. Sometimes harsh and barren, and then wooded and gentle. In one place there are shores lined with forbidding inaccessible rocks in another endless sandy or pebbly beaches. It is the most contradictory place in Greece. You may find high rocky mountains with palm forests or cedar forests at their foot. Crete is also renowned for its variety of vegetation, olive trees , orange groves, vineyards and vegetable gardens. Medicine herbs and fragrant shrubs -laudanum, dittany, marjoram, and thyme - grow in rocky areas and the mountain picks host the '' Kri-Kri'' or else the Cretan goat which you will meet even near the beaches sometimes.

Crete is divided in 4 prefectures :   Chania, Rethymno, Heraklio, Lassithi.
The main cities ports of Crete - Chania, Rethymno, Heraklio, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia are all found on the north side of the island which is more developed due to its close position with the rest of Greece. Ierapetra is the only port on the south coast, on the shores of the Libyan sea facing Africa.

In this guide you will find info for each prefecture about the history, the towns and the villages, the countryside, the monuments but also about the beaches. But most of all you will find a list of hotels and studios for your accommodation, from a four star hotel to a simple studio with cooking facilities.

Check the routes that we suggest so you won't miss a thing in Crete. You will find all the villages and all the secluded beaches to make the most of your time on the island. All of the North part is cosmopolitan and developed while the south part is quite unspoiled, less cosmopolitan and still keeping the traditional character. So you can combine a stay at the North part of the island and excursions to the south.

You should definitely need a car, otherwise choose a place close to a beach and use the local buses for your transportation and for sight seeing.

Crete has a wild beauty. Steep rocks dive into the sea, forming sandy beaches in between. Most mountains and a large part of the mainland is rocky and extremely imposing. You will be amazed by the high naked mountains the beautiful gorges with the water running inside and at the same time, with the wonderful beaches, secluded or long sandy ones all with crystal clear waters especially at the south part which is exactly opposite to Africa.

But another characteristic of Crete that you should not ignore is the attitude of the inhabitants. Cretan people are completely different that the other Greeks. They are independent , 'proud' and extremely hospitable. Get in touch with them and they will give you their heart, they will invite you to sit and eat with them and definitely taste the ''raki'' the local product, a drink like strong vodka. You have to drink it like a shot and get a glass of water after, if you think you cannot take it. Raki sometimes reaches 90% alcohol, so don't be embarrassed if you feel your throat burning up. However, it usually has around 40% alcohol, and the one you find in the shops might be even lower than that.

If you see them all in black don't worry, it is their formal clothing, there may be a wedding and if you hear shootings they are celebrating the fact! Don't worry, you are in Crete now, everything is possible. Enjoy it, you can feel it in the air, the moment you get landed at the airport, this place is different. You can feel it by the people, by their language, by the music and the sound of lyra, by the wild beauty and the rocks all over you, by the beautiful green-gray olive trees under the sun, by the endless sandy beaches, by the sun that burns the sand. Let yourself live this magic trip.

Follow our steps in each prefecture and enjoy your trip!

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