Crete Island

The Birthplace of European Civilisation

Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean, lying between the southern Aegean Sea and the northern Libyan Sea. It is 257km long and from 12 to 61km wide, crossed by imposing mountain-ranges, strewn with awe-inspiring gorges, featuring thousands of caves and above all blessed with probably the mildest climate in Europe. There are three main mountain ranges crossing the island, the White Mountains in the west, Mountain Ida in the centre and Dikti Mountains in the east. Between these mountains, the land takes different shapes, with a multitude of plains, plateaus, and small valleys.

Crete, the birthplace of Europe's first advanced civilisation, the Minoan civilisation, has retained its soul unaltered, the essence of life consistent. Evidence of the wealth and might of the Minoan civilisation that flourished on the island 4000 years ago is prominent at the archaeological and historical sites scattered throughout the island. Local museums house unique collections of Crete's glorious past.

The island's strategic position at the point where the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa meet, has always been the apple of accord for perspective conquerors. Soon after the island was occupied by the Romans in 69 BC, it was introduced to Christianity by Apostle Paul, and by 395 AD it had developed into a powerful province of the Byzantine Empire. About five centuries later, in 824 AD, it was invaded by the Saracens, who ruled it for a century. Under Venetian rule between 1204 and 1669, Crete became once again the cultural centre of Greek civilisation until it fell to the Turks who held the island captive until 1898. Nevertheless, the Cretan culture and tradition, an integral part of the legendary Cretan hospitality, has been kept alive through literature, theatre, music, dance, local festivals and other art events that take place here year-round. For travellers who wish to combine top quality services resting in a wide choice of luxury hotels with the discovery of a different experience, the opportunity for escapades presented in the varied and untamed landscape of the island, from its sandy shores to its snow-capped mountains, is unique throughout the year.

Crete has an extensive network of good roads and an excellent public transportation network, linking cities to towns and villages, offering visitors the opportunity to explore it from one end to the other. Highly specialised and fully organised travel agencies offer daily excursion packages across the island. The major towns of Chania, Rethymno, Iraklio and Aghios Nikolaos are on the northern coast, featuring large deluxe hotel complexes, modern luxury hotels, camping sites and a vast selection of seafood restaurants and taverns lining the picturesque bays and long sandy beaches. Crete has two of the most important ports of the East Mediterranean Sea, the port of Heraklion and the port of Chania (Souda).

The island is connected with mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, Europe and the rest of the world with a large number of ferries. There are two international airports, one in Heraklion and a second in Chania, with regular or charter flights connecting the island with most of the airports in Greece, Europe and Cyprus.

Today Crete is administratively divided into four prefectures: Lassithi, Iraklio, Rethymno and Chania all boasting -among other- magnificent luxury hotels for excquisite stays.