CRETE
Crete is a country in itself, rather than just the largest island in Greece. Many believe it to be the most beautiful place on this earth, and every visitor comes back charmed by this unique landscape. It can range from rugged mountains to coastal beaches, from elaborate gorgeous homes, to simple hillside cottages. Renowned for it’s sun and sea, it also boasts of excellent tourist facilities and for the warmth of it’s people and their homes.
You can visit the ancient ruins of the Minoan palace at Knossos, or you can travel to the legendary birthplace of Zeus and the Byzantine monasteries. If you are a nature lover, then this is just the island for you. The spectacular hillside has caves which are a nature-lovers delight. You can also visit the only palm-fronted beach in all of Europe at eastern end of the island.
Crete has accommodation to suit all types of people. There are homes in the villages which can offer you simple rooms with home-cooked food, and there are resorts which cater to the package tour groups and offer all the modern amenities.
Visitor suggestions:
Must see: The gorge at Samaria. Take a walk through this impressive gorge and stop to eat at one of the cafes in the village.
Must eat: The local cuisine of Crete is believed to have promote longevity, and is also very tasty.
Must drink: Raki – the local drink, with an alcohol content which ranges from 25% to 45%, and is usually served along with the dessert and the fruit.
When to go:
As with the rest of Greece the best times to travel are spring and autumn. The high season is from mid-June till mid-August and the island is quite crowded during these months. The better time to visit would be from April till mid-June when the weather is also better and the prices are also reasonable. The island gets rain only 60 days in the year, and there are many parts which are very dry with desert like terrain.
Airports:
The main airport is situated at Iraklio (Heraklion) and the smaller one is located at Hania. The facilities are simple and very basic and there are plans to build a larger and more modern airport at Kasteli.
Internal travel is mainly by bus, and the bus service is quite frequent and reliable.
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