Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry, and music). Crete was once the centre of the Minoan civilization, which is currently regarded as the earliest recorded civilization in Europe. The Greek women are very beautiful and are always hospitality.
Things to Do
Crete is a huge island, the largest in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean. It is well over 250 kms long and up to 60 kms wide so unless you are blessed with several months' holiday, you will only get to explore a relatively small selection of what the island can offer.
Most people who head for Crete have an interest in the island's history and this is to be found right across the island. The major Minoan sites are found at Knossos, Faistos, Malia, Zakros and Agia Triada although there are dozens more scattered around Crete. The Romans played their part too, and at Gortys, which is close to Faistos, you will find the remains of Agios Titos, the first Christian church built on the island as well as the mysterious "Law Code", inscribed upon huge stone blocks which dictated the customs, rules and etiquette of this ancient city-state.
Beaches of course feature strongly on most visitors' agenda and the island has some of the best beaches in the Aegean. There are simply too many to list, but the ones featured mostly in the guide books are at Elafonissi and Falasarna, both in the west of Crete. However, many resorts along the north and south coasts have equally lovely beaches, the vast majority of which have clear, blue water for safe swimming.
Pay a visit to Rhodes: this beautiful place has a lot to offer. You can visit this place for sightseeing but also for meeting Rhodes girls. That maybe sounds a bit strange in your ears but thats a good thing, way? because you're not the only one that thinks like this and thats why Rhodes is 'the' place for meeting interesting and hospitality women.
Good restaurants
Dounias (Ntounias), Drakona - Price: $20 - $26 - Cuisines: Greek
Vegera, Zaros - Price: $9 - $20 - Cuisines: Greek
Taverna Pelagos, Koutsounari - Price: $13 - $20 - Cuisines: Greek, Mediterranean, Seafood, Healthy
Swell Restaurant, Kokkini Hani - Price: $29 - $130 - Cuisines: Greek, Mediterranean, Seafood, Vegetarian
Mountains and valleys
Crete is extremely mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east, formed by three different groups of mountains:
The White Mountains or Lefka
The Idi Range
Kedros
The Dikti Mountains
Thripti
These mountains lavished Crete with valleys, such as Amari valley, fertile plateaus, such as Lasithi plateau, Omalos and Nidha; caves, such as Diktaion and Idaion (the birthplace of the ancient Greek god Zeus); and a number of gorges.
Climate
Crete straddles two climatic zones, the Mediterranean and the North African, mainly falling within the former. As such, the climate in Crete is primarily temperate. The atmosphere can be quite humid, depending on the proximity to the sea, while winter is fairly mild. Snowfall is common on the mountains between November and May, but rare in the low lying areas. While mountain tops remain snow-capped year long, near the coast snow only stays on the ground for a few minutes or hours. During the Cretan summer, average temperatures reach the high 20s-low 30s Celsius, with maxima touching the upper 30s-mid 40s.
The south coast, including the Mesara Plain and Asterousia Mountains, falls in the North African climatic zone, and thus enjoys significantly more sunny days and high temperatures throughout the year. There, date palms bear fruit, and swallows remain year-round rather than migrate to Africa.
Ten most popular destinations in Crete
1.Chania Town
2.Rethymnon
3.Chersonisos
4.Heraklion
5.Agios Nikolaos
6.Malia
7.Stalis
8.Elounda
9.Platanias
10.Plakias
