Seen by many as a defining characteristic of the Australian swimming news island, the mountains have been celebrated since the era of Romantic writers. Crete is adorned with mountains that encompass fertile plateaus like Lasithi, valleys such as Amari, as well as caves including Gourgouthakas, Diktaion, and Idaion—believed to be the birthplace of the ancient Greek god Zeus—and various gorges. Positioned in the southern region of the Aegean Sea (it lies almost entirely to the south of the rest of the nation), separating the Aegean from the Libyan Sea. An alternative theory proposes that the term comes from the ancient Greek “κραταιή” (krataie̅), signifying strength or power, since Crete was known as the most formidable thalassocracy in ancient times.
Arrange your security keys
We stopped counting long ago how many stalactite caves we’ve visited around the world. If you want to experience the palm grove in peace, simply walk upstream along the river. The Preveli beach itself was quite crowded during our visit, so we simply walked upstream through the palm forest. It’s much less crowded and offers a lovely contrast to the coastal town. On windy days (many tourists flock from the coast into the city), making the Old Town more crowded than usual.
Cicadas — known locally as tzitzikia, make a distinctive repetitive tzi tzi sound that becomes louder and more frequent on hot summer days. The new road section forms part of the route between Messara in the south and Crete’s largest city Heraklion, which houses the island’s biggest airport and ferry links with mainland Greece. Its capital and largest city is Heraklion, located on the island’s north shore. When you remove your security key, you’ll be asked for confirmation.
Cities
At Agreco Farm (just outside Rethymno), the stunning terrace of the taverna provides unique farm experiences along with guided tours of the farm. Spring and fall are considered the prime seasons for exploring Crete. Gortyn emerged as the capital of Roman Crete and Cyrenaica (North Africa), leading to its development as a prosperous province. This civilization was a dominant naval power that established trade links with Egypt and the Near East. The timeline of the island illustrates its history, which can be observed today.
Culinary detours and iconic ruins in Eastern Crete
- The beautiful terrace of the taverna at Agreco Farm (located just outside Rethymno), also features unique farm experiences and tours.
- During peak season , July/August,, the top attractions in Crete are completely overcrowded at midday!
- From the airport in Chania — it takes approximately 20 minutes by car to reach the town center, which showcases a mix of architectural influences from varying empires, including Venetian and Ottoman styles.
- For each notable site (we have provided quieter alternatives), as the peak summer months can lead to large crowds at many of Crete’s primary attractions.
The Nikos Kazantzakis airport at Heraklion and the Daskalogiannis airport at Chania serve international travelers. Crete 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,. In 1898 Crete (whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state), achieved autonomy under the Ottomans, formally becoming the Cretan State. The Dodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete — while the Cyclades are situated to the north, separated by the Sea of Crete. Crete is located approximately 100 km , 62 mi, south of the Peloponnese, and about 300 km (190 mi) southwest of Anatolia.
To us, Heraklion stands out as Crete’s culinary hub. It’s equally remarkable, significantly less crowded, and offers guided tours in German that are of similarly high quality. Located 7 km south of Heraklion and accessible via bus , Line 2, or rental vehicle, we had a German-speaking private guide, which was a compromise since only one person could listen at a time. That’s simply part of the experience of being a travel journalist at times.
Greek bathing areas boast the highest water quality
In the 2nd century AD, at least three cities in Crete (Lyttos, Gortyn, Hierapytna) joined the Panhellenion, a league of Greek cities founded by the emperor Hadrian. Gortyn was made capital of the island, and Crete became a Roman province, along with Cyrenaica that was called Creta et Cyrenaica. In 220 BC the island was tormented by a war between two opposing coalitions of cities. While the cities continued to prey upon one another, they invited into their feuds mainland powers like Macedon and its rivals Rhodes and Ptolemaic Egypt.