CRETE

Crete (also Candia, Greek: Κρήτη) is the largest Greek island.

The capital Heraklion (Iraklio), along with the other major cities of Chania, Rethymno and Agios Nikolaos, are also the centers of the four prefectures into which the island is divided - Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno and Lassithi.

Chania

Chania is the westernmost and most mountainous region of Crete. This part of the island is much greener than the east of Crete due to the greater amount of rainfall and humidity. The average temperatures here are also slightly lower than in the eastern part of the island.

The highest mountain in the Chania region is Pachnes (2453 m) in the Lefka Ori mountain range. It is also the second highest mountain in Crete. On the southern side of the mountain range is the beautiful Samaria Gorge - with a length of 16 km, the longest gorge in Europe, which flows into the coast of Agia Roumeli.

Rethymno

The prefecture of Chania is bordered by the region of Rethymno. This region is also largely mountainous. The highest mountain range of Crete is located here – Psiloritis (Ida) – with the highest mountain of Crete of the same name (2456 m). According to legend, the god Zeus grew up in the Ideon Andron cave under the highest peak. An important place in the region is the archaeological site of Ancient Eleftherna with a beautiful modern museum.

Heraklion

The prefecture of Heraklion is relatively flat and largely consists of the Messara Plain, which is the most fertile treasury of Crete. Only at the southern coast does the mainland rise to the majestic Astrerousia mountain range, which then falls steeply to the sea and creates breathtaking views of the southernmost parts of Crete with many gorges and small bays. The region is home to many Minoan monuments, including the most famous one – the Palace of Knossos.

Lassithi

The Lassithi region is again mountainous and here you will find mountain ranges exceeding 2000 m in height. This is the Dikti mountain range with the highest peak Spathi (2148 m). On the Lassithi plateau is the sacred cave of Diktaean Andron, where, according to legend, the god Zeus was born.

The entire easternmost part of Crete has been a geopark "Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark" since 2015. The geopark is particularly known for its rich deposits of mammal fossils - endemic species of Cretan mini-elephants, mini-hippos and deer. Marine fossils preserve plant remains dating back to the Carboniferous period. A well-developed karst system with more than 170 caves and numerous gorges have created one of the most extensive speleological areas in Crete.

This area is relatively arid, with sparse vegetation. Temperatures in the eastern part of Crete are slightly higher than in the central and western parts.

Labyrinth of Myths

Crete is intertwined with many ancient myths and legends.

It is considered the birthplace of Zeus - the ruler of the Olympian gods.

Perhaps the most famous story is related to the Minoan palace in Knossos. It is a story of bravery and love, but also about the just king named Minos, his wife Pasiphae, the bloodthirsty Minotaur and Daedalus, who built the Labyrinth for him. And especially about the brave Theseus, who killed the Minotaur, and the clever Ariadne, who gave him a magic sword and a ball of thread to find his way out of the labyrinth.

History

The most important part of Crete's history is connected with the Minoan civilization, which existed on Crete from approximately 2700 to 1450 BC. It is named after King Minos, who ruled the palace at Knossos. But "King Minos" was not just one person - "Minoa" was the name of all the kings who ruled at Knossos over a long period. The Minoan civilization left behind so many monuments that you will "trip over" them almost at every turn. The largest and most famous of them is the Palace of Knossos.

Knowledge of bronze production, advanced pottery and metalworking, and trade relations with Egypt caused the Minoan civilization to develop into a significant maritime power. The original Minoan script has only been partially deciphered. Sometime between 1470 and 1450 BC, the empire suddenly collapsed after an invasion by the Mycenaeans.

In 67 BC, the island was conquered by the Romans, then by the Byzantine Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Arabs (823–961).

The Venetians ruled the island from 1204, establishing their colony, the Kingdom of Candia. After a twenty-two-year siege, Heraklion was captured by the Ottomans in 1669.

When the island was granted self-government in 1898 (thanks to British intervention), the Muslim population dropped from about 45% to 11%. Crete joined Greece in 1913. The rest of the Muslim population was deported to Turkey under the Treaty of Lausanne.

After the first parachute landing in history in 1941, the island was occupied by the Germans. The German army suffered heavy losses of about 4,000-7,000 soldiers.

To this day, Crete has preserved its own dialect and, along with the great pride of the Cretans, is the most distinctive part of all of Greece.

How to get there

Crete has two international airports, one in Heraklion (Nikos Kazantzakis Airport) and the other in Chania (Daskalogiannis Airport).

Of course, it is also possible to reach Crete by one of the ferries. Chania, Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos have boat connections with the Athens port of Pireas and the islands in the Aegean Sea. The port of Kissamos in the western part of Crete offers connections with the southern part of the Peloponnese.

Climate

Crete is so large and mountainous that it creates its own climate, which is also different in different parts of the island due to the separate high mountain ranges.

The weather is typically Mediterranean and is among the warmest areas in Greece and Europe. While temperatures on the coast rarely drop below 10°C throughout the year, you can still see snow on the mountain tops in June. In summer, temperatures range between 35-40°C during the day and 25-30°C at night.

Autumn in Crete is the mildest of all seasons. Temperatures are higher than in spring, but not as hot as in summer, and the sun still shines for quite a long time. From mid-October, rains begin to occur more frequently.