"CRETE - AGAIN & AGAIN..." a Crete Island Travel Page by Jawnuta

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Name:
nisos Kriti = island of Crete.
Crete is a region of Greece, it is the biggest island and the most southern one, except for the little island of Gavdos.

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Description:
Crete is 260 km (160 miles) long and 56 km (35 miles) at it's widest point. The area is 8,260 sq km (3,190 sq mi).

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Religion:
Greek Orthodox

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Currency:
Euro is the new currency of Greece since 2001.

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Main Cities and Towns:
North coast: Heraklion (200,000), Chania (80,000), Rethymnon (30,000), Agios Nikolaos, Sitia.
South coast: Ierapetra, Mires, Timbaki, Paleochora.

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Airports:
There are five airports in Crete but only three of them are used for passenger flights: the Heraklion airport, the Akrotiri airport close to Chania and the Sitia airport. The airports of Kastelli and Timbaki are military airports.

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Mountains:
Crete is a mountainous island and the island's history, as well as the personality of its inhabitants was greatly affected by these mountains. In the west there are Lefka Ori (White Mountains): 2453m, in the center there is Mt Idi (Psiloritis): 2456m and in the east there is Mt Dikti: 2148m. Cretan mountains form a continuous chain from one end of the island to the other and they make Crete look much larger than it really is.

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Lakes:
the lake of Kournas, a small but beautiful lake with many taverns around it.

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Islands:
There are several small islands very close to Crete: Gavdos island is the southest border of Europe and it is populated. The islands of Hrissi or Gaidouronissi, Koufonisia, Dia, Paximadia, Gramvoussa are much smaller and not populated. Most of them are popular destinations for one-day cruises from Crete.

The Cyclades island of Santorini or Thira is close to Crete also and there are daily cruises to it too.

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Economy:
The main sources of wealth in Crete are agriculture and tourism. The cultivation of the olive tree is very important in Crete and excellent virgin olive oil is produced here. Other important products include oranges, grapes and vegetables from greenhouses. Honey, cheese and herbs are of excellent quality also. Finally, big numbers of sheep and goats are raised in Crete.

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History.
Cretan History starts at 6000 BC, when the island was first inhabited. The best known period is the Bronze Age (2600-1100 BC), the period of the Minoan Civilization. During that period Cretans colonized Cyclades Islands and in Crete the palaces of Knossos, Festos and Zakros were built.
While Egyptians were afraid of the "Big Blue", Minoan ships used to travel and trade all around Mediterranean Sea. The cultural influence of the various nations Cretans came in contact with, gave birth to this civilization that we still admire and which is considered to be the first high-level civilization in Europe.

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The Land:
The north coast is the main tourist area of Crete and all cities are located there. The southern coast is the ideal place for the tourist who is in search of an isolated beach. Unfortunately as each year passes and their whereabouts become known, such beaches become a little more difficult to find. Naturism is a common practice on many isolated beaches. The south is also a good place if you want to train yourself in driving in narrow and very winding roads.

Away from the coastal regions, the interior is a far less well known part of Crete. This is the mountainous area of Crete; the roads may be really bad, the road signs are of little help and it's hard to find an English speaking person. Here is the place to search for small villages without the familiar "Rent a Room" or "Restaurant" signs. It is the place to meet the real Cretans: proud and friendly people, with a great sense of humor, ready to help you in any way they can and offer you a glass of "raki" (the locally produced colorless drink). When you meet them in the road just smile and say "kalimera=good morning", "kalispera=good evening" or "yasas=hello". If you ask for some information and want to thank them, then "efharisto= thank you" is the right Greek word.

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There is a very good description of Cretan people by the Frankish Bishop of Athens, L.Petit:

" They are a truly admirable people who learnt to hold on stubbornly throughout the tumultuous events of forty centuries to their native character and local speech. Courage, mingled with an independent spirit that is often close to downright disobedience, a lively wit, vivid imagination, and a language full of images, spontaneous and unaffected, love for every kind of adventure, an indefatigable urge for freedom, that goes hand in hand with an insatiable desire for bravado... A fertile land that has always given birth to the worthiest of men both in Church and State, in science and letters, in the economy and in war..."

(From : "History of Crete", Theoharis Detorakis ISBN 960-220-712-4)

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January: Cold, rainy and windy. There is a one-week period during January when the weather is generally good and the winds cease. This period is called the Halcyon Days.

February: Slightly warmer and sunnier than January. The almond trees bloom in February, the first trees to bloom. The weather is unpredictable and cold days alternate with warm ones.

March: Usually cold and windy but there are many sunny days too. In March 2001 there was a heat wave with temperatures as high as 30 °C but that was an exception. The first daring swimmers appear.

April: Spring time in Crete with medium temperatures and low rainfall. Crete is full of wildflowers and it is magnificent.

May: The weather in Crete becomes warm and sunny. Rain is unlikely to occur past May 10. The "meltemi" seasonal North winds have not yet started to blow, the sea is calm and nature is at its best. May is considered the best month for outdoors activities. A jacket will prove useful for the night.

June: Sunny and hot. Time for the beach!

July and August: Windy and very hot. July and August are the months that the seasonal North winds blow. It is hard to do anything else during these months, than spend the entire day at the beach. Look for a shady place and drink plenty of water. Do not forget your hat and sunscreen. Not the best weather for people who cannot stand high temperatures (30-35 C).

September: Sunny, less windy and slightly cooler. Good for outdoors activities. Get a light jacket for the night, especially if you plan to visit any mountainous areas.

October: Sunny, very few windy days but some rain will fall, especially in the west part of Crete. The weather is very good for outdoor activities. October is the month that the traditional drink of Crete, raki, is distilled from grape skins. Warm clothes are rarely necessary.

November: The weather becomes unpredictable. It may be sunny but there are plenty of rainy and windy days too. Pack a sweater and don't forget your umbrella. The south winds start and sometimes they carry sand from the Sahara desert. This sand covers the sky of Crete and it creates very unusual weather conditions.

December: The weather conditions vary from year to year with a mixture of windy, calm, rainy, sunny, cold and warm days. Pack warm clothes together with your swimming suit. There are days when the temperature along the south coast makes swimming possible and pleasurable.

Check out my CHANIA & RETHYMNO pages as well