It is easy to see why Crete is one of Greece's top holiday destinations! Catering to every kind of holidaymaker, it has museums and fascinating archaeological sites offering fodder for the mind and a picturesque landscape that revives the soul. There are several tourism hubs around Crete including some quaint fishing villages, remote mountain towns, larger cities like Heraklion and Chania and a host quality Crete hotels. You can find history amongst the cities, adventure in the mountains, sun, sand and sea at the beach resorts and spectacular views wherever you go!
With snowy peaks, deep gorges, lofty hills lush with olive trees, and sandy beaches along its 1000km long coastline, the landscape of Crete is truly enchanting.
Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth biggest in all the Mediterranean. You can pack a variety of experiences and sights into a single holiday thanks to the choice of mountains, beaches, cities and tiny hamlets. Not only are there so many things to see and do in Crete, but there is a good mix of history in its museums and archaeological sites coupled with modern experiences at funky clubs and bars on the beachfronts, ensuring there's never a dull moment.
The site of much of Greece's historic events, it is much feted by tourists as a beach paradise. Besides the warm, sandy beaches, other locations that are great to visit are the Samaria Gorge and the archaeological excavations at Gortyna or Gortys. Visitors are also fascinated by the Minoan settlement remains in Phaistos and Knossos as well the Venetian style castle in Rethymno. Taking a tour in Crete is the perfect way to see these fascinating sites and explore the island.
With tourism being the mainstay of the local economy, the place is geared up to meet your every need, with great value accommodation and some fascinating and fun Crete tours. From high end luxury Crete hotels to self-catering apartments and camp sites, Crete has a place to stay for everyone. You can even use our interactive map to choose your hotel in Crete based on its location.
The ancient Minoans, Europe's oldest known civilization, established their settlements here, and the region has evidence of the evolution of this great Bronze Age civilization even today. Art, palaces, places of worship and tombs dating back to the era can be found in the museums and archaeological sites here. By the latter half of the era, the Mycenaeans had arrived and the Minoan supremacy went into decline. The island then adopted a more classical Greek culture and later began to be influenced by Rome.
Crete use to be better known as Candia, derived from the Greek word moat, which in turn was drawn from the medieval capital, Heraklion. The Turks called it Kandiye and Girit, while its classical Latin name Creta is what its current name has been derived from. Nazi Germany attacked Crete in 1941 but met with hearty opposition in the form of allied forces from the UK and Australia fighting alongside locals from Crete.
The flora on Crete includes more endemic species than all of Europe's other islands. Basil and wild fennel grow wild and give the air a heady aroma. Crete's majestic mountains are awash with the colours of olive trees, wild flowers and bushes and every so often you will come across a cave or a sweeping valley or gorge. As you drive or take a tour in Crete along the length of the southern coastal belt, your journey will be laced with long beaches and quiet coves. The sound of the ocean makes a great soundtrack to drive to and even longer distances seem too short!
Greek is the national language but people in tourist hot spots and big cities speak or at least understand English well. Smaller villages too are easy to manage in since the people are helpful. There a few minor differences in the Cretan dialect of Greek but it is otherwise similar to the mainland dialects. A lot of street signs tend to be in Greek while villages have no signs at all!
Overall, Crete is a wonderful place to visit and the choice for many visitors to Greece with as many as 15% of all tourists to the country entering through the port or Heraklion airport. Charter flights to Heraklion account for 20% of all charters to Greece, and tourist arrivals are on the rise, with two million coming here last year. The number of Crete hotel beds available has gone up by 53% between 1986 and 1991 while the rest of the country had just a 25% rise. Come and see why so many people are making Crete their holiday destination.
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