Crete Island Greece

.your Crete! Crete is much more than just another Greek island for the extraordinary traveller who expects an extraordinary journey.

Hania

Cretan has it all! Cretan is the biggest island in Greece and the fifth biggest in the Mediterranean. Here you can see the remains of splendid civilisations, beautiful sandy shores, stunning mountain scenery, fruitful dales and precipitous canyons, and become part of the island's vibrant cuisine. After all, Crete is a small world full of beauty and treasure that you will probably have to discover for a life time!

Chania, on the west side of the island, is ruled by the imposing White Mountains (Greek: leflka orient) and the renowned National Park, which take up most of the area. Chania Prefecture offers a wide range of tourism facilities and events to meet all needs.

From the Venetian period until today, the Hania town retains all its charm. Discover the Hania by walking in its roads, visit its museum and admire the different architecture that represent the historic itinerary. Hania is a gourmet and winelover's heaven.

of Rethymno (Rethymno): Crete's smallest preference between the White Mountains and Psiloritis (also known as " Idi "), is a synonym for beautiful mountains, beautiful sandy shores, Cretan lyra tunes, the " ofto " ghost of Chikoudia, mythical caverns, historical convents and memorials, ancient hill towns and more. Experience the heart of incredible Crete in this secluded, autonomous and hilly area.

Crete's biggest and most populous part of the island is Iraklion. Nestled between two impressive chains of hills - Idi (Mt. Psiloritis) to the east and the Lasithiotika range (Dikti) to the east - the city of Iraklion offers extraordinary archeological riches, important seaside residences, a range of scenic towns, wide dales with olives and vines, and the best organized touristic facilities in Crete.

Unparalleled combinations of rural landscape and nature make the Iraklion area an attractive year-round goal. Lassíthi (Lasithi) area. Welcome to the eastern and least mountainside of Crete, where the people live in four semi-urban centres: Vaï's mythic Vaï palms, the Gulf of Mirabello, the Lassithi plateau mills (the biggest in Crete), crystal clear waters, lovely towns and luxury hotels form a captivating environment.

Crete's geographic location between Africa, Europe and Asia Minor and its gentle climatic conditions made it a cultural centre as early as the Neolithic Age. Crete's first prehistorical settlement dates back to around 6000 B.C., while in 2600 B.C. colonists who were able to produce bronce came to Crete.

The mythology says that it was in a Crete cavern where the deity Rhea hid the new born Zeus. Zeus was raised by the enymphs in this den, while the demonic Kouretes raised their shield aloud so that Cronus could not listen and could not have eaten the cries of little Zeus.

Zeus, dressed as a Taurus, also took Europe in Crete so that they could share their passion. Her unification brought forth a progeny, Minos, who reigned Crete and turned it into a powerful island kingdom of the oceans. During Minoan period even Attica would have paid a toll to Crete until Theseus, the athenic Prince, which Minotaur slayed.

Behind the legend, the reality is the presence of a powerful and rich empire and a civilization that is regarded as the oldest on the continental Europe. After the destruction the Dorians came to set up on the island. Crete became the Byzantine provinces after Rome's reign until the Arabs invaded the island for an eighteenth hundred years (824-961 B.C.).

Crete became the hiding place of the Pirate from Chandakas, now Heraclion. Then Crete came under the reign of the Byzantines until the Venetians arrived, who ruled the island for about 5 hundred years and shaped the city. The end of the nineteenth centuary was the end of Turkey's hegemony.

Cretan state was founded with the King of Greece as High Commissioner of the island. Crete was eventually formally linked to Greece in 1913.