Crete is the largest island of Greece with a length of 250 km. The
narrowest point is only 12 km wide and 60 km the widest point. Crete has three
mountain ranges: the White Mountains (in the west), Ida Mountains (in the
center) and Oros Dikti (in the east). The highest mountain is Psiloritis (
2,456 meters).
Crete is divided into four departments: Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Lassithi. The capital of Crete is Heraklion.
The former Minoïssche civilization is still much to be found, but the volcanic eruption of Santorini in 1628 BC. has also destroyed a lot.
The main attractions of Crete include:
Spinalonga was designated as a leper colony, where people were going leprosy banned by the government of Crete in 1903, where they isolated from the outside world to live. Life on Spinalonga was not easy for the people who had to try to (over) live here. From the year 1950 there were medicines for leprosy so the people on Spinalonga could return to normal society slowly. The leper colony on Spinalonga remained until 1957. The renovated houses and other important places (" hospital ", church, cemetery, etc.) still present on the island may be visited.
In 2012, the Greek TV channel Mega broadcast a beautiful 26 - part serie called "To Nisi ".
This is a fantastic film adaptation of the book "The Island" by Victoria Hislop about life on Spinalonga.
Crete is divided into four departments: Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Lassithi. The capital of Crete is Heraklion.
The former Minoïssche civilization is still much to be found, but the volcanic eruption of Santorini in 1628 BC. has also destroyed a lot.
The main attractions of Crete include:
- Knossos: The Palace of Knossos is the largest of the Minoan palaces.
- Phaistos: the ruins of the palace of Phaistos also from the Minoan period.
- Matala: hippie beach with cave dwellings.
- Vai: palm beach.
- Sitia : Toplu Monastery.
- Lassithi: high plateau with many windmills.
- Kato Zakros: start point for a walk through the gorge of the dead also known
as "Death Valley" . The "Death Valley" is from
Epano (upper) Zakros to the sea at Kato (lower) Zakros. Recommended for
hikers and nature lovers.
- Plaka: departure point for boat trips and excursions to Spinalonga (former
leper island).
- Elounda: Find here your luxury hotel complexes. Elounda is also a starting
point to go by boat to Spinalonga. It is has also become famous because of the
TV series "Who pays the ferryman".
- Agios Nikolaos: modern tourist resort with terraces along Lake
Voulismeni.
- Spili: village square with 25 sources (lion head fountains).
- Chania: in the port along the quay are still many great Venetian houses. At
the back of the boulevard there are many narrow streets with little shops.
- Samaria Gorge: the walk through the narrowest gorge in the world is a
great experience. Since 1962, the Samaria Gorge, declared a national park. After
a descent of 1,200 feet a beautiful walk of 16 kilometers begins. The narrowest
point (about 4 feet wide with cliffs 500 meters high) is called the Iron Gate. The end of the gap comes from the Libyan sea (3 km from the coast). In the
coastal village of Agia Roumeli, a boat will take walkers back to the places
Paleochora and Chora Sfakion. In the gap are running the Kri - Kri, goats
only found on Crete.
Spinalonga was designated as a leper colony, where people were going leprosy banned by the government of Crete in 1903, where they isolated from the outside world to live. Life on Spinalonga was not easy for the people who had to try to (over) live here. From the year 1950 there were medicines for leprosy so the people on Spinalonga could return to normal society slowly. The leper colony on Spinalonga remained until 1957. The renovated houses and other important places (" hospital ", church, cemetery, etc.) still present on the island may be visited.
In 2012, the Greek TV channel Mega broadcast a beautiful 26 - part serie called "To Nisi ".
This is a fantastic film adaptation of the book "The Island" by Victoria Hislop about life on Spinalonga.
Picture from Google.