Vacation Rentals on Crete
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Travel destination Crete.
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Destination
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Overview of Crete |
| Size |
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8259 sq km (3038 sq mi) |
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| Population |
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550,000 |
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| Language |
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Greek (Ellenika). Younger generations and people in the tourism sector also speak English,
German, Italian or French. |
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| Time Zone |
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2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+2 GMT) |
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| Electricity |
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220 V, 50 Hz. Round two-pin plugs are used. |
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| Clothing |
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Lightweight clothes during summer months, including protection from the midday sun. Light sweaters are needed
for evenings. Rainproofs are advised for autumn. Winter months can be quite cold, especially in the northern mainland,
so normal winter wear will be required. |
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| Religion |
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98% Greek Orthodox, 1.3% Muslim, 0.7% other. |
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| Currency |
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Euro (EUR)
Currency Converter |
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Location of Crete
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Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean. A long, slug-like
island of some 260 km (161 mi) in length, Crete is Greece's most southerly point, with its largest
city and capital, Iraklio, situated in the middle of the north side of the island. Most of the tourist
developments lie either side, and the south and west coasts remain largely untouched.
Although the island is formally divided into four prefectures (Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Lassithi), it is
more readily divided into east, west and central Crete. The east is by far the driest part of the island, studded
with the ubiquitous olive tree and a rather stunted, albeit feral, mountain range, Thripti. A bit of tourism goes
on around the towns of Nikolaos and Mirambello Bay but by and large it's a fairly untouched area of Crete. |
Climate on Crete
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Crete has a warm Mediterranean climate. Maximum temperatures on the islands hover around 30°C (87°F) in summer,
but the heat is often tempered by the northerly wind known as the meltemi. Winter temperatures can be
severe in the mountains. In the winter months, temperatures are often below 10°C (50°F), which is fine
for touring, but usually too cold to swim or lie on the beach. Crete has fairly little rain year-round. |
Best Time to Travel to Crete
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The best times to visit Crete are late spring to early summer and autumn, when the tourist infrastructure
has geared up but you won't have to contend with the crowds of summer tourists. The weather
is usually pleasantly warm during this time, but not too hot, and swimming is possible. |
Events on Crete
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The Greek year is a succession of festivals and events. There are cultural and wine festivals throughout Crete
during summer and each town celebrates the day allocated to their patron saint. The most important cultural festivals
include: the Renaissance Festival in Rethymno, the Kyrvia Festival in Ierapetra, Sitia's
Kornaria Festival, Iraklio's Summer Arts Festival and the Lato Festival in Agios Nikolas.
Easter is taken much more seriously than any other religious holiday throughout Greece. Try to attend a
Palm Sunday ceremony, which ends with fireworks and a candle-lit procession. Other holidays of significance include:
Epiphany on 6 January, Independence Day on 25 March, May Day on 1 May (when everyone seems
to go into the countryside for picnics), The Battle of Crete during the last week of May and
Assumption Day on 15 August, which is celebrated with family reunions. |
Society of Crete
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Visitors to Crete will find the Greeks to be well aware of a strong historical and cultural heritage.
Traditions and customs differ throughout Greece, but overall a strong sense of unity prevails.
The Greek Orthodox Church has a strong traditional influence on the Greek way of life, especially in more rural areas.
The throwing back of the head is a negative gesture. Dress is generally casual. Smoking is prohibited on public
transport and in public buildings.
Tipping: 12-15% is usual. |
Food on Crete
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People tend to love or hate Greek food. The spicing is unusual, and lamb, olive oil and fish are common ingredients
(usually sopped up with a lot of bread). There's more to Greek food, however, than gyros: If you've only
experienced Greek cuisine as a fast food in another country, you're in for a treat. Athens has a wide variety
of restaurants, ranging from elegant (in most international hotels) to quaint (in the Plaka section).
Estiatorion are the more expensive conventional restaurants; taverna are informal, family-run establishments;
psistaria offer mostly grilled meats; and psarotaverna specialize in seafood dishes.
Common
everywhere are tsatsiki (garlic-yogurt spread), moussaka (aubergine casserole with minced lamb,
cinnamon, red wine and olive oil), kebabs and avgolemono (chicken broth with rice, eggs, salt and
lemon juice) souvlakia (lamb kebabs marinated in garlic), spanakopita (spinach pie) and tiropita
(cheese pie). Pastries such as baklavas (filo pastry filled with almonds and topped with honey, vanilla and sugar)
or loukoumades(honey-drenched pastry puffs) shouldn't be missed. Greek coffee is usually quite good,
though very strong.
Greek wines and liqueurs are quite distinctive and potent. The anise-flavored liqueur,
ouzo, is often drunk with water. Metaxa is a commonly found brandy. Wines vary widely in taste and quality.
Retsina, which acquires the flavor of resin from the casks in which it's stored, is an acquired taste.
And Mavrodaphne is extremely sweet. |
Visa for Crete
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Required by all except the following:
- nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, USA for a period
of up to three months
- nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Iceland,
Israel, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, St Kitts & Nevis, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic,
Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela for a period of up to three months
- those continuing their
journey to a third country within 48 hours provided holding tickets with reserved seats and other documents
for their onward journey except: nationals of Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria and Turkey who always need a visa,
even if transiting by the same aircraft. |
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